Wattle Woods Garden Path

The main path through the Wattle Woods starts down by the Pump House and winds gently up the slope towards the water race. There are stones along its edge.

On the house side there are mass plantings of Iris Japonica and Renga Renga. The area on the fence side is naturally very dry and only tough plants like hebes, flaxes, and astelias can be trusted to survive here.

Half way to the water race there is a junction, with a smaller path leading through to the glass-house and another short path which reaches the grass of the Pond Paddock. Here is a very majestic trio comprising a Pseudopanax with long thin fingers, a huge silver Astelia and a fine specimen of mountain grass.

The Main Wattle Woods Path in Winter

The path continues past an inviting seat which is surrounded by Renga Renga, and on to Rooster Bridge. This top area is full of Camellias (pink and white ones) and some favourite Pulmonarias, and is exceptionally beautiful in spring.

The area on the fence side is in effect a giant compost heap which has been levelled. As a result there are rather a lot of potato plants, which pop up between the nicotianas. Seeds of white Honesty have also been generously scattered throughout.

Textural Plants

The plantings alongside the Wattle Woods paths are full and textural, but the Wattle trees with their huge trunks leaning over at ridiculous angles make the greatest impact. There is quite a lot of dead wood trapped high in the branches, and suggestion has been made that when the wind is blowing this should be a hard hat area. Certainly smaller branches are always falling on and around the path.

Cotinus and Miscanthus

The small path which winds around to the glass-house door has an interesting history, and has undergone several changes. Giant clumps of snowdrops used to block it in spring. Self-sown Clary Sages used to block it in early summer. Nepeta (six hills giant) used to fall over it mid-summer. Long canes of Dublin Bay cutting-grown roses were lethal blockers in late summer. Favourite plants include a Cotinus and a large clump of Miscanthus Zebrinus.

The redirected wee path is suffering a similar fate. I built it one winter when the Rugosa roses were modestly biding their time. Two summers later, and the wee path was in trouble again. Thoughtfully I purchased two cheap rose arches to show the Rugosas who was the boss. The wee path is still rather difficult to navigate.

Small Wattle Woods Garden Path

There are many beautiful Rugosa roses in here, a favourite Cotinus and a Miscanthus Zebrinus, and memory plants from one of my dearest friends who now lives in Hereford. I also allow variegated mallows to grow nearby, and I am forever defending these sculptural plants worthy of inclusion into my garden.

A Dry Garden Area

The Wattle Woods paths traverse one of the driest areas in the garden, and sadly a lot is not reached by the main irrigation system. The main paths are wide enough to be raked clear of leaves, and Wattle seed pods form an interesting carpet.

However, some of the plants need a lot of extra watering, and there are always hoses lying on the paths to trip up visitors. Every summer I make huge resolutions to apply some tough gardening-love and leave things to fate. I always back down, and by mid-summer I am shifting the hoses every hour.