Spring things … a medley

If a picture paints a thousand words ... read on -

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…

Hamamelis for a New Year

A choice selection of Witch Hazels flowering at RHS Wisley just now - such delicate flowers seem impossibly impervious to the worst of the weather but untroubled they are. I would have found more on Battleston Hill but the weather forecast (chill but bright and sunny) gave way to a bitingly cold rain and so…

A round up of the week so far – mist over the Thames, oak-leaved Hydrangeas, Chillis, Lilies, Vines viniferous and Cup-and-Saucered, Dahlias of course ….

A few days at Petersham Nurseries this week and with it, a cycle ride across Teddington Lock in the morning sunshine, ahead of days enjoying a rather fine Indian Summer as Autumn slides into technicolor view - with mist rising from the River Thames and adding a little mystery to Ham Fields While the cycle…

A return to RHS Wisley – as October arrives with blue skies and the warm gold of an Indian Summer

Roses, to come, but first a gallery of late-flowering perennials, shrubs and trees bringing a rich diversity and vibrancy to these gardens as October sidles into view. The Gardens at RHS Wisley - the Royal Horticultural Society's flagship garden - never disappoint and even with frequent visits, there is always something new to delight, excite…

Follow me as I tour the gardens at RHS Wisley – grasses and bananas, the Glasshouse (tropics and desert) and dry borders, fruit fields and a fragrant rose garden …

You've walked with me from the entrance at RHS Wisley through to the grass borders, across to the tropical border with towering bananas and cannas and past the dogwood collection (with willows and rubus) which are green green green at the moment but in winter are a forest of ruby, gold, scarlet, black and bone…

An Afternoon at RHS Wisley – the Double Herbaceous Borders, Cottage and Jubilee Rose Gardens, a touch of woodland and more …

The spectacle of the Double Herbaceous Borders at RHS Wisley at the height of summer! I definitely have Border Envy though I appreciate how much work goes into this long-lasting display. Such healthy happy plants too. The Country Garden, pictured below is no less of an extravaganza but the effect in many parts is of…

Things that caught my eye etc., etc., – and a gourmet tour of the East End (didn’t expect that, did you!)

A day at Petersham Nurseries, working I might add, dispensing horticultural advice and bon-mots to a pretty happy crowd - weather warm but not too warm, a good breeze, plenty of plants to pretty the place up, time to talk to the customers - and keep everything watered - and time to make a few…