Merle’s garden at Longlands

Merle James developed a garden at Longlands easily equaling Mary’s garden but in a totally different and more sophisticated less folksy way. The name is connected to old strip farming. The house is built on what was the vegetable garden for Castlehill, the neighbouring and rather grand house.

Merle is a serious gardener and has even been a member of the National Gardens Scheme. Now well into her eighties the garden is still an absolute delight in the summer months.

It is perversely ironic that a Landscape Architect should have to have as neighbours, on each side, gardens of such quality. Let’s say mine was an organically evolved low maintenance semi-natural garden!