The Garden at Orchard Farmhouse B & B

Guests are very welcome to roam and enjoy the garden, which was beautifully landscaped before we arrived.  Now we are making it more wildlife friendly and a bit more "Feng Shui" with curves and corners to hide in.  It is gardened organically, without the use of chemicals or pesticides, by our Simon Keyte of "Milk and Honey, Eco Gardens" (Tel 07807 035435).   We aim for it to be "ultra-organic", using no inputs from outside at all if possible, not even organic fertiliser or compost that comes from outside our boundary. 

  Traditional farmhouse garden

In the old days, farmhouses often had a garden at the front where they welcomed visitors. Here we grow herbs in a spiral constructed by Simon. It sits on the sandy outcrop that is Wonston. There is a view into the distance of the Dorset hills on one side and a beautiful listed building opposite.  We have also planted mimosa which we hope will survive and an indian bean tree plus two prunus, a spire and a Yedoensis Shidare-Yoshino which is an arching type.  We have also planted two arbutus ueno which are known as Strawberry Trees.

   The terrace      

The terrace provides an opportunity for our bed and breakfast guests to bask in the sun and enjoy the full panorama of the view.  Beyond is a "ha-ha", a construction used in grander houses than Orchard Farmhouse, to give the sense of a long garden that extends from the house into fields where animals graze. 

  The croquet lawn

The croquet lawn is not flat but it is of a decent size.  The slope adds to the fun, so long as you are not of the highest championship standard! 

   The garden orchard

The orchard is a mix of apple, pear, plum and greengage.  Laid out in an extensive manner, we will are allowing a wildflower meadow to develop.

The vegetable patch

An organic bed and breakfast may not require a lot of vegetable growing but it is here that we grow the rest of our vegetables, not counting those in the community garden. 

The paddock

The paddock now has a fruit cage with strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrants.  We have three old apple trees and two new ones in the paddock.  There are also lots of old anthills which we respect as part of the landscape.  We also have an experimental tree nursery.