Thornlie Garden
Suburban Garden Thriving on Passion

I have always loved gardens but at first the design and style of the garden wasn’t really thought out too well and it has been changed immensely over the years. I was in love with Iceberg roses back in the beginning and had approximately eight or more bush and standard Iceberg roses but none of those remain today as I had become in love with Heritage Roses.

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In my first purchase of roses, along with the Icebergs and a few Hybrid Tea roses (of which none of those remain) there was one rose that I bought all those years ago and remains today, and has taken up a huge part of the garden. 

 

The rose we now call The Everywhere Rose is an old Centifolia rose thought to have come out with the first settlers, and takes well from cuttings.  It is a Spring flowering only rose and flowers over a long period on long arching branches.  It suckers and has done so along a large part of the fence, but as it is such a beautiful rose with an amazing perfume I let it do its own thing and do not stop it.

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As stated, all the original gardens were changed and David Austin and old roses now dominate the garden.   All the lawn was dug up in front of The Everywhere Rose and the area made into a Cottage Garden, which you enter via an arch covered in Clair Matin and Pierre de Ronsard.  Along the fence line are almost all Spring flowering roses of Bourbons, Gallicas and Centifolias and amongst them grow Louisiana Iris, Salvia, Daylillies, Poppies and Johnny Jump Ups and other companion plants that are self sown and mingle with the roses.  A path runs down the middle of this section and a large bowl of water sits in the middle, with a seat at the end where you can sit and take in the garden.  A massive climbing Madame Alfred Carriere is on one pole behind the seat and the beautiful single rose of Dupontii on the other.

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Walking back out from under the arch is a Cottonwood tree which is covered with three climbing roses - Comtesse de Labarthe, Lamarque and Carabella.   A little further along a Robina tree is covered in the climbing Devonensis and an unknown single white rose.   Roses along supports are around the perimeter clambering here and there, and to exit from this section you walk under another arch laden with the Noisette rose Reve d’Or and Blossomtime.

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More large roses and a climbing Maman Cochet climbs on the fence and the arch entrance to the garden shed, a spectacular sight, and more climbing roses along the back of the house before entering through an old iron gate into the courtyard where roses bloom in pots and along the fence.

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All the back section of the garden and courtyard in are tones of Pinks, whites, creams and purples. The front garden, which has had much of the lawn dug out for more roses, is in tones of white, creams, yellows and purples with a dash of orange.  No pinks in the front, and no yellows in the back.

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A huge old standard Hybrid Musk, Buff Beauty dominates the front garden and is a picture in Spring.  There are tall bushes of roses on poles and supports for height in the garden, plus smaller bushes.  Another bowl of water sits in the small area of grass in the front garden, which is often laden with floating roses.  Along the driveway is a large bush of Crepuscule supported on two poles which shares the garden with the Tea rose Etoile de Lyon, Damask Madam Hardy and two David Austin Roses.

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The garden has 140 odd roses including, Tea, Chinas, Hybrid Musk, Centifolias, Bourbons, Damask, Gallicas, Rugosas and much more.

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I enjoy the garden and spend as much time as possible in it, the types of roses, the shapes, the perfume and colours are all just a dream. 

 

The soil has had to be built up from the rubbish soil that we first started with.  We have our own compost bin and use this in the garden, lots of animal fertiliser, and I use Lupin Mulch to keep the garden moist and this put nutrients back into the garden.  We installed a bore and this water is far better than scheme water for the garden. 

 

The garden is alive with birds and bees and many ladybirds which means the garden is a healthy happy place.