Judi welcomes you to her garden at 21 Nun Street – close to the Etcetera Gallery – look out for the Bee!
Entrance is from Quickwell Hill and through the double grey gates. Please do not use the gate in Nun Street. There is ramped access to the lower garden but there are steps to the next level up and these do not have a handrail.
This garden is maturing nicely having been started after building work finished in late 2019. The entire garden enjoys a magnificent view over the Cathedral and valley. My aim was something relatively simple but quite formal, concentrating on perennials and using a muted pallet of colours.
The lower garden is mostly utility with a raised fruit and vegetable bed, a chicken run and a small grassed are with a wild life corner. It also houses the sheds, and two grape vines that are supported in front of a neighbouring wall. The fence in the middle of the wall is designed to capture the view and avoid the car park below. I grow a lot of herbs but these are mostly on the balcony outside the kitchen window, which is on the first floor.
The wall to the next level up is marked by an espaliered apple. There are three Welsh apple cultivars in the garden: the espaliered Brith Mawr, a Trwyn Mochyn (Anglesey Pig Snout) in the South Western corner and a Morgan’s Sweet against the wall between us and Number 19. It is underplanted with Lavender.
The upper lawn has two rose beds, mostly David Austin roses, all labelled, and a shadt corner for Hydrangeas and other shrubs. The Hosta collection lives in the top shady part of the garden. The bed between the two corners has a variety of perennials including Peonies and Philadelphus against a backdrop of jasmine and clematis against the wall.
Underneath the enormous Gunnera there is a small pond which is intended to attract wildlife. The Gunnera is rather prickly so please do not touch.
Dogs are welcome but only on a lead. There are no resident pets but I do keep chickens, which will be secured inside their run.
USEFUL INFO: open on both Saturday and Sunday