Tags
Brunnera macrophylla, Crown Imperial fritillaria, grade II*, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Lily flowered tulips, Lunaria annua var.albiflora, Monica Young potter, NGS, Peter Aldington, RIBA, spring bulbs, Turn End, white Honesty
Designed and built by architect Peter Aldington in the 1960s Turn End is one of three houses which hold an RIBA Award for Architecture (1970) and Grade II* listing; there are only twelve post-war houses so designated. I however went to visit the garden which was open under the NGS yellow book scheme on the last bank holiday Monday. Disappointingly the weather was typically bank-holiday wet but the garden was no less beautiful and perhaps enabled me to see it without the usual crowds.
The garden is a series of places, full sun, white washed walls, gravel with pans of houseleeks, armillary sphere and an arbour covered in climbers. Not looking so ‘hot’ in the wet weather I photgraphed the other areas of the garden most suited to the grey damp day.
Many areas of the garden looked wonderful thanks to widespread use of Spring bulbs, in particular tulips and Crown Imperial Fritillarias.
Bulbs with the less seen white form of Lunaria annua or ‘Honesty’

Blues and yellows ran around the garden thanks to Bluebells, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Forget-me-nots, and Brunnera macrophylla. Tulips and Crown Imperial Fritillaria are used to inject the yellows.

Drawing you through the doorway to the knot garden, note yellow tulips and wall of not yet open blue Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
There is an impressive collection of pots in the garden and they demonstrate lots of ideas of how to place them successfully.
This particular beauty was made by the late Monica Young. It brings to mind the unfurling of a hosta perhaps? The simplicity of the backdrop, wall covered in dark green ivy, appropriately does not compete with the beauty of the pot.
I really enjoyed the garden and intend to revisit later this year to see it in a different season. I was so impressed by the use of bulbs and the thread of colour repeated around the garden. The pots, well they were each a thing of beauty and their leafy surroundings were enchanting.
Lovely garden and good for you to persevere despite the weather. Looks like it was well worth your effort. I was particularly taken by the colony of trilliums and those remarkable urns.
You are right Eliza they were urns not pots! The trilliums were fabulous I was wowed by them and the combination was ‘wicked’ for want of a better expression.
🙂
I agree, a great object lesson in effective pot placement in a lovely spring garden setting.
So inspiring, a well placed pot becomes sculptural in the right place. I had better get saving!
The garden looks beautiful with the colours glowing in the dull weather.The pots are wonderful shapes and tones. The trillium/pot combination is definitely a winner for me.
Thank you for the beautiful evocation of the garden at Turn End. I feel I have visited all over again.
Thanks Liz