Victory Hall & Greenbank

With thanks to Meg Wolton (below selling programmes)
and Wendy Redstone (in red below right selling plants)

I decided that I was going to try to get round all 15 gardens and allot at least three photos to each. I told myself that if I started when the gardens opened at 10.30, I would be finished by lunch. Given the very warm day, things didn't quite work out as I had planned.

Aaron & Judith Beacom - Little Down, South Zeal

A family garden with vegetables in raised beds.

One other attraction was an adorable puppy who managed to try and look very ferocious whilst lying on his back (see this month's Photo Album)

Caroline & Mark Boother - Townend, South Zeal

A walled garden leading to a burgage plot with a children's play area and pool, fruit and shrubs.

I did not follow the way the gardens were printed in the brochure and, after several false attempts to find some gardens, Townend and Larksmead were my numbers six and seven, by which time I was getting very hot and exhausted, Going in from the back way, I have to admit that I had no idea which was Townend and which Larksmead (except for the pool, of course).

Terry Valence - Larksmead, South Zeal

A small enclosed garden, part walled with mixed ornamental plants, some grown from RHS seed, and vegetables.

The chickens, especially the cockerel who was trying to out-cry another in a nearby field, were really good but I have no idea which garden they belonged to. By this time I was flushed red and burning up and I had to flee home for a cool drink in front of a fan.

Carola & David Capon - The Cottage, School Lane, South Zeal

A mixed garden with shrubs, lawns, rose beds and vegetables.

Joan & Charlie Curtis - Cawsand View, South Zeal

A garden with mixed flowers and vegetables in a burgage strip.

Joan was very proud of her Phormium which was flowering for the first time since she has had it,

Dave & Shirley Denford - The Cottage, Ramsley, South Zeal

A maturing garden on a steep, exposed slope with shrubs and
herbaceous plants.

I learned for the first time that Dave's father had been a gardener by profession. I am sure he would have been very proud of his son and daughter in law.

Wendy & Keith Redstone - Moorlands, South Zeal

Plantsman's (or woman's) garden with a wide range of plants. Established water garden. Vegetables.

Keith told me he was in charge as a sort of figure head while Wendy toiled on elsewhere.

Wendy Kitchen - The Smithy, South Tawton

A hillside garden with ponds, lawn and mixed herbaceous plants

(And a great sense of humour!)

Jackie & Roger Yeates - Blackhall manor, South Tawton

A small plantsman's garden - alpines, climbers, shrubs and herbaceous plants.

I don't know who writes the garden descriptions but Roger didn't seen very small to me. What he did seem was very knowledgeable about the history of the place and had gone to the trouble of building a computerised illustrated informative tour.

Ellen & John Birch - Park Cottage, South Tawton

A garden with shrubs, herbaceous plants a pond and vegetables
in raised beds

Welmoed & John Perrin - Glebe House, South Tawton

Large open garden with views, patio, conservatory and mature trees,
ponds and vineyard.

Sue & Neil Sibley - South Tawton Mill Cottage

A very large wild garden with ponds, a lake and birds - both wild and tame. Willow sculpture. Seats in strategic places.

I took more photographs here of the ducks than of the garden itself (see Photo Album), as they insisted on walking in front of me as I went round the lake. Also I was told that the dinosaur started life as a camel!

Joyce & Barrie Woods - Aldenda, South Tawton

This was an additional garden which wasn't in the programme. Although I didn't know it, it was not open when I went along, although as a lot of it is beside the road, this didn't seem to matter much.