Devon Gardens Open - Holbrook Garden

Our 2 acre garden is situated on the South facing Holbrook Hill just outside Sampford Peverell, the soil is heavy clay. Early interest includes wildflower meadow plantings with cowslips and fritillaries and the woodland garden.

The two acres have many innovative plantings which take inspiration from natural plant communities. Vibrant mediterranean colours are used. The garden slowly builds through the season from rhododendrons and snakeshead fritillaries to a crescendo of bright reds, yellows, oranges, and strong blues and purples in August and September - a time when many gardens are way past their best!

The garden continually evolves and there are many experimental plantings - a wet garden with primulae and iris followed by heleniums, big grasses and echinaceas; a stone garden with a butterfly rich planting of verbena bonariensis, salvia uliginosa and ratibida pinnata together with many pokers and agapanthus; and a developing damp summer meadow with asters, helenium species, lobelia species, purple loosestrifes and persicarias.

In 2003/4 we planted a pink garden of experimental mixed planting of campanulae, achillea, astrantias, sanguisorbas and filipendulas. These are all planted as an intermixed population - in much the way that one might expect to find such plants in a natural plant community - in shadier areas certain plants might dominate, in wet ones others, in sunny parts yet different plants. Most recently (winter 2004/5) another 32 tonnes of pebbles and stone have extended the stone garden to create an area suited to hot climate plants - tulips, iris and onions in early spring followed by artemesia, grasses, rock roses.

Perfumes, songbirds and nests are everywhere, we have large displays of crocosmia and pulmonarias and the national collection of the genus helenium. The garden, by its nature, is not sutable for wheelchairs but there are seats and picnics benches around.

And the garden writers say . . .

"One of the best examples of ‘New Perennial’ planting in Britain" Noel Kingsbury (website)

"All in all, you might drift through 20 or so different microcosms at Holbrook. But who’s counting? Certainly not the owners of this staggeringly diverse garden, still gathering the best plants the temperate world has to offer into their piece of Devon hillside." Anna Pavord, The Garden, Sept 2007

"A combination of a garden full of interesting plants, a nursery and experimental planting is rare. Holbrook has them all" Noel Kingsbury, Gardens Illustrated, August 2007

Here are a few recent comments from the visitors book . . .

