:tour

As you go through the gate into the garden John would probably turn to you and say "you realise all this was a field 40 years ago".

You will probably decide to take the narrow twisty grassy path opposite that goes all the way down to the bottom. As you pause and look around you John would mention to you the Family Holly Tree with three trunks and just before you start down the slope you should notice behind the Holly Tree the Witch Hazel (probably the biggest you've ever seen) which has starry bright yellow flowers on the bare bark in January (however cold and snowy) and just below is another Witch Hazel with red starry flowers.

As you walk down the grassy path you pass a Viburnum whos branches grow horizontally and when in flower (May) it looks as if there's been a snow shower and then the Hydrangeas one climbing all over the wall, some mops some lace-cap and some plume (they like the shade and the damp spots). In amongst you pass an arching Buddleia, and on your left an evergreen Oak and a Liquidambar. Beyond the Rhodo bush is a bed full of unusual shrubs and against the wall the shrubs with some flowering trees amongst, continue to the bottom of the garden. There is a range of Weigelias and at the bottom Elders. As you walk on you pass a new feature (converted from an area of raspberry canes) where you can sit down and all around you are growing Honeysuckle and Clematis and old fashioned Roses behind a bed of 40 H.T. Roses which were planted in 1993.

Don't sit down for too long because you have a lot to see. As you take the grass path to the back you pass a Laburnum tree grown from a seed in eight years and then you come to Bearders Folly (originally planted as a permanent Sweet Pea site) a long narrow bed with poles (but alas a little too ambitious!). At this end a Cherry tree soars to the sky vertically and at the other end there is a Snowdrop tree and beside it a Golden Elm. There are climbing Roses and Hebes and small shrubs between and even a white Star Magnolia; you should go round in front of the Folly and sit down to admire the Cedar on the lawn. In front of you is an island bed with its fascinating Pieris whose leaves change from scarlet to green as they mature and an Acer with silver edged leaves in the middle and a shrub grows in amongst with its leaves like an artists palatte. Next to you, as you sit, on your right is a coronation bed with its Monkey Puzzle (planted when a foot high) and its large striped Rhodo (till recently the only striped form). Behind your seat is an evergreen Nepalese Laburnum. Take a look at the trees around you.

The big tree near the seats is London Plane, in the bed edging on to the lawn is a Tulip tree (it takes 15 years to flower - this one has not flowered yet!) To your right the Tree of Heaven reaches to the sky and produces its ferny leaves in summers (turning red in the autumn) Now you must move on so go back to the grass path the other side of the folly and you'll see the specimen Christmas tree, but before that are 4 newly planted trees against the wall, Rowan, Golden Rain tree, Red Oak and Handkerchief Tree (John does not think he'll see any hankies in his time!). Well over to your right in the h herbaceous garden is a Silver Birch grown from a seed. The path goes under a Crimson Acer past another Cedar to the Corkscrew Tree; you are now under the Copper Beech. If you go on by the wall there are more delicate shrubs, Ceanothus (both upright and prostrate) with its powder blue flowers in early summer, the Red Robin bush a small purple smoke bush and even in the corner a Chilean Fire bush. You can sit down here again and admire the view all amongst the Rhodos.

Now stride on back to the lawn and past the Rhodos to the Magnolia (the one John was told he would never grow round here!) By you is a round bed planted with all sorts of conifers amongst heathers and even a Frensham Rose or two surviving from the earlier days when it was just a rosebed. Continue to the right of the main rosebeds and you pass Azaleas dwarf Rhodos and see John's attempt to hide the 3 big fir tree stumps (felled 3 years ago) with Honeysuckle, Brooms and Ivy. Turn back on yourself to the right down the grass path. At the corner is a Pear tree; you pass more flowering shrubs (by far the showiest is a Rubus with its white flowers and yellow stamens (a member of the raspberry family) Towering above you is a Pineapple Broom a Buddleia with orange balls and another member of the raspberry family with its white canes to brighten the winter scene, you see nearby a Black Pittosporum (remember the green version is used by florists) . At the corner is Rhodo "Christmas Cheer" which flowers in the winter; a burgundy Tree Paeony and behind the bright yellow Pom-Pom bush (both double and single) proceed through the narrow path, with the towering Mediterranean Heather on your right past coloured Acers under a pollarded lime arch to the Holly bed recently planted under the towering conifer behind the Magnolia. Go up the Rose avenue towards the steps leading to the top terrace. Before going up the steps take a walk down the large border on the left facing the lawn and notice the island bed with its weeping silver Pear in its grey foliage.

Notice the various shrubs that flank the Roses, the bright yellow summer Jasmine and by its side the Angelica Tree with its large fronds and array of white flowers in the autumn and at the top you will see another Magnolia and just notice the newly planted purple one at the top of the rose border - there is a big delicate looking cream Fuchsia in front of the alcove with a golden conifer growing beside. As you go up the steps you pass more shrubs, some well known, some not so common and on your left is a Cherry that flowers in the winter and you pass a large silky leaved Hydranger that has violet-lace flowers in the autumn and a Rhodo with purple flowers on bare stems flowering in February. A Castor Oil Plant and a bushy conifer grown by John from a cutting 3" high. On top of the terrace to the right is a variety of evergreens, a point where shelter is needed. Note the Jacobite rose against the wall, a new planting under the window, and towards the gate an insignificant and fairly uncommon Elaeagnus bush, with its tiny yellowish flowers that exude an exquisite perfume and talking of perfume the large evergreen Osmanthus has sweetly scented flowers too; more Pieris with their red and green leaves and tucked away is the somewhat tender New Zealand Holly and by the house a Eucalyptus. You've arrived at the gate again but if you are so minded; go back for another look at this and that which interested you and pop your nose into other corners and crannies and look at the perennials.