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TOUCHWOOD
COTTAGE GARDEN
TOUCHWOOD has many rare and beautiful plants
TOUCHWOOD is an intimate, exuberant plantsman’s garden, most items grown from seed. Carrie is a plantaholic who gardens in the cottage style in order to cram more plants into a small area! Keen on traditional cottage garden favourites, she also has many unusual and rare plants, mainly grown from seed. There is an abundance of climbers, herbaceous perennials, annuals, biennials, bulbs, herbs, and vegetables, with shrubs, ferns and grasses. Containers (mainly alpines) and archways increase the available growing space.
Touchwood has good interest from March until the frosts, although it is at its peak in May to August.
The NCCPG National Collections of Aquilegia vulgaris cultivars and
of Aquilegia hybrids flower in May and June. For private visits, be advised that the collection is usually at its flowering peak during the second half of May, although a visit any time in May and early June would see a good selection of the Aquilegias in flower. Aquilegias (also known as granny’s bonnets or columbines) have been grown for many centuries in British gardens. Their wide colour range and their complexity of form, has been embellished by newer attributes of variegated or golden foliage, and the introduction of scent.
Plants and seeds for sale. Please ring to find out if refreshments will be available at the open day. Private visits welcome by appt: £1., or £1.50 when the Aquilegias are in flower. Discounts for parties. Contact me
Opening times: By appointment, almost any time, please ring 01792 522443 to choose a convenient date.
Group visits: you are very welcome but Touchwood is a small garden. Larger groups, including coaches are welcome...I can organise visits to other local gardens as well in a rota of smaller groups, in order to minimise group numbers in the garden at any one time, and so maximise enjoyment. See below for Aquilegia Open Day dates, including for the National Garden Scheme.
Use these links
South Wales Evening Post in May 2007
Aquilegia Collection Open Days 2010 dates are as below.
However,
you
may visit ANY time during the aquilegia flowering season, just
Probably Sunday 9th May 2-5pm...ONLY if 2010 is an early season.
S
Sunday 23th May 1-5pm
Satur
LOADS OF PLANTS AND SEEDS FOR SALE
HALF PRICE PLANT SALE
Half price plant sale: will be from Wednesday 9th June
EVERYTHING reduced and most things half price!
From this date aquilegia plants also available by post, cut down after flowering, and bare-rooted to send to you
Please contact me to confirm the earlier or later dates, or to arrange a visit by appointment.
And charitable opening for National Garden Scheme (Yellow Book)
Not 2010, as it was not worthwhile for the NGS in 2009, not enough visitors came, so we'll have a year out, and it will certainly be worth waiting for!
£2, children free
Dear Carrie, Jennie Craine here. I visited your beautiful garden on Saturday and bought a “few” seeds! I came home and for the first time REALLY looked at the flower heads on my Aquilegias. On one “tousle-headed” sort I have THREE different flower types, so I shall save seed from that and see what comes up. On a pure white double, I have two sorts – a well-established double and then a pom-pom which looks stunning. By the way, I wrote up my visit on my blog. If you want a peep it’s Touchwood Nursery - Aquilegia Heaven On my other (wildlife) blog – there’s a link to it from C&C – I have put photographs of the wild Aquilegias along our lanes here. Many thanks for sharing your stunning flowers with me. Jennie
Click here for Directions including links to maps
Touchwood is just off the Gower road from
Facilities: Limited parking available. Plants and seeds for sale.
The garden borders
Please also visit the National Garden Scheme website for other gardens open for charity in the area.
eg Eastcliff, Gower Big House Farm, Gower
Springfield, Nr Swansea Brynyrenfys, nr Swansea
Tyfri, nr Llanelli Weir Castle nr Haverfordwest
Aquilegias: columbines, granny bonnets
Touchwood has two National Plant Collections: of Aquilegia vulgaris cultivars and of Aquilegia hybrids, so there are always plenty of very desirable Aquilegia (grannys bonnets, columbines) seed available. Garden open for the Collection in May and June.
The video made of the Collection contains all the information you ever wanted to know about Aquilegias...with loads of named varieties shown; sowing and growing pests and diseases and the intricacies of breeding is shown in detail. RRP £14.99 +p&p
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