Something interesting tucked in every corner of Ham property

Press, 3 November 1988, Page 11

Something interesting tucked in every corner of Ham property

One of Doreen Swift’s delights in her garden is her collection of alpines and miniature plants. This liking for small detail is reflected in Doreen and Dean Swift’s 36-perch property in Ham, which is intensively cultivated. Not a single space is wasted and there is something of interest carefully tucked into every corner. Dean enjoys growing a wide range of fruit and vegetables, while Doreen extends her interests into growing camellias and rhododendrons. The making of compost to replenish the goodness of the soil is a major part of their garden activities. They alternate in their share of the proceeds, each receiving a bin full every two weeks. The back garden is dominated by a large and very beautiful pale pink Prunus Shumidsu Sakura surrounded by lawn. To one side is a pottery studio and greenhouse which is swathed in the earthy scents of Clematis armandii intertwined with Akebia lobata. Outside the back door ■entrance is a froth of Primula malacoides which share their position with some of the tiny plants in Doreen’s collection. These are also housed in an interesting array of pots which Doreen has made herself. Beyond the lawn is a raised flower bed containing many beautiful alpines and rock plants such as wood anemones, anguineum, fragile fritillaries and celandines of shiny orange, yellow and pale cream. These are separated from the working part of the garden by a “hedge” of espaliered apples and pears, about 1.5 m tall and nearly 30 years old. These plants produce a fine selection of fruit and are an excellent means of growing a whole range of fruit varieties within a small garden. All together, the garden supports 14 apples and pears, two nectarines, and

a peach tree. There are also blackcurrents, raspberries and strawberries, feijoas and kiwifruit. The Swifts also grow their gooseberries as espaliered bushes, as this method makes for easy and painless picking. Behind the hedge is a greenhouse, a shade house for growing alpines, and a plunge bed. There is also a nursery bed for alpines, a shed for several vegetable beds with cloches, the compost corner and the rhododendron bed and a large bench for sitting. Nearby is a white wisteria, which Doreen rescued from an old site, and which she has specially pruned and grown as a standard tree. Herbs are grown in hollow bricks and upturned pipes, which keep the rampageous plants firmly in their place. Against the fence are some of the 50 varieties of camellias which are grown in the garden. Doreen considers this position best for the Elegans variety, which are inclined to hang their heads. A new acquisition which she has been particularly pleased with this year is Blissful Dawn, frail white, suffused with pink at the edges. There are more than 100 miniature roses in the garden, which fill everywhere with colour when the spring flowers are finished. Some of these are grown in Doreen’s pots. She considers that where space is wanting in a garden, the miniature Little Girl is an excellent substitute for Cecile Brunner. In autumn, fuchsias of many varieties provide the garden with colour. Over the years, Doreen and Dean have optimised the space available in their garden in order to follow their interests. Their garden shows great thought and organisation and is most productive, not only in terms of the fruit and vegetables but also in the number of surprises at every turn.