'My garden theatre'

摘要

Sheila White's Bristol garden is a theatre for plants, with a few star players and a strong supporting cast - each with an important role to play. LIZ WALKER went along to enjoy the perfomance. Although Sheila White's sunny Bristol garden is barelyfour years old, it already has a sense of maturity which belies its tender years. As the seasons progress, black tulips spring forth like brazen exclamation marks through a carpet of hostas, soft grasses sway gently beside the geometric stems of acid-green euphorbia, and mauve clematis twines through golden-leaved Lonicera nitida 'Baggesen's Gold: trimmed into a puffy cloud formation. Such marvels of pattern, shape and texture don't happen by accident - they've all been carefully planned by Sheila and her lawn-mowing, container-watering husband, Eric. 'I like to think of the garden as a theatre', muses Sheila, 'with a few star players set off by a strong supporting cast. I'm the director and Eric's the caretaker - I couldn't have done this without him!' It's a good analogy, given the way each 'cast member' plays a different role in making the garden look great all year round. And there's no room for show-off ham actors or sulky divas here!