Pictures by Colin Pusey

18th June 2016

It was a cold gloomy Saturday when members arrived at Frythe Barn, Stradbroke to be met by Mrs Carol Darling who showed us around the 2-acre garden and described its transformation in 9 years from a series of brick and concrete buildings to the interesting garden it is today.  We wandered through the living Willow Tunnel to the spinney which had several bee hives and appropriately, flowering bee orchids which are now naturalizing around the garden.  Continuing past the bog garden, we arrived onto the main lawn where there were colourful mixed borders and several grass beds, the latter with Stipa gigantea, Stipa tenuissima, Miscanthus, Festucas and Pennisetums among the plantings.  The main feature on the lawn was the large pond with waterlilies, fed by an artificial stream, and with colourful planting on the banks – outstanding were the pink flowers of Butonus umbellatus and the apricot heads of a candelabra Primula.  This was a very enjoyable garden with lots of interest and the equally enjoyable was the excellent tea and cakes provided by Mrs Darling.

Anne McCord