"What a wonderful garden! Great late summer show, full of insect variety: bees, hoverflies, butterflies" Steve and Mary Woolhams, Oxford, 11 Sept 2009
"Inspirational for anyone choosing plants to attract bees and butterflies" J & S Le Breton, Torquay 5 Sept 2009
"It's wild!! shame no cream teas" Louie and Lorraine, Devon, 18 August 2009
"I liked the pond and the banana plant" and "Wonderful garden very exciting for the children and great planting for us. Thank you." Jack, Tom, Cally and Ben, N Yorkshire, 14 August 2009
"Really enjoyed walk around garden. My daughter enjoyed the 'jungle'. " Steve Kilmes and Lisa, Dartford, Kent, 30 July 2009
"Really enjoyed the wild planting, felt tropical today!" J & G Moysey, Chudleigh, Devon, 24 July 2009
"Fantastic, wonderful plants in great combinations" Di and Scan, Cambridge, 15 July 2009
"Wow!" Butler/Willows, Middlesex, 1July 2009
"Wonderful, Thank you for showing it to us" Monica & Ingernat Dreghammar, Sweden , 17 June 2009
"Fab, Wish my garden was as casual" V & A Bagg, Exeter, 13 June 2009
"Thanks for a great experience" A Mulvin, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, 28 May 2009
"Wonderful, rustic, no stiff borders" A Neale, Essex, 16 April 2009
"Inspiring and imaginative. Brilliant colour" Susi Vague, Lostwithiel, Cornwall 25 Oct 2008
"Fantastic late summer colour, very inspirational, thank you" Jan and Brian Benny, Ashby de la Zouch, 12 Sept 2008
"Wonderful experience, thanks" John and Ray, Newlyn, 12 Sept 2008
"I absolutely adore its wilderness but very clever planting." Simon and Maria, Rochester, 12 Sept 2008
"Superb and bountiful" Jane Lee and Rosie Diggins, Devon and Glos, 30 August 2008
"Fantastic garden. Such colour" Norma and Steven, Barnstaple, 28 August 2008
"Wonderfully relaxing, inspiring, thank you for letting us participate" Katrin Dalliner, Austria, 23 July 2008
"The kind of garden I love - hope I can remember enough to make a difference in my own suburban garden" Donna and Miles, Catford, London 18 July 2008
"It's a nice country, nice people, nice garden" Michael Schonemann, Berlin 1 July 2008
"Wonderful" David and Isobel, Somerset, 17 June 2008
"Man and nature working wonderfully together, very therapeutic" Jenny Davies, Castle Cary, Somerset, 20 May 2008
"Still my all time fav garden - it's a bit wild and very exciting" Annemarie Smerdon, Lustleigh, Devon 17 May 2008
"Delightful" Carole and Mick Sabine, Great Missenden, Bucks 18 April 2008
"The most amazing garden!" Jill and Michael Aldworth, Crediton, Devon, 12 October 2007
"Heaven and the loo is the best!" Anna, Judy and Deeny, Dorset, Somerset, 20 Sept 2007
"Very exhuberant and full of enthusiasm" Monica and Val, Surrey and Devon, 15 Sept 2007
"A heaven on earth" Hilary and David Baslington, Keswick 14 Sept 2007
"Lovely. . . . Lots of ideas." Patricia Fenn, Western Australia, 30 Aug 2007
"Gorgeous! We love this place" Juliet and Paddy, Bristol 25 Aug 2007
"Verging on the hallucinogenic! Fabulous!" Roger Webster, Topsham 24 Aug 2007
"Wonderful place to feel at peace" Jill Strawbridge, Drimpton, Dorset 24 Aug 2007
"Great inspiration for my new garden in Hampshire - great wildlife haven. Have fallen in love with heleniums" Karen and Pam 21 Aug 2007
"A wonderful garden - my sisters and I have so enjoyed it. Will come again" E Hoskin 16 Aug 2007
"What a wonderful time we have had - such a lovely enchanting place" N Davis & H W Jones 11 Aug 2007
"Delicious garden esp stone garden." D & A Hallen, Exmouth 8 Aug 2007
"Loved the garden - interesting concepts." J Coulter 4 Aug 2007
"Very impressive, amazing in fact." D Staines 31 July 2007
"A revelation. What wonderful planting." Neville & Priscilla Vereham 31 July 2007
"Loved it! Just my style - wonderful plants - atmosphere." Barbara O'Dell 18 July 2007
"This is the third time here. We love it! Keep up the good work" James Coles, Charlie Slalansh 14 July 2007

"Lovely tranquil setting- beautiful bird life. Plenty of innovative ideas. Proves that environmentally friendly does not have to be a mess" Janet and Denis Wilmott 6 June 2007
"Stunning. Lovely variety of plants, bird song, sights and scents. Our idea of how a garden should be. Thank you." Sue and Chris Hart 25 May 2007
"A real gem! A world of different plants . . ." Dennis and Gill Keen, 16 May 2007
"Quite perfect, thank you" Evie Knight-Bruce 25 April 2007
"What a treat. Beautiful plants. Wish I'd come earlier. A different season beckons" Ms Humphrey, Bickington 2 October 2006
"Inspiring - shows what can be done by working with nature. . . Thankyou for opening." David and Wendy Sperry 28 Sept 2006
"A fabulous garden . . . a great achievement. Well done!." Linda and Peter Lindley, 16 September 2006
". . . It's delightful with interesting ideas by the dozen."Kay Henderson, Richard Lindsay Cumbria, 4 August 2006
"A wonderful garden, superb planting." Elizabeth Green & June Owen, Church Stretton, Shropshire, 22 June 2006
"A beautiful, fragrant garden; really enjoyed all the birds and their song." Steve and Hilary Mathison, 3 June 2006
"Wonderful! Enough interest for a whole day's visit." Gill Ashton, 11 May 2006
"Terrific haven for wildlife - excellent" Blake, 21 April 2006
"Beautifully organised chaos. A delight." John Flower, Winkleigh. 21 April 2006
"Clever ideas, environmentally sound and a charming garden" Haynes, Northants, 15 April 2006
"The most stimulating garden I know - full of ideas and shapes" Ann Hill, Calverleigh. 17 Sept 2005
"Fantastic place - love it to bits!" Trude Marde. 28 August 2005
"Magic! A wonderful haven for all." Rosemary Ellis, Leeds. 5 August 2005
"Peacful, colourful. Abundant wildlife." Heather Webb, Paignton. 29 July 2005
"Wonderfully peaceful, well worth the visit, we hope to call again in August." Jim and Lynn, Okehampton. 17 June 2005
"Beautiful, peaceful, birdsong and quiet spots - a great "space" to be in." Claire Johns, Doreen Keyte. 16 June 2005
"A truly inspirational garden & a great attitude to gardening!! many thanks." Lisa Leach, Chichester College. 2 June 2005
"We all loved this relaxing, naturalistic and inspiring garden Thank you." D & G Lister, W Yorks and B & E Bender, Reading. 27 May 2005
"We love the plants, the style and the ethos of the garden. We'll come again in August." Mr & Mrs Dodd-Crompton. 30 Apr 2005
"From one NGS gardeners to another - a fascinating stroll with so many 'must-haves'"." Fred & Nina Preston, Wokingham. early Apr 2005
"Lovely to see things growing as they do in our own garden - not a manicured display." Burton & Betty Mills, E Hants. 25 Sept 2004
"Loved the naturalistic style of planting that attracts wildlife. Lots of butterflies and birds. Well worth the visit from E Hants" Sue Tucker. 24 Sept 2004
"This is surely what a garden should be - T.V. gardeners - look and weep!." Pauline & Richard Adams. 24 Sept 2004
"A riot of colour, beautiful." Mr & Mrs Cross, Shaftesbury, Dorset. 2 Sept 2004
"A garden after my own heart - loved it!." Cilla Hilton Jones 30 Aug 2004
"I've never stood outside a toilet to write in a visitors book before - Garden is superb, well worth a visit." M & P Darby 28 August 2004.
"Fascinating collection, unusual plant combinations, most enjoyable." P Whitney & C.F. Ball, Teignmouth. 26 August 2004.
"Well worth a visit, will come again . . . ." Roger & Marion Shorey. Tavistock 5 August 2004.
"One of the best gardens we have visited! Interesting and attractive - it provides many ideas." Keith & Eleanor Giles, 20 July 2004.
"Have much enjoyed our wander & hope to come again -lots to see." Michael & Jenny Ford, Tiverton 17 July 2004.
"Delightful, natural, well-stocked garden." Chris & Pauline Michell, Taunton. 17 July 2004.
".. the garden was truly wonderful . . . yours and the Garden House came out tops, yours with the added bonus of the veg patch." Joan and Roy Birtles, Cheshire. (letter following visit) 8 July 2004.

Holbrook, our garden at Sampford Shrubs, is named after the hill on which we garden.

Much of the grassed area is carefully managed to allow natives to seed and multiply. In spring you can see naturalised and expanding stands of cowslips, meadow buttercups and fritillaries. The ponds are host to frogs and newts which breed every year. Finally we have an organic vegetable garden and tunnel where compost, mulching and natural predation are used to good effect.

But the way we grow our garden also has major benefits for us as gardeners. Working with nature by using thick mulches of shredded material or pebbles together and the careful placing of appropriate plants - using natural plant communities as an inspiration - means that our work is minimised - weeds are not eliminated but they are radically reduced. The garden is on a human scale - it is something that busy people can re-create for themselves. We have no hoardes of full time gardeners nor areas of labour intensive bedding and bare earth to keep weed free - 6-8 hours of work a week is a realistic total for the 2 acres. We hope you can come and share our enjoyment.

Holbrook Garden

In 2010 Holbrook Garden will open every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 1 April to 31 October inclusive. 9am to 5pm, admission £3.00, children free, no dogs. Picnicing welcome.

Holbrook through the year

Holbrook through the year

Holbrook through the year
March	April	May	June	July
August	September	October	Winter	another view

	Images for sale at Garden World Images
	Checkout our stock garden photography at Alamy