Our July outing, instead of a visit to a member’s garden was a summer outing to Draycott Gardens. You may recall that back in 2013, our club went there in spring. Owner, Carol Warner, specializes in different iris groups: especially beardless Siberians, and Japanese types, Pseudatas plus German types which she shows and sells. This time we can to see the summer splendor of her daylilies and perennials.
Our group was small but hardy–willing to venture forth on a hot summer day: Barb, Kelly, Jan, Brenda, Sue, Terry Julia and friend. Still, garden viewing can push those discomforts into the the background and we did have some breezes and welcome shade in certain areas. We began by the house, admiring some variegated yucca, then over to where some of her more unusual specimen trees are planted. I was admiring the bark on the large crepe myrtle and the paperbark maple.
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- Yuccas
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- Crepe myrtle
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- Paperbark maple
We also noted the wonderful banks of mature rhododendrons that were skirts around some evergreens that typically lose their lower branches. It must be quite a show in the spring! Carol has a long perennial border that fronts a piney woods. Here she has various daylilies in bloom, Iris in their season, large patches of airy Amsonia and many other perennials with suitable placed shrubs.
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- Banks of rhododendrons
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- Part of the long border
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- Some daylilies
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- Maroon daylilies with bright yelow wyws
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- Amsonia and shrubs
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- Some pretty hydrangeas
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- Banks of rhododendrons
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- Part of the long border
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- Some daylilies
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- Maroon daylilies with bright yelow wyws
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- Amsonia and shrubs
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- Some pretty hydrangeas
I really enjoyed the play of light and shadow on some shrubs. and perennials. There is also a very neat seating spot to view the gardens. On the other side of the pines is an open mowed area and under the pines Carol has started to establish a shade garden area of mostly many different types of hostas.
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- Statue in some amsonia
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- Dappled shade lovers
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- Light captures the fine needles
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- Such interesting open gazebo
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- Wide expanse
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- A bench in the shade garden
The next area we visited is a well demarcated area with some statuary and garden art, hardscape walkways, some fencing and a pergola to sit under and admire the view. She has annuals, perennials, shrubs and roses here.
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- Our hostess, Carol Warner
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- Pinkish, ruffled edges on daylilies
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- Sundual with annuals
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- Purple garden phlox
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- Bicolor daylilies
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- ANother interesting daylily color
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- Part of the garden
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- Barb under the pergola
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- View of pergola
On the way back, Brenda and Jan admired the huge hostas by the house. Carol has many large pots of clivia which she summers under a huge tree by the driveway. This type has gorgeous variegated leaves.
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- Brenda and Kelly
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- Clivia in pots
We had a great visit and thanked Carol for indulging us. Afterwards, we headed back, stopping for long lunch at an Italian restaurant in the Manchester/Hampstead area.
