From time to time I post about the amazing jetty garden my river-dwelling son, Bertie and his adorable Beatrice have created. The 26th August, Bank Holiday Monday was a gloriously warm and sunny day and we were looking forward to a barbecue on the jetty which looks more amazing every year. You approach it down a passage with shelves decorated with found objects. There are portholes to give you glimpses of the river.
The jetty has been cleverly divided into rooms by walls of plants.
There is a dining area.
And the chef has wonderful river views as he barbecues.
Here is the relaxing area and what better to relax in than a hammock?
Everything is so healthy and well grown. I have never seen hostas like this with no slug damage and what on earth does Bertie feed them on? He waters each evening and painstakingly pulls off every slug and snail and throws them into the river. Being an animal lover he feels guilty about this. But you can’t be a gardener without the odd bit of slaughter. To make up for all the mollusc massacre Bertie and Beatrice lavish affection on the pigeon nesting in the garden.
There are not just massive hostas but just look at the size of this Japanese forest grass Hakonechloa macra.
Hakonechloa macra
And I would like to know how he gets Hydrangea paniculata to look as good as this. The lovely silvery willow behind the hydrangea is Salix exigua.
There is a forest of tree ferns.
The palette is mostly green but with punctuation marks of colour here and there.
As the day light began to fade twinkly lights came on, each with its own homemade shade.
The early evening light was beautiful.
And the sunset over the river was dramatic.
When it was properly dark the jetty was transformed into fairyland.
Thank you darling Boaties for a magical evening in your own personal Paradise.
Chloris
The Blooming Garden 
It’s an absolute paradise, right up my street. Lovely to see it again, it simply blows you away. Love the nesting woodpigeon.xxx
Yes, you would love it. They don’t have any skeletons but you never know what you will find on their deck. One year it was a full size horse with his head sticking out of the shed alarming passers by, another time a chaise longue, standard lamp and beautiful rug, then there was the large pink poodle, oh and a full size lion with a beautiful mane. Beatrice is amazingly talented at painting and making things and Bertie is the dedicated gardener.
WOW!!!!! How I’d love to visit!xxx
Magical and such impressive, healthy, pot grown plants!
I know, I wish I knew his secret recipe for growing monster hostas.
How beautiful. An idyllic place to spend a perfect evening. It’s obvious your Boaties lavish a great deal of attention on the little paradise.
They do spend an enormous amount of time and energy on their little Paradise, it is a wonderful place to spend a summer’s evening.
This is absolutely gorgeous!
It is wonderful and an added bonus is that when plants get too big for the jetty they get passed on to me.
I loved this visit. Thank you
Oh good, I am glad you enjoyed it. It us a special place.
Wonderful visit ! Those plants are well looked after ! What is growing on the tree ferns’trunks , may I ask ?
Mind Your Own Business. That sounds rude doesn’t it, but that is the common name for it. Latin name is Soleirolia soleirolli. The other name is Baby’s Tears which sounds a bit nicer.
Oh I like it, I tried to make it grow in my lawn, with no success as it is too dry here for it. Thank you !
Those are beautiful healthy plants that are well loved. Can the plants, like the tree ferns, stay out in the winter?
The tree ferns stay outside with dried hydrangea heads to protect the crowns and woolly blankets to keep out the cold.
How absolutely magical! What a place to live. Those plants look super healthy.
It is hard work living on a boat but they wouldn’t live anywhere else.
I’m always impressed at how spectacular this jetty garden looks. I wish I could grow tree ferns half that well! The roosting pigeon is a sweet thing.
It really is special. Pigeons are a real pest here but this one is so tame and looks at you so trustingly they let it stay. It is amazing how many birds they have nesting in their garden in spring.
I love the idea of throwing the snails in the river – I want a river now so that I can do that with mine!
Yes and when the tide is out they have a chance to crawl right back.
They always crawl back!
So lush and nearly tropical, they have created a magnificent garden. I am not a huge hosta fan – but the huge Hostas are spectacular.
I don’t know how they get hostas like that, they are magnificent. They seed everywhere too.
Their garden gets better and better. Love their care and creativity.
It does get better every year. Their project for next year is a little vegetable garden.
What an enchanting home your son and his partner have created. Those Hostas look like they came from the Land of Brobdingnag and everything else looks so healthy and lush. How I would love to sit and watch the river among all that green splendor!
It is indeed enchanting. Watching the birds is always a treat and sometimes there are seals.
Everything that everyone else has said x 100. I want them to be my friends.
They’d like you too Gill. They’d enjoy your sense of humour.
One day perhaps ….. 🙂
😁
What a vibrant, healthy and interesting garden, Chloris! Someone has a very green thumb.
It’s glorious! What a special place.
What a truly beautiful garden, I hope one day, that my daughter, chooses to take up gardening in a similar style and location.
Those are some big New Zealand tree ferns! Australian tree ferns would have been too broad, and would not survive the winters there. For that situation, the New Zealand tree ferns on tall trunks serve the same sort of purpose. Are windmill palms popular there?
Chloris, it’s amazing! I remember you posting about your son’s jetty garden before and I admired it then. There seems to be so much planting, in what must be a small space, but it looks so dramatic and luxuriant. And so well maintained. They’ve managed to incorporate all the necessary features to enjoy the garden to the full. Add the lighting, and at night, the whole area is transformed into a magical garden. Well done to Bernie and Beatrice! How they must enjoy it! And you too, no doubt!
Now that is fun! It almost looks more luscious at night than during the day. A perfect setting for the warmer seasons!