Re: Plant people
- Subject: Re: Plant people
- From: M* B*
- Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2001 22:03:02 +0100
Tim,
Finally brought some law and order back to Lamorran, when I opened the gates
on Monday morn' I kinda had an idea of how the staff at the British Treasury
must've felt in the 1970's when they caught sight of the inflation figures
at that time of the week, i.e. how? what happened?, where do we start? etc.
I can't remember seeing so much growth in just over a week.
Anyway, yes La Mortella was an absolute treat and, as I've already said to
Alessandra, an exemplary way to care and open a garden. Certainly the range
of plants grown was extraordinary and the care of maintenance involved of a
very high standard but there were two other mentionable factors.
Firstly it was apparent that the planting combined together as a whole to
complement the garden and one another - latterly, in the U.K at least, one
often discovers 'sub-tropical' plants displayed as trophies, or, in the case
of T.V. garden design, used in much the same way as a house furnished after
a trip to Ikea. Secondly was the general ambience and peaceable atmosphere
of the garden which one felt was a much cherished attribute by those
involved, no intrusive commercial activities ( trinket shops, extortionately
priced plant sales area packed with plants irrelevant to garden etc).
Personally as someone involved with a similar project in Cornwall it is
rewarding to grow fabulous plants but equally it's satisfying to observe
visitors simply relaxing in the garden - it is after all one of the prime
reasons to create a garden. La Mortella acheives a very good balance in all
its intentions.
The plants, well my notebook is still being translated from a mass of
illegible and excitable scribbles but several things leap to mind. The
beautiful Nymphaea caerulea (Blue lotus) was absolutely resplendent in the
upper pools, Pandorea jasminoides much in evidence along with other
climbers such as Stephanotis and Aristolochia. Probably the greatest shock
came when admiring a bank of Russelia equisetiformis (v. good looking white
form too) from which emerged a rather healthy Iguana - clearly considerable
competition to the local lizards. Was it a Delonix regia I saw? - I was much
too respectful to impose upon Lady Walton's garden to creep a little closer
to read the label. Palms aplenty, the Caryota urens ( I presume) looked
absolutely awsome but just as pleasing were the local Arbutus laden with
fruit firmly rooted into the walls.
I also took time to drop in on the Botanic gardens in Naples, again a highly
commendable institute and a welcome escape from the manic streets of the
city. Wonderfully maintained and with an abundance of Mediterranean zone
flora from all around the world. A few Chilean plants stood out,
Arbromietielia breviolia (sic) a super looking Bromeliad, a dense hummock of
grey rosettes, habit rather reminescent of Aloe brevifolia but tighter,
Peumus boldus, an evergreen tree with fragrant leaves and lastly Eugenia
myrtifolia, rampant against a portal to the herbarium/admin building. I
can't find any reference to this other than a similar synonym to E. foetida
(Spanish Stopper).
In all a highly educational trip but due to the additional qualities of the
gardens visited a very relaxing one too.
kind regards,
Mark Brent, Lamorran Gardens, St. Mawes, Cornwall.
