A little Kalanchoe Magic, Georgia O’Keeffe in mind ….

I just couldn't resist - this beautiful Kalanchoe thrysiflora - and I have photographed just one plant - gave me the opportunity to take rather a lot of photographs today (in my lunch break I would say) and although I have wittled down the greater number of original shots, there remain quite a few. I…

A return visit and a more leisurely tour of RHS Wisley

A return visit to the gardens at RHS Wisley, in the brightest of sunshine, to take a more leisurely walk than I had time for last week - and to stroll through the orchards, Glasshouse borders and seven acre wood. Hugely busy as you might expect on the eve of a Bank Holiday weekend but…

Penshurst Place, Kent – a magical tour …

A dazzlingly good day out visiting Penshurst Place, near Tonbridge in Kent. A medieval masterpiece set within 11 acres of walled gardens, much remaining true to their Tudor design. Gobsmacked and flabbergasted am I - already planning a return visit ....

I’m ready for my close-up – A macro lens at Petersham Nurseries in early May

A little blur of a tour of the Nurseries on a fine May day - stuffed full of plants inside and out and a day of bright welcome sunshine too. Captions and plant names to follow - rush rush!

A view from Kew – a blossomtastic Spring morning in these Royally Botanic Gardens

It certainly pays to make an early start, especially on such a bright and beautiful morning - and even more so when school holidays are upon us and Kew Gardens becomes a beautiful flower-filled playground and a great spot for a family picnic. For someone as bah-humbug as I about having unpopulated pictures - flowers…

Spring colour-bombs a riverside Nursery (can you guess which one?)

Flowers inside and out, flowers everywhere -  and a few grateful bees to feast on the early Spring bounty. A kaleidoscope of colour, bright, bold, brash and beautiful but we forgive this extravagant generosity - nothing clashes in the garden at this time of year, as the new season unfolds in our gardens. It's welcome antidote…

Club Tropicana …

  Tropical and desert plants from foreign parts, lush temperate foliage and home grown beauties - you might head to Kew and the Princess of Wales Conservatory for their Orchid Festival, which opens today and runs for a glorious steamy month at Kew Gardens - but you might get a taste for all that and…

Getting Horticultural for the month ahead … and a little tour of Petersham Nurseries

I wrote this (longer) piece for the Petersham Nurseries blog (abridged) and it would be a shame not to recycle it here! "You know that we are passionate about horticulture here at Petersham Nurseries, with new plants coming in every week now and plenty of activity in the gardens and glasshouses. Here are just a…

Kew Gardens – Desert, Tropics, Mountains and Forest….

Through the gates on a bright, chill afternoon a couple of days ago and herewith a tour of the Princess of Wales Conservatory and Davies Alpine House by way of the Rock Garden and Woodland beneath the Temple of Aeolus. First stop, the Princess of Wales Conservatory and the Arid/Desert environments - There was a…