Dean House
Gardens
of
Kilmeston
Gardens
of
Kilmeston
The Gardens (a brief amble)
Dean House gardens has been described as being a well kept secret hidden behind the elegant facade of the more exposed house itself. With a variety of influences the gardeners have been beavering away attempting to create a thin sliver of Eden. The main skeletal structure of the Tunnel and Long borders with the Rose Garden running west to east from the house was laid out from plans designed by Christopher Carter of Colvin & Moggeridge. However, these initial plantings have changed and moved in relation to their more or less receptive micro - climates. The long borders being a case in point which were very kindly re - modelled by the indefatigable Pamela Swerdt (of Sissinghurst) and again then tweaked by the gardeners when a particularly troublesome plant fell foul of the 'Two Chances Law' at Dean House.
The whole estate comprises some 9 acres of green paddocks and verdant lawns providing a lush backdrop for the many mature shrubs and trees including particularly good specimens of Acer x hispanica, an Atlantic Blue Cedar, a Tulip tree an Indian Bean tree a Tree of Heaven and more. Around the three acres of grass are planted well over a hundred different species or cultivars of tree
Dean House gardens has been described as being a well kept secret hidden behind the elegant facade of the more exposed house itself. With a variety of influences the gardeners have been beavering away attempting to create a thin sliver of Eden. The main skeletal structure of the Tunnel and Long borders with the Rose Garden running west to east from the house was laid out from plans designed by Christopher Carter of Colvin & Moggeridge. However, these initial plantings have changed and moved in relation to their more or less receptive micro - climates. The long borders being a case in point which were very kindly re - modelled by the indefatigable Pamela Swerdt (of Sissinghurst) and again then tweaked by the gardeners when a particularly troublesome plant fell foul of the 'Two Chances Law' at Dean House.
The whole estate comprises some 9 acres of green paddocks and verdant lawns providing a lush backdrop for the many mature shrubs and trees including particularly good specimens of Acer x hispanica, an Atlantic Blue Cedar, a Tulip tree an Indian Bean tree a Tree of Heaven and more. Around the three acres of grass are planted well over a hundred different species or cultivars of tree
To the south of the house is the Pond Garden a little formal garden of four matching Buxus edged beds supporting matching standard Rose Nepeta and Valerian each with an inner ruff of Lavandula 'Hidcote'.
From the central pool, stone paths radiate to steps that lead up onto the upper rose garden.
From the central pool, stone paths radiate to steps that lead up onto the upper rose garden.
From the rear of the house facing east the path moves up steps again through the Tunnel Walk clothed with Japanese Wisteria, Laburnum, Vines, Clematis and Roses underplated with a variety of different Hellebores, Ferns and Alliums.
The Pond Garden
Entrance to rose garden
A good vantage point can be gained from the tunnel of the Rose Garden; planted from west to east yellow, amber, and white and then pink red and purple and underplanted with Penstemon, Dianthus, Campanula, Fuchsia, Phaiolepsis, Salvia and much more
Tunnel Walk
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The natural progression from here is to view the two south facing glassshouses divided by the sub tropical borders, which although of contemporary construction pay, in some design detail at least, a homage to their wooden predecessors. The easterly of the two and the larger was in a previous incarnation the Vine house but now used as part of the warmer cycle of plant production for both house and garden wherein you might find Bananas, Strelitzia, Ruellia, Dipladenia, Begonias, Impatiens, Datura , Billbergia, Streptocarpus etc
On entering the westerly of the two houses it is noticeably cooler and supports in the earlier part of the year propagation for vegetables and bedding.
Within this environment you will find a mixed bag of Abutilons, Epiphyllum, Helitrope, Pelargonium, Streptosolen, Cymbidiums, Mimulus, Plumbago and more.
Within this environment you will find a mixed bag of Abutilons, Epiphyllum, Helitrope, Pelargonium, Streptosolen, Cymbidiums, Mimulus, Plumbago and more.
Through the arched gateway brings us into the walled garden where immediately to the east is the third glasshouse which during autumn through to spring is kept a small collection of Rhododendron, Azalea and camellia and the overflow of tender perennials needing to be housed during cold wet spells. By the end of May most of these have been moved out of doors leaving this glasshouse fallow until late summer.
Within these walls over 130+ varieties of fruit and vegetables are grown, not including the soft fruit and the walled trained fruit, in neatly boxed and raised beds where both a vertical and horizontal symmetry is softened by the burgeoning crops
Within these walls over 130+ varieties of fruit and vegetables are grown, not including the soft fruit and the walled trained fruit, in neatly boxed and raised beds where both a vertical and horizontal symmetry is softened by the burgeoning crops
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# 2 Glasshouse
Walled Garden
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Giant Potato Peeler
If one follows the paths within the walled garden and out through the double oak doors a choice can be made as to whether to follow the woodland path back towards the house and the front borders with their six yellow spires or under the canopy of trees out onto the top shrub border and a sweeping view through the mown grass paths back to the house
In the Wood
Front Borders
This a brief taster of some of the delights of this little Hampshire garden and now by referring to the 'Gallery' link more views can be seen of areas not included here.
