London Cottage Garden

Blogging about cottage garden style in a town garden

  • Subscribe to London Cottage Garden

    • Home
    • About
    • Spring gardening
    • Summer gardening
    • Autumn gardening
    • Winter gardening
    • Tips/Inspiration

    Dedham Hall Hotel – a beautiful cottage garden


    May 14th, 2022 - Gardens to visit, Spring gardening

    Share this post:

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Email

    The garden at Dedham Hall Hotel, Essex

    Here are some photos of a beautiful cottage garden at Dedham Hall Hotel, a 15th century Manor House in the heart of Constable Country.  We stayed there last week in order to visit the Beth Chatto Gardens nearby.

    It was Wendy and Jim’s garden here at the hotel that I fell in love with.

    a beautiful cottage garden

    Honeysuckle growing out of a small pot and flowering like mad.

    See what you think.

    a beautiful cottage garden

    Lots of long grass, a sea of green

    Some gardens move our emotions and some don’t.  It’s such a personal thing.  I’ve written about my favourite cottage garden, East Lambrook Manor and how I try to copy that style.

    cottage garden

    Mostly green with splashed of blue camassias. An inviting table and chairs

    Well Dedham Hall Hotel certainly has that style and when I walked in it took my breath away.

    Gorgeous brick path bleached by the light looks so untouched.

    The brick paving and paths were pale and higgledy piggledy and I just loved that.  You had to watch your step but how lovely compared to a power washed pavement in a garden.

    Why did I like this garden so much?

    Because it looked so artless, so natural, as though it hadn’t been obsessed over.  Actually it looked quite neglected and that’s why I loved it.  I hope the owner will take that as a compliment.

    The plants that were thriving and doing their thing were clearly in exactly the right place – rosemaries getting huge in parched dry soil, a honeysuckle in a tiny pot flowering like mad.

    And chairs everywhere

    just all over the place giving the message that this is a place to be in, to sit in, to stay in, to relax in – not a garden to stand in and admire the neatness and the cleverness of growing difficult plants.  There were wheelbarrows everywhere, looking abandoned, and every inch had something wild and interesting growing in it.

    Who wouldn’t want to sit here….

    Were there weeds??  No idea. Who cares? If you read Jack Wallington‘s book Wild about Weeds you won’t think in terms of weeds any more anyway.  Dandelions are fab.

    So what can we take from this..

    It depends what you want from a garden I suppose.  We all use them for a different purpose.  If I wanted somewhere to melt into, to calm my mind and my soul, to feel part of the natural world and also have a place to potter and do some nice gardening, this would be the place.  The fact that they run residential art courses year round shows in the feel of the place and the pictures on the walls.

    We saw it in early May and their website has photos of the garden in other seasons – I could see lupins that were about to go bonkers.

    If you would like my intermittent blogs to arrive by email just put your address in the box at the top.

    Thankyou for reading and good gardening………

    Julie

    Share this post:

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Email

    13 comments on "Dedham Hall Hotel – a beautiful cottage garden"

    1. Linda Young says:
      14th May 2022 at 6:11 pm

      Just Fabulous!!! I thank you so much for sharing.

      Reply
    2. Lynn Wray says:
      14th May 2022 at 6:18 pm

      I enjoy reading your blog it’s so down to earth and unfussy. This is the first time I have commented but the photos you published of the building and the garden are devine! My own garden is very small but I have made sure there is an untidiness about it no neat borders or edges for me!

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        14th May 2022 at 7:38 pm

        Oh Lynn thankyou so much for saying so. My husband took the photos and yes aren’t they lovely. That’s a big compliment to say my blog is unfussy and down to earth – that is just what I am aiming for because there are so many clever blogs out there. Hurrah for no neat borders or edges. Most gardens are small aren’t they. Ours is 7 metres by 11 metres. Best wishes, Julie

        Reply
    3. Jenepher Bridge says:
      14th May 2022 at 6:42 pm

      Such an idyllic garden. Love like you the natural wild look and the creativity with planting that has gone into it. Thank you for introduction to such a wonderful place.
      Shall read your other articles for inspiration.

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        14th May 2022 at 7:40 pm

        Thankyou Jenepher for your lovely comment. Yes it was quite idyllic. We were there 2 nights and I’d love to go back in summer and autumn – it must be lovely. Very friendly simple easy hotel too. Best wishes, Julie

        Reply
    4. Beverly says:
      14th May 2022 at 8:01 pm

      Yes! My kind of garden. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        15th May 2022 at 8:57 pm

        Thankyou Beverly, I find it very encouraging that people like what I post. Best wishes Julie

        Reply
    5. Joan Johnston says:
      15th May 2022 at 7:18 am

      You’re making such an important point here – a few years ago I realised my (small)garden was stressing me out and keeping up with the tidiness nonsense was exhausting me. Since I started to let it all go a bit (not easy, it was something I had to learn to do) I’ve been enjoying it a lot more. Simply sitting in it without a critical eye or a pair of secateurs in my hand is a joy. I just wish I’d done it years ago 😊 Thankyou for posting these beautiful photos. This place looks glorious.

