David Austin roses

A break in the weather and time to get to RHS Wisley – woodlanders, rock gardens and alpines, many roses and more …

Categories Alpine, annuals, Architectural Plants, Art in the landscape, Bee Friendly Plants, David Austin roses, Fragrant plants, General comment, Petersham Nurseries, RHS WIsley, Roses, Summer garden, Woodland Garden2 Comments on A break in the weather and time to get to RHS Wisley – woodlanders, rock gardens and alpines, many roses and more …

The weather has been decidedly un-summery these past few days and further North, it is set to be one of the wettest on record. Us softy Southerners, by geography if not by birth, have it a little brighter but still, dank, damp, humid and overcast. Still, I wanted to see the new retail space and…

Continue reading ➞ A break in the weather and time to get to RHS Wisley – woodlanders, rock gardens and alpines, many roses and more …

Planting for Honey Bees and other pollinators ….

Categories Acid-loving plants, Architectural Plants, Bee Friendly Plants, Climbing plants, colour, container gardening, Cottage Garden, David Austin roses, Dry Garden, evergreen perennial, Evergreen shrubs, Fragrant plants, Fruit Trees, Garden Design, General comment, herbaceous, Kitchen Garden, Mediterranean Garden, Organic Gardening, Organic pest control, Ornamental trees, Petersham Nurseries, Rhododendron & Azalea, Seasonal colour, Shrubs, Spring Garden, Summer garden, Trees for smaller gardens, Vegetables, White Garden, Winter Garden, Wisteria3 Comments on Planting for Honey Bees and other pollinators ….

Bee Mindful/Planting for honeybees and beneficial pollinators These are some of my notes for a day-long workshop taking place at Petersham Nurseries today, focusing as we have all month on the honeybee, bee-keeping, planting for bees, honey tasting and fermenting and styling with fresh flowers. And lunch, let's not forget that important little bit, and…

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A Riot of Roses at David Austin HQ – An Access All Areas Tour of the Gardens, Glasshouses, Breeding Program, Trial Fields … and musings on Fragrance in the summer and autumn garden –

Categories David Austin roses, Fragrant plants, Open to the public, Pest control, Petersham Nurseries, Plants for a shady garden?, Pruning, Roses, Seasonal colour, Summer garden, Travel broadens the mind16 Comments on A Riot of Roses at David Austin HQ – An Access All Areas Tour of the Gardens, Glasshouses, Breeding Program, Trial Fields … and musings on Fragrance in the summer and autumn garden –

The Gardens at David Austin Roses, Albrigton, Shropshire They may have been battered by the rains but how beautiful are these gardens still! A veritable riot of colour, in beds and borders, along paths and clothing walls and clambering up and over pillars. Every conceivable space is festooned. Walls have climbers and ramblers flowering from…

Continue reading ➞ A Riot of Roses at David Austin HQ – An Access All Areas Tour of the Gardens, Glasshouses, Breeding Program, Trial Fields … and musings on Fragrance in the summer and autumn garden –

Stylish late – late summer containers

Categories colour, container gardening, Dahlias, dark foliage plants, David Austin roses, Evergreen shrubs, Fragrant plants, Garden Design, General comment, Grasses, Great Dixter, herbaceous, Organic Gardening, Petersham Nurseries, Seasonal colour3 Comments on Stylish late – late summer containers

I hosted a workshop a few weeks ago now, at Petersham Nurseries, with the title of 'Stylish late-summer containers. I promised the guests that I would create some notes and have been very tardy I doing so. I hope to remedy this here, jotting down a few of the points we covered, and details of…

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White

Categories Abstract Photography, Alpine, annuals, Architectural Plants, Autumn garden, Bedding, Bulbs, Camellias, Clematis, climbing plant, Cottage Garden, Cutting Garden, Dahlias, David Austin roses, Dry Garden, Flowering Cherry, Fragrant plants, General comment, Hellebore, herbaceous, Hydrangea, Iris, Japanese Maples (Acers), late summer border, Magnolia, Mediterranean Garden, Roses, Seasonal colour, shade, Shrubs, Snowdrops (Galanthus), spring flowering, Spring Garden, Summer garden, White Garden, Winter Garden, Wisteria, Woodland Garden1 Comment on White

Every shade of white .... no need for a white garden to be sterile, with coolness and warmth, blushes of yellow and pink, blue and lime. Keep the palette calm, with grey and silver foliage, add some soft yellows, blue-greys, to keep the colour scheme less static. Vary the shape, foliage, horizontals and verticals, for…

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15 Favourites ….

Categories David Austin roses, General comment, Roses, Summer garden4 Comments on 15 Favourites ….

A little more detail on my favourite roses - of course I'll have changed my mind tomorrow, and the next day, though No. 1 will always be Lady Emma Hamilton ... 15 favourite garden plants next methinks .... Lady Emma Hamilton - a deliciously fragrant English rose, of rich tangerine with golden centre, paling to…

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15 Favourites – Roses

Categories Climbing plants, colour, Cottage Garden, David Austin roses, Fragrant plants, General comment, Mottisfont Abbey, National Trust Gardens, Open to the public, Petersham Nurseries, Roses, Shrubs, Sissinghurst Castle, Summer garden, Travel broadens the mind7 Comments on 15 Favourites – Roses

My fifteen favourite roses

David C.H. Austin OBE VMH (1926 – 2018)

Categories David Austin roses, Roses3 Comments on David C.H. Austin OBE VMH (1926 – 2018)

I am saddened to hear that David C.H. Austin passed away on Tuesday this week, aged 92,  peacefully at home, surrounded by his family. A great rosarian, pioneer and perfectionist, he has been an inspiration to me pursuing a career in horticulture and my being an enthusiastic and vocal advocate for roses in general and…

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Winter Border Workshop at Petersham Nurseries

Categories Architectural Plants, Bulbs, Camellias, Clematis, climbing plant, colour, conifers, container gardening, David Austin roses, Dry Garden, evergreen perennial, Evergreen shrubs, Exotic, Flowering Cherry, Fragrant plants, Fruit Trees, General comment, Grasses, Hellebore, herbaceous, Hydrangea, Japanese Maples (Acers), Magnolia, Mediterranean Garden, Mottisfont Abbey, November, Ornamental trees, Petersham Nurseries, Plants for a shady garden?, Rhododendron & Azalea, RHS WIsley, Roses, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Savill Garden, Seasonal colour, Seeds, shade, Shrubs, Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Snowdrops (Galanthus), The Savill Garden, Trees, Trees for smaller gardens, Vegetables, Water gardening, White Garden, Wildlife gardening, Winter Garden, witch hazel, Woodland Garden1 Comment on Winter Border Workshop at Petersham Nurseries

I have a workshop this week where we will delve into turning our gardens, in the chill months ahead, into winter borders filled with interesting plants, colours and textures. Anchor plants with attractive foliage, the tracery and silhouettes of seedheads and dried stems and flower heads, and ornamental fruit, evergreen shrubs with scented flowers for…

Continue reading ➞ Winter Border Workshop at Petersham Nurseries