Kathy Brown's
JULY GARDEN
at
The Manor House, Church Road, Stevington,
Nr Bedford MK43 7QB
Tel. 01234 822064
www.kathybrownsgarden.homestead.com
E: info@kathybrownsgarden.com
July = Clematis festival at Stevington!
  • Open to groups of 15 or more by special arrangement;
  • Open Sunday July 17th 12-5pm.

The late flowering clematis are the main show with over 100 named on a map which we give out to all our visitors. There are clouds of blue, purple, white and red viticellas on the arches and pergolas, several pink texensis along the warm front of the house and many yellow orientalis types on the wisteria arches. There are various species clematis too. They all contribute wonderully to the July garden, with glorious displays of countless blooms.

Early July brings the white regale lilies in full array while beneath the white stemmed birch avenue, the generous strip of purple and white acanthus looks dramatic against the purple beech hedge. By now the naturalistic grass gardens are beginning to look their best with layers of pink and white echinaceas in bloom besides the ornamental grasses.

The edible flower border is now rich with lavender for my delicious flapjacks and cakes, bronze fennel flowers for all the lovely salmon and prawn dishes, marigolds for the carrot cakes etc etc. The Tuesday afternoon visitors will enjoy them as well as the July Groups!  I am giving a special edible flower demonstration at 3pm on Sunday July 17th (open day).

The wild flower meadow is a picture with pale blue scabious, knapweeds, trefoils etc with mown paths created to make it easy to wander through and just enjoy the atmosphere of insects flitting to and for and supping the nectar. We have lots of butterflies, lacewings, ladybirds, grasshoppers and moths enjoying the feast. I have never known the show to be as pretty as it is right now!

The summer containers are beginning to get inot their full stride with begonias and fuchsias teraming up with the succulents. Elsewhere grasses, herbaceous plants, hostas and ferns all make a wonderful display in various pots and torughs and baskets..

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