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        15th May 2022 at 8:56 pm

        Thankyou for your lovely encouraging comment Joan. I am lucky my husband took those lovely photos for me. We all have small gardens really don’t we and I agree it is so hard to learn to just sit still and not jump up and keep doing things. I do hope you continue to have a lovely relaxing time in your garden and me too. Best wishes Julie

        Reply
    6. Paddy Tobin says:
      15th May 2022 at 11:12 am

      An excellent report and a very enjoyable read, Julie. Many thanks. This is certainly a very pleasant space though I would be inclined towards a little more tidying up and neatness! Paddy

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        15th May 2022 at 8:54 pm

        A very fair point Paddy and I was itching to pull up a few things myself. Thanks for your comment and best wishes, Julie

        Reply
    7. Anthony Vigneron says:
      26th May 2022 at 8:48 am

      Great looking garden, it doesn’t have to be always super neat, that looks works in this garden and its care takers must be happy & relaxed!) and it’s clearly functional – love the chairs too!
      I featured your article on my newsletter, hopefully it interests a few more visitors to the garden: https://www.veg-geek.com/newsletters/16052022

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        27th May 2022 at 3:57 pm

        Oh that’s super Anthony, thankyou. I’m thinking their garden must be even more fabulous now and in high summer it’s really gorgeous too. Thanks for commenting and reading my blog. Best wishes, Julie

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    + 75 = 80

    London Cottage Garden
  • Subscribe to London Cottage Garden


  • Popular Posts

    Wonderful hardy geraniums from Cranesbill Nursery

    Hardy geraniums In my very first blog in 2016 I wrote about my love for wonderful hardy geraniums here They really are some of the…


    Real flowers and artificial flowers – both fabulous

    I've recently discovered some online artificial flowers from Alex James that I think are beautiful and look wonderful either on their own or mixed with…


    How to introduce a new colour in a cottage garden

    A new colour in early Spring Here's a way to introduce a new colour in a cottage garden in early Spring. Plants can't always provide…


    How to use colour in the cottage garden style

    How to have colour in the cottage garden style town garden without it being too much work for one person to manage.  Well I would…


    Daffodils in a small garden – tips on how to grow them.

    If you have a small garden like a town garden and want to grow daffodils, here are my tips on how best to do it,…




    londoncottagegarden

    Good morning Good morning
    This lovely cat bed came in this box. The bed has This lovely cat bed came in this box.  The bed has been ignored by all 3 cats 🙄🙄🙄
    The acers have been the best ever this year - the The acers have been the best ever this year - the leaves stayed on until this week. #londoncottgegarden #autumnleaves #cottagegardenstyle
    Seedlings have colonised the brick paving and I lo Seedlings have colonised the brick paving and I love the effect.  A sea of forget-me-nots for next spring.  #cottagegarden #wildlifegarden #londoncottagegarden #springflowers
    Hedgehog poo found this morning! Haven’t seen ou Hedgehog poo found this morning! Haven’t seen our hedgehog since August but looks like it’s still around.  Very pleased. #hedgehog #wildlifegarden #londoncottagegarden
    Beautiful geraniums from @cranesbillnurseryuk read Beautiful geraniums from @cranesbillnurseryuk ready to plant AND packed in straw that I can use for a wildlife habitat #cranesbillnursery #hardygeraniums #londoncottagegarden #cottagegardenplants
    @hardysplants delivery today, wonderful packing, h @hardysplants delivery today, wonderful packing, healthy flowering Japanese anemones.  Thankyou Hardys.
    Breakfast queue this morning #fox #feralcat Breakfast queue this morning #fox #feralcat
    Good morning from londoncottagegarden. Lovely low Good morning from londoncottagegarden. Lovely low sunlight.
    Someone’s eating my dinner #feralcat #hedgehog # Someone’s eating my dinner #feralcat #hedgehog #wildlifegarden #londoncottagegarden
    Mr Feral Cat rather put out that hedgehog is eatin Mr Feral Cat rather put out that hedgehog is eating his dinner.
    Management meeting - there’s a hedgehog in town. Management meeting - there’s a hedgehog in town. #hedgehog #wildlifegarden #slugs #liveandletlive #londoncottagegarden
    A little scuttle #hedgehog A little scuttle #hedgehog
    Hedgehog- been coming around 9.30 every evening no Hedgehog- been coming around 9.30 every evening now for 3 weeks. Feel very privileged. #hedgehog #londoncottagegarden #wildlifegardening
    Good morning from #londoncottagegarden Good morning from #londoncottagegarden
    Hello again. 3 nights running at 9.30. On the do Hello again.  3 nights running at 9.30.  On the dot.  #hedgehog
    One @alstroemeriaben bunch in a Victorian cranberr One @alstroemeriaben bunch in a Victorian cranberry vase against a mirror in the hall. #alstroemeria #britishflowers #vintagevase #cranberryglass
    @alstroemeriaben delivery - aerial view - lovely f @alstroemeriaben delivery - aerial view - lovely flowers ready for vases #alstroemeria #britishflowers
    A hedgehog!! So thrilled. Haven’t seen one for A hedgehog!! So thrilled.  Haven’t seen one for over 6 years. Such excitement #hedgehog
    Two waiting for breakfast. I love to see them whe Two waiting for breakfast.  I love to see them when I come down in the morning #foxes #londoncottagegarden
    Load More… Follow on Instagram

    UK Gardening Blogs

    © 2023 London Cottage Garden - The London Cottage Garden Blog

    Website Design www.beamtwenty3.co.uk