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

Categories Architectural Plants, Autumn garden, colour, Cottage Garden, Cutting Garden, David Austin roses, Fragrant plants, General comment, Grasses, herbaceous, Hydrangea, Open to the public, Ornamental trees, plants for roses, RHS WIsley, Seasonal colour, Trees for smaller gardens, Woodland GardenLeave a Comment on 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…

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

The Autumn Equinox – And to celebrate, a little tour of RHS Wisley

Categories Alpine, Autumn garden, Bedding, Dahlias, David Austin roses, General comment, Grasses, Hydrangea, late summer border, RHS WIsley, Roses, Woodland Garden2 Comments on The Autumn Equinox – And to celebrate, a little tour of RHS Wisley

Rosa Florentina, in the Jubilee Rose Garden at RHS Wisley - this may be the autumn equinox but the roses aren't letting go of summer just yet. A little time since my last post but in my defence, I have had a holiday - a delicious time in Barcelona, if you must know - so…

Continue reading ➞ The Autumn Equinox – And to celebrate, a little tour of RHS Wisley

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 …

Categories Architectural Plants, Dahlias, dark foliage plants, David Austin roses, Dry Garden, Fragrant plants, Fruit Trees, General comment, Grasses, herbaceous, Hydrangea, Kitchen Garden, late summer border, Mediterranean Garden, