A busy day today, at Petersham, with Harper’s Bazaar holding a fashion shoot in the teahouse and much coming and going. Lovely people and I might have to buy a copy of their July edition to see the fruits of their labours –
Meanwhile, darling, much activity in organising the stock and ordering new plants to delight us in the coming weeks. Plenty of new plant supports have been delivered and I have already bought two for my Mediterranean garden in Kew (broad, ‘lobster pot’ style cages in beautifully rusted metal). I will deliver them tomorrow and take photos. They will provide year round structure as well as being practical, and ought to match the rusted pergola perfectly.
I liked the barrel-shaped metal cage filled with sempervivens and moss and would like to use something like this myself. Metal gabions might work well, or urn-shaped metal braziers for a grander look.
The little viola, Molly Sanderson, is brought back to my attention – I’m sure I bought one last year and have purchased another today – hoping to keep it alive for longer with more TLC than obviously I gave its predecessor. Beautiful flowers, in deep blackcurrant with a brighter, tiny yellow eye. Plush, lovely things, but sadly no scent.
Meanwhile, Thug, the Petersham Cat is coming round to tolerating me. I think.
A busy day planned tomorrow revisiting the triangle/circle garden in Strawberry Hill for a spring clean and to discuss plans for their new front garden. I’ve already made rough designs but need to check with the building team that are coming in to do the hard landscaping that it all fits together well and will be practical for the car-parking that is needed.
I’m over in Kew in the afternoon in two gardens, my long-standing job maintaining a woodland garden and my most recent project, the Mediterranean town garden – to plant out a large fig tree and deliver the metal supports from Petersham. Plus I need to measure up for some paving.
A good day today and a busy schedule for tomorrow… better weather, happily, is forecast!
The Teddington Gardener 