For those of you who doubt that I am a proper grown up gardener, I must confess that once upon a time I actually did some training. And it was in horticulture. Of all things. Crazy I know. And the esteemed hub of learning that had the pleasure of my patronage was none other than the world renowned Cannington College in Somerset. Perhaps just “Cannington” at the moment, but working towards greater things.
Now the story gets a little complicated. Although it was officially “Cannington College” I was actually based in a satellite division in Bristol, my time spent between Bristol Zoological Gardens (the clue is in the name) and in a defunct walled garden at Blaise Castle. The only time we actually went to Cannington was for the Unit called, which I think has certain industrial chic, “Machinery”. From my slightly dodgy memory, this involved driving tractors, laughing and maintaining lawnmowers.
At this time I was still working in an office whilst studying part time. My employers generously paid for us “gals” to go for a day at Champneys Health Spa. Included was a “healthy” lunch, full use of the gym, pool, hot tubs, a manicure and massage. With great foresight we had stocked the minibus full of wine and crisps for the return journey. The following day, when my colleagues had returned to the photocopier and filing cabinet, I was adjusting the blades on a Qualcast. In perfect purple nail varnish. Not sure my tutor understood the irony.
During the two years that I was a Cannington student, we were never invited to the walled garden. When it was demanded that we continue our quest to achieve the perfect cut, we once again headed west. Our minibus, driven by the wondrous and fearless Julie, arriving in the village turned utilitarian right, whilst the joys of the famous garden lay to the decorative left. Never did the twain meet. Were they trying to tell us something? Perhaps.
So when my local Plant Heritage group arranged a trip to this garden, it seemed that it was an opportunity for what Oprah would call “closure”.
What had I missed? Some beauties actually.
There was a full flowered Cornus controversa ‘Variegata’.
A Judas tree, Cercis siliquastrum, dripping both bloody blossom
and seed pods.
The outlandishly exotic Beschorneria yuccoides
Dew dropped poppies
And weeping Iris
And much, much more.
I did skulk slightly, worried that I would be discovered and sent back to sharpen a blade or reverse a trailer into a gateway. Old habits never ever die.
Off The Edge Gardening 
Three point linkage !!! That brings back memories.
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Used to terrify me! I am such a wimp. 🙂
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Ha, ha – it seems you missed quite a lot! Superb Cornus controversa V – they grow so slow.
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What was strange was that at the entrance to the zoo site in Bristol they had an enormous one! Have always loved them.
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A defunct walled garden? And you were never invited? How disappointing. Lovely photographs!
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Thanks Mrs D x
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Goodness I’m a Cannington student, think I was there autumn 91 till summer 94… did ANCH and the first year of the HND, if I could have gotten a job in the region afterward I’d have stayed, but ended back in the East Mids. I was there before the opening of the walled gardens to the public, I lived in the old hall backing onto the bishops garden (if it is still there), so I had the place to myself every evening & weekend.
Ah…. happy memories.
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Lucky you, sounds lovely. Great you hear you were a Cannington student too. The year I finished Cannington got eaten up by Bridgwater College, it was a little chaotic to say the least. Anyway they were fun times and incredibly hard work. Cannington reunion?
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When I say first year the the HND I mean I did all of the course, its just I was one of the first students to do it.
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A most enjoyable post and lovely pictures. xx
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Thanks x
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A nice retrospective visit to your “yoof” followed by a nice virtual (for us) garden tour with nice photographs. In a word, nice. 🙂
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Thanks, I think …… 🙂
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Brilliant …. love the Cercis and the Beschorneria. What a great day out. Servicing lawnmowers takes me back to Brackenhurst in Southwell. I had a Morris Minor at the time and our tutor said ‘Right now you’ve learnt how to do that you can service your car’….what was he saying I drove a lawnmower !!! The engines were very similar though….
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Ha! We have a had a few Morris Minor’s (OH loves them). A wheel fell off once when we were going around a corner. Quite interesting …….
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Brilliant, lovely post of reminiscences and gorgeous plants. Will have to look up Beschorneria yuccoides and see if it might survive my almost Dartmoor weather. And the colour of those irises, a favourite but mine refusing to show any blooms this year.
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It is enormous! But very exciting. The irises looked particularly beautiful in the rain, such a lovely colour.
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Lovely story of your trip down memory lane. Oh to have a Cornus kousa like that one.
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Great post. I love the photos, especially the iris. Beautiful. Thank you for linking up to #MyGloriousGardens. 😃🌸🌺🌷🌻🌿🌳🌲
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Thank you for inviting me x
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You are welcome. I have put this on Twitter and Facebook. I’d be interested how much traffic you get!
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Such beautiful plants . Did you gather any of those seed pods? 😊
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No (yes really, a couple, but don’t tell!) 🙂
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