Jo's News and Views No 7 July 2025

howardhollands
Aug 8
3 min read

Hello Everyone

As I haven't been able to visit the garden I put a call out to some friends at the garden and they have responded so well with a selection of photos for me to use. It will be a 'collection' of photos rather than my usual 'wander'. So my very heartfelt thanks go out to Sheree Lester, Jessica Whitehead, Colin Short, Gabby Boraston, and Dawn Richardson. Thank you all so much.

There was good news for the LVRPA as nine open spaces and heritage sites have been recognised as among the best green spaces in the country and have been given a Green Flag award. The garden has also been awarded a Green Heritage Site Accreditation. Congratulations to LV, Julia, and all the garden team at Myddelton.

More good news is that the restoration of the Rock garden has started. It is a project that will last several years and is starting with the clearance of the unwanted weeds in the area and the re-shaping of the ponds so they can be lined and filled with water, photo 1.

In the Glasshouses there are many beautiful and interesting plants to see, photos 2, 3, 4 and 5. Perhaps the most unusual is the Aristolochia grandiflora or the Dutchman's Pipe vine, photo 6.

The Old Conservatory is looking lovely surrounded by a wonderful array of summer flowering plants, photo 7. Around the garden there is much to see including this Saponaria officinalis, known as Soapwort, photo 8. In the Annuals bed are these beautiful Zinnias, photo 9. In the bed in front of the Rose Garden there is a pretty display of Cosmos, photo 10. Then it was pleasing to see the bedding on the Tulip Terrace going strong, photo 11.

The Kitchen Shop or Cart, whichever you prefer, has been open selling produce from the garden, photo 12. The next tree is near the Glasshouses and is a Koelreuteria paniculata, known as Golden Rain tree , photo 13. At the end of Bowling Green lawn is this magnificent Cotoneaster multiflorus, photo 14. It is covered in white blossom in the Spring followed by these beautiful red berries in Summer. Somewhere in the the area behind the house is this unusual shrub, Staphylea pinnata, or Bladdernut, photo 15. Another delightful little gem is this Eucomis comosa 'Indian Summer', also known as the Pineapple flower, photo 16. On the wall in the area behind the house is this beautiful Campsis radicans, the Trumpet vine, photo 17. Such a vibrant colour. In the Pond there is quite a large group of bullrushes now, photo 18.

Now for the fauna. We are completely spoilt this month with the findings of my lovely contributors. First up from Sheree is this Chicken in the wood, a bracket fungus, photo 19. A very rare find from Dawn is this Banded General Soldierfly, photo 20. Next a Large White butterfly from Colin, photo 21. Gabby sent this photo to me, a huge Elephant hawk-moth caterpillar, photo 22. This will turn into a beautiful moth, photo 23. Colin found this unusual find, a Willow Emerald damselfly, photo 24, I have only seen one before. Then finally two little beauties I saw in my own garden, A Gatekeeper butterfly, photo 25 and the extraordinary Hummingbird hawk-moth, photo 26.

Well, I hope you have all enjoyed this roundup from the garden. I hope to have recovered and able to visit the garden myself later this month.