. It is about reflections, memories and feelings. Many people who love their garden don't consider themselves gardeners – so what draws them so strongly to that green patch outside the back door? This week we talk to Conservative MP Liam Fox at his country home. Where is home? My wife, Jesme, and I live in North Somerset, just off the M5. Our house sits on the side of a hill, with the Tickenham Ridge behind us and Exmoor, the Mendip Hills and Weston-super-Mare in front. On a clear day, the view is breathtaking. The front garden is just over an acre, with a large lawn in the middle and shrubs and flowers dotted around the borders. We also have a 7ft hedge all the way around it, and beyond that a good bit of woodland. What is particularly special is that, along with a neighbouring house, it was once part of a large apple orchard, which, of course, Somerset is famous for. Does anything of the old orchard remain? We still have quite a few fruit trees, mainly apple, but also pear, plum and greengages. They're all getting old now, but I'm very protective of them. We have one old pear tree that has to be propped up, but it still gives us beautiful pears every summer. We recently planted a new pear sapling beside it and there are a couple of new cherry trees, too – one of them was planted for my 60th birthday. The apple trees still give us plenty of fruit, some of which we give to friends and family. I remember when I was defence secretary, one of my security guys collected two bin bags full of apples rather than see them go to waste. These days, a local cider company – Nailsea Cider – collects them, which is great, because some of the money they make goes to local charities.){kind=link}
The conservative MP doesn’t let hayfever keep him out of the garden when he escapes Westminster…
Our regular gardening column, Personal Growth, is not about plant names and weeding tips (although a few might come up). It is about reflections, memories and feelings. Many people who love their garden don’t consider themselves gardeners – so what draws them so strongly to that green patch outside the back door? This week we talk to Conservative MP Liam Fox at his country home.
My wife, Jesme, and I live in North Somerset, just off the M5. Our house sits on the side of a hill, with the Tickenham Ridge behind us and Exmoor, the Mendip Hills and Weston-super-Mare in front. On a clear day, the view is breathtaking.
The front garden is just over an acre, with a large lawn in the middle and shrubs and flowers dotted around the borders. We also have a 7ft hedge all the way around it, and beyond that a good bit of woodland.
What is particularly special is that, along with a neighbouring house, it was once part of a large apple orchard, which, of course, Somerset is famous for.