Yews Farm, East Street, Martock, TA12 6NF
By kind permission of Fergus and Louise Dowding

Date: 31 May 2024 Time: 2.30 pm Cost: £15 to include tea after tour
Facilities: Ample parking. WC . No dogs. Limited disabled access. No picnics

An atmospheric garden surrounded by walls of golden Hamstone, plants selected for height, form, leaf and texture. Theatrical box topiary featuring  scrolls and questionable animals.  Prairie garden full of Ligusticum lucidum.  Vegetables and cut flowers grown together, working organic kitchen garden on far side of crack garden in decomposing concrete farmyard with hens and piglets.

Fergus and Louise arrived at Yews Farm in 1996, Louise having attended Kingston Maurward College and spent two years working as an assistant to Penelope Hobhouse at Bettiscombe before starting up  on her own.

“Hawthorns do brilliantly, as does Euphorbia oblongata, which seeds itself everywhere. Salvias, crocosmias and the Mexican daisy Erigeron karvinskianus are all really successful in our hot, dry conditions” says Louise

“Most importantly, box thrives here and quickly became central to the entire layout of the garden.”