July Garden diary – Hortus Conclusus and Garden Design

For this July’s garden diary I take a look at hortus look at the different aspect in the garden designs at Ednovean Farm. Follow our garden’s journey into high summer as it evolves through the enclosed and open gardens. I came also come across the intriguing term Hortus Conclusus recently in glossy magazines – what could it mean!?

The meaning of Hortus conclusus

Isn’t it a lovely term: – Hortus conclusus!  I’ve noticed bandied about in glossy magazines and books and how it beguiles and intrigues me, so I thought I would look it up

“Hortus conclusus is a Latin term, meaning literally “enclosed garden”. At their root, both of the words in Hortus conclusus refer linguistically to enclosure. “Wikipedia

Ah well, I had hoped that this might mean the triumph of the garden, so perhaps conveying a sense of arriving at the garden’s conclusion or dramatic culmination of ideas but no, sadly not. Maybe I shouldn’t have looked it up! Still undaunted this month’s garden diary is concentrating on the contrast between the enclosed garden with a Medieval vibe (according to my limited research) and the more open landscaped garden

Hortus conclusus and garden design in our courtyards

The Ednovean Garden in three parts

Our garden treads the line between two garden camps. Exploring the idea of whether to garden within a view and the prevailing weather conditions or choose garden within an enclosure and ensuing microclimates created there. Let’s start with the enclosed courtyards around the house that we sculpted from the old farmyards.

These courtyards lead in turn to the swathe of lawns overlooking the lovely sea views over Mounts Bay that we so enjoy, until finally urns beckon us back to the enclosure of the Italian Garden. Here a series of lawned enclosed gardens wait to be discovered, sheltered from the sea breezes and trapping the heat of the day. So in away the garden travels in a full circle to Hortus conclusus.

July a diary of the Garden in summer

July itself is a wonderful conclusion for the garden – the peak of flowing with a hot palette of reds and oranges now giving way to an approaching tide of cool blue and white Agapanthus.

Agapanthus the stars of the summer garden

Our Agapanthus have certainly made their feelings know about the almost unknown freezing conditions we had when the Beast from the East came to call and February’s golden days turned to ice and snow. Mind you last years Mediterranean summer was amazing one to treasure!

But back to the Agapanthus – after a years sulking and gloomily growing more and more leaves – they have now sprung back into life producing towering shoulder height blooms the size of dinner plates. You know in a way it has almost been worth the wait!