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Stream Garden, Rock Gully and Lake

Careful planting around the lake's margins has created a lush oasis, with imposing gunneras and many other moisture-loving plants thriving around its banks and in the adjacent Stream Garden.

Looking its best in...

  • Spring Cammasias, daffodils, hellebores, trilliums, ostrich ferns
  • Summer Gunnera, irises, bamboo in variety, ostrich ferns

Stream Garden

This is at the source of the stream and houses a collection of water iris. Iris versicolor and I. laevigata are planted both in and around the pools, as they need damp conditions to thrive.

Japanese I. ensata needs a moisture-retentive soil but does not need to be planted in the pools. It has large vibrant flowers and puts on a great display.

This area peaks in May and June and will improve year on year as the plants grow and increase in numbers.

Rock Gully

Work on this area began in 1995 using nearly 500 tonnes of local stone. The planting pockets between the boulders were filled with a rich, moisture-retentive woodland soil mix. The resulting microclimate provides a habitat for ferns, bamboos and other shade-loving plants.

At each end of the gully, higher light levels allow plants such as hellebores, trilliums and sedges to thrive. A cooler, darker habitat dominates the centre, in which arisaemas, Strobilanthes and cypripediums are found.

The idea was to create the impression of a path running through an abandoned quarry, with a rich selection of plants growing informally in a naturalistic way. The musical sound of a waterfall encourages visitors through into Lady Anne’s Garden, where the gully continues into a small, shady grotto.
 

Lower Rock Gully

The bold drifts of planting here start early with Narcissus pseudonarcissus subsp. pseudonarcissus, then vibrant blues as Camassia leichtlinii subsp. suksdorfii appears, and is complemented by Matteuccia struthiopteris (ostrich fern).

The Lake

The Lake holds 400,000 gallons (1.8 million litres) of water and functions as an irrigation reservoir for the entire garden.

Our heavy soil and high rainfall are ideal for the large-leaved gunneras, whose typical habitat is the swamps of South America, but in Rosemoor's valley-bottom site their crowns require careful protection from frost in winter.

 

Spring highlights

Anemone × lipsiensis 'Pallida'

windflower 'Pallida'
Caltha palustris var. alba

white marsh marigold
Primula bulleyana

Bulley's primrose

I think these three areas look especially attractive during the spring and early summer when the colourful candelabra primulas, such as Primula pulverulenta, P. beesiana, P. Harlow Car hybrids and P. prolifera, are in flower and the gigantic leaves of Gunnera manicata are unfurling. The lake is a favourite area for quiet contemplation and there’s always the chance you might glimpse the azure flash of a kingfisher.

James, RHS Garden Rosemoor Horticulturist

I think these three areas look especially attractive during the spring and early summer when the colourful candelabra primulas, such as Primula pulverulenta, P. beesiana, P. Harlow Car hybrids and P. prolifera, are in flower and the gigantic leaves of Gunnera manicata are unfurling. The lake is a favourite area for quiet contemplation and there’s always the chance you might glimpse the azure flash of a kingfisher.

James, RHS Garden Rosemoor Horticulturist

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