Gardening in Dernol

Aerial view of Glandernol. photo by Ben Price

Dernol has what some might call ‘challenging’ conditions for gardening – about 265m (870ft) above sea level, and much of it in a frost pocket; we can expect frosts any time from late September until early June, so there is a short growing season for plants that are not frost-hardy. One thing we are not short of is rain, which is beneficial for many plants, though it can be too wet over winter for some alpines. The soil is generally acid and quite stony, but well-drained.

Having said that, many ornamental and edible plants are grown successfully here; as always it can take a little trial and error to find out what will thrive in our conditions without demanding too much cosseting over winter – nothing more than maybe putting a few pots under cover for the winter, and fleecing young plants for protection against late frosts.

Our own garden at Glandernol has been organic since we moved here in 1988. It is not a large garden (0.3 acres, with quite a lot of it taken up by a bungalow, garage and drive) but it has a good range of wild plants and animals, as well as ornamentals and vegetables that we have planted. We have chosen many plants to attract pollinators and maintained the garden in such a way as to be attractive for animals of all sorts (particularly insects), ensuring that there are plenty of micro-habitats in which they can live, feed, breed and over-winter. The addition of a small pond in 2008 was a great success in attracting additional life to the garden. The results show how much can be achieved in a fairly small space if ‘wildlife-friendly’ methods are used.

The photos are not specifically for identification aids or botanical education; they have been taken mostly for my interest in the colour, shape, patterns and form of the plants, particularly their flowers.

There are more photos of flowers and plants on the wild flowering plants page.

Ornamental Plants – latest additions

Ornamental Plants – main gallery

Herbs, Vegetables & Fruit