大象传媒

We went to visit a garden for this week鈥檚 programme which has more than a little of the 鈥� Narnia鈥� about it.

Hidden away from passing view, this meandering, woodland garden has 聽evolved in the blink of a gardening eye, over a period of some thirty years.

With hardly a straight line to be seen, the garden beds follow a jigsaw puzzle pattern with peninsulas and island beds cut out from the velvety lawn.

The gardeners are Sam Harrison, former Arboreta Forester with Castlewellan Forest Park and his partner Esther Kiernan who looks after herbs and the聽 containers close to the house. She also has an eye for herbaceous plants with which she has created a new bed to soften the boundary between the front garden and the field which leads towards the forest park beyond. Among the plants which Esther has included is a bright clump of useful Euphorbia which will happily colonise the new bed, give half a chance.

Wearing their herbaceous hats with pride too, are Aquilegias scattered here and there, Poppies about to pop, Nasturtiums which have overwintered, fine leaved Delphiniums creeping upwards daily and Peonies full of promise.

But this, as you might expect given it鈥檚 location, is garden about trees鈥�..a haven for children or anyone with imagination, full of potential lions, witches and wardrobes.

Over the fence and in the distance, the woodland and arboretum of the forest park seem to cast an empathetic eye towards the lovingly created garden rooms in Sam and Esther鈥檚 garden.

Hiither and thither throughout the trees there are pausing places with lots of places to sit and think. As Sam puts it 鈥渨e aren鈥檛 slaves to the garden 鈥渟o places to stop and enjoy are essential and as they are both keen golfers too, there is a mini golf course with opportunities to perfect putting and practise swings.

On our wander Sam mentioned that had he not become a forester he would like to have been a cartoonist, so it鈥檚 no surprise that everywhere there are quirky and interesting objects, evidence of his artistic eye.

Large and lovely lumps of stone make their mark in borders, beds and corners and contrast with the textures and forms of the plants.

Here and there are idiosyncratic objects, like an old weathered cast iron drinking trough, positioned among the pink, white and bluebells in the wood and four reaper seats from old farm vehicles, recycled to create a convivial garden bench.

Saying stop for a minute too, are the pond, full of darting carp and the conical summer house with it鈥檚 trompe d鈥檕eil mirror and suspended cane seat.

And in contrast to the wall of mature trees, all cool greens and browns, are the tiny flame coloured flowers of the Embothrium or Chilean Firebush, the bright yellow Rhododendron 鈥淟uteum鈥� with it鈥檚 wonderful scent, and the pink and cream patterned leaves of the Actinidia which almost completely covers the summer house.

Just some of the plants which characterise this lovingly created garden which you can visit in June as part of the Ulster Gardens Scheme.

If you can鈥檛 wait that long, why not take a radio walk around it with us this Saturday morning on Gardeners' Corner or listen again via 大象传媒 iPlayer Radio. whatever the season, good gardening.