After a cycle ride along the towpath and the Thames sparkling in the sunshine, and nearly being late for taking so many photographs, a look in the Kitchen Garden first, which was the vegetable garden but has been co-opted into an additional Cutting Garden, as well as having the peony beds, Hellebores, many old roses…
Climbing plants
On Home Ground – a little peak at Petersham Nurseries
The Garden Shop at Petersham Nurseries is filled with houseplants, whose homes hail from all over the world, together with seeds and tools, pots and gardening equipment and in the blessed rain yesterday, was my home for the day. In the rare moments between torrents, I had a wander through the rest of the nursery…
Continue reading ➞ On Home Ground – a little peak at Petersham Nurseries
Hampton Court Flower Show Part Four – more gardens … more nurseries … just more!
Hampton Court Flower Show – Part 2 (Festival of Roses)
Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Hampshire – summer, this time around
The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, run extraordinarily well by Hampshire County Council, is an exceptionally varied, beautiful, diverse, botanically curated landscape with so much to recommend, at pretty much any time of year (their winter garden is a beauty and possibly the best in the UK). An extended stay at Mottisfont and then the charms…
Continue reading ➞ Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Hampshire – summer, this time around
Mottisfont Rose Gardens
Overblown, blowsy, beautiful, fragrant, lush, a little ragged, absolutely in need of some serious dead-heading - but equally glamorous and hopelessly romantic, there are no rose gardens quite like Mottisfont. Soulful, they inhabit the walled gardens of this ancient priory, clambering through the many venerable apple and pear tress, hopelessly constrained by box or lavender,…
Waterperry Gardens
I was at the HTA National Plant Show at Stoneleigh Park near Coventry yesterday, a tedious journey up and down the M40, especially back but I did make a grateful stop at the wonderful Waterperry Gardens near Oxford. Formerly Miss Havergal's School of Horticulture for Ladies (who trained the Land Girls and much more...) these…
A snapshot from the RHS Gardens at Wisley
With a friend visiting from Melbourne and cool, cloudy weather, an opportunity to explore RHS Wisley and with 20 Plant Societies - Delphiniums and Cacti, Hostas and Bonsai, Pitcher Plants, Heathers, Vegetables, Dahlias and more - no better excuse to spend three hours in these varied landscapes. We explored the Cottage Garden - gorgeous planting,…
Continue reading ➞ A snapshot from the RHS Gardens at Wisley
Cottage Gardens
Phyllis Bide – the perfect rambling rose for a cottage garden – informal flowers in a muddle of apricot and cream – and not a monster either, like Kiftsgate or Wedding Day… The Story cover photo is from the Welcome to Yorkshire Garden at RHS Chelsea this year. Proof if it were needed of the…









