Dorset Holiday Cottages.

The planting of the garden, which you see today at Domineys Yard, was started when we moved here in the spring of 1961. For us, new to gardening, there was a slow beginning, punctuated by longish periods when I was away in the Royal Navy. However we were greatly helped in our first twenty years here by periods between jobs, sometimes running into several weeks, which at that time throughout the Navy (for gardeners and non gardeners) was appropriately known as ‘gardening leave’. This was especially useful when we had opportunity to take in additional areas. Much good advice was received from the nurseryman Charlie Marchant of Keepers Hill, Wimborne, who clearly thought that a Naval Officer gardening needed guidance. The great asset was the soil, greensand, which is an ideal neutral growing medium that can be encouraged relatively easily to an acid or alkaline condition. The garden also contains good microclimates, despite being situated on the 500 feet contour on the northern flank of the Dorset Downs overlooking the Blackmore Vale. Cold air drains off readily into the frost pocket below us. There are 2.5 acres of garden, gradually expanded and planted since 1961. The 2.5 acre arboretum was first planted after retirement in 1995.

The garden has developed as a place to explore, to sit in or, to wander through or, may be just to talk. Each season, often each week, brings its changes. The garden is planted to provide plenty of interest through out the year. Although we open three or four times a year, usually in spring and summer, visitors interested in seeing what plant attractions there are at other seasons, including late autumn, winter and spring, are most welcome to make an appointment to walk round.
There are many unusual shrubs, especially camellias and dwarf rhododendrons, acers, cornus, eucryphia, euonymus, ilex, clematis and magnolia. Many bulbs thrive, as do herbaceous perennials. We grow vegetables and soft fruit. Due to the variation in the soil, both lime and acid loving plants can be grown within our two and a half acres, often in remarkably close proximity. A soil tester is an essential aid to planting.
The small arboretum is across the lane.The paddock in the centre, apart from being the home to now well established and naturalised fritillaries and dwarf early daffodils, is grazed by sheep and is the visitor car park on open days. Situated a few hundred yards below its source, the river Lydden runs through the arboretum. In addition to other examples of trees and shrubs already growing in the garden, the arboretum contains numbers of specimens of alder, birch, crataegus, tulip tree, liquidamber, crab apple (some grown from seed), oak, willow, camellias (again some already flowering from seed) and rhododendrons as well as other rare trees and shrubs. The growth has been remarkably swift.

Domineys Yard is 11 miles from both Dorchester and Sherborne, 2 miles east of the A352 in Buckland Newton close to the B3143. Take the ‘no through road’ after passing the Church and 25 yards from the Gaggle of Geese. The entrance is 100 yards on the left.

We are delighted to show you the results of over 40 years of gardening and the changes that we have made as we lived here and learnt, but be advised that Ground Force and smart grasses have passed us by.