Blossom and bulbs

In the rectory garden of Joanna Kerr, beautiful herbaceous borders provide colourful contrast to the formal lines of dark yew hedging.

With sweeping views towards the Usk Valley, there is a heightened awareness of the ebb and flow of the seasons in Joanna Kerr’s garden. The constantly changing landscape made an unforgettable impression when Joanna and her husband, Murray, first set eyes on the garden at Glebe House near Abergavenny in Gwent. ‘I was immediately struck by the 360-degree views and the feeling of space,’ Joanna recalls. In the intervening three decades, the views have been carefully preserved. A boundary hedge of native species is cut low, while to the west, a taller hedge flanking a lane allows glimpses of the Brecon Beacons National Park and Black Mountains. It is a wonderfully open aspect, but does expose the garden to biting easterlies. ‘I’d rather have views than be completely enclosed and, in terms of what I can grow, I haven’t sacrificed much,’ says Joanna.