A couple of weeks ago, tucked away down the longest driveway ever, we found our favourite NGS garden so far. Rolf’s Farm is a magically wild and rambling place, a place where roses tumble over walls and fences, where deep red and pale pink scabious dance atop the long grasses in the waist height meadows and old chairs and tables find themselves being absorbed into the very fibres of a leafy paradise.
Arriving was almost too exciting, a long drive down and a short walk uphill – past a high garden wall, not daring to peek over it at the house hidden behind. Savouring the anticipation, and walking past to first take in the orchard and pass along the neat rows of vines in a small and newly planted vineyard. Passing under a rambling white rose and through some beech trees, we stepped out into the light and down a few brick steps into a neatly laid out vegetable garden. The greenhouse was playing nursery to herbs and tomatoes, and foxgloves were slowly taking over the veg patch.
Wildlife-friendly – with no boundary fences to encourage visiting creatures of all sizes, we spent a couple of hours running wild ourselves in amongst the wildflower meadows. Although busy with visitors this popular open garden had plenty of intriguing paths leading to secret and secluded places and sweeping foliage to disappear under. We tiptoed over tiny bridges that crossed streams and fell in love with hazel trees and ancient espaliers. The teahouse halfway round was filled with chatter and tea cups clinking, simple sprigs of roses in jars adorned the tables and a climbing hydrangea lit up a dark corner like fairy dust in the gloom. A sunken meadow planted in an ancient tennis court was waist high with an ocean of grasses and blooms and then we discovered the – house!
Walking out from behind a hedge and through a wild and abundant herb and flower patch with a pond at the bottom, a grass path lead us to a beautiful old English country farmhouse complete with a wobbly terracotta roof and vines and roses scrambling all over the walls. The sun reflecting brightly from the weatherboarding of the home like a pearl set in magnificent and untamed grounds on dry land. As wild and wonderful as it is, I am well aware that a lot of work goes into this sort of informal and naturalistic planting – all looked after by head gardener, Kate Langdon.
