Duck Lawn Shrubs
Duck Lawn separates Middle Garden from the Hen-House Gardens, and a narrow border along the edge of the water race joins the two gardens. In the early days of my garden I filled it with Hebes, a large green Astelia, and two beautiful white flowering Cistus shrubs.
Cistus and Hebe
But you wouldn't have seen many ducks on Duck Lawn - Rusty the red Border Collie dog was rather partial to chasing birds, and the mallard ducks were fair game. And perhaps ducks pass on their unpleasant memories to other ducks. Because Duck Lawn is still duckless, though Rusty is dearly departed. Mind you, Black and White Border Collie Pebbles is keeping up the tradition. Oops.
Summer on Duck Lawn
Over the next twenty years the original shrubs became very woody, and their remains were eventually removed in 2020. For reasons of continuity I've since planted two new blue flowering Hebes (variety Beverly Hills, a million miles away from my garden, hee hee).
Beverly Hills Hebe Flowering
Several youngling Astelias are now growing well (the big original Astelia came apart). A new Cistus, all fresh and green-leafed, is also planted therein, plus assorted lupins and Japanese Irises along the edge of the water.
Slightly short-lived
To be fair, Cistus and Hebes are slightly short-lived shrubs, and not expensive to replace. And they are tough growers in my garden.