Gardening with Gael - Hobbiton keeping it (mostly) real

When my grandchildren turn eight I take them away for a weekend. The tradition was started by my mother, and when I saw how much my children and their cousins enjoyed it, I decided to continue the tradition.

Last weekend was Elsie’s turn. Having recently watched all the Hobbit movies I decided Hobbiton would be a good way to start our weekend.

What a treat for us both it turned out to be. Our tour took us through parched rolling countryside, not a green blade of grass in sight until we entered The Shire. Thanks to the last three movies, a joint venture was struck between the producers and the local farmer allowing all the buildings to be built of permanent materials, preserving the film set for the multitudes of fans who wished to visit.

Nestled among the rolling hills the 12 acres that make up Hobbiton were lush and green. Forty-four hobbit houses have been built into the sides of the hills complete with round doors fences and gardens. I loved the gardens, while Elsie was keen to find out which parts of the gardens were real, and which bits were fake. Most of it was real.

There are seven gardeners employed keeping the gardens outside the hobbit houses pristine for viewing. To create an informal atmosphere and give the gardens individuality, the gardens are designed and looked after by one gardener. Flush with flowers, every single one was inviting. Although there was supposed to be seven different styles there was a constant theme of cottage-style plants. Almost all the gardens featured some form of marigold and other plants in the aster family. Tagetes tenufolia or golden marigold, cosmos and zinnias were prevalent.

Marigolds of all shapes and sizes were part of almost every garden. Planted in large groups they spilled on to paths and provided splashes of colour by fence posts and gates.

Planting cosmos in groups provided focal features in many of the gardens. Edible, resilient to drought, attractive to beneficial insects and an excellent cut flower with tall heads of white, mauve and purple flowers, their feathery leaves are an attractive contrast to broader leaf plants.

Zinnias. I think these are my favourite summer flower and I was delighted to see them in abundance in Hobbiton. Keep picking off the deadheads and they will last all summer and well into the autumn.

I am keen to fill the sad and desperate garden out the front of our house. These little gardens have been an inspiration. How lucky we are to have these plants and other colourful flowers available to us at the village and tavern markets.

Julie Blanchard of Colourline Nurseries has a great stall at the Tavern market. She tells me it will be another couple of weeks before she is back. She has a wonderful selection of perennials including penstemons which cope with the dry weather.

Helen Porter assures me she will be at the Village market this weekend. Until I took the hobbit pictures I had a lovely photo of the splendid display Helen produces every Saturday.

Rowie Panhuis always has a good variety of annuals, perennials and shrubs. The hobbit gardens have me motivated again.

These little gardens have been an inspiration.

Elsie pictured in Hobbiton heaven, where dozens of hobbit houses are alive with golden marigold, cosmos and zinnias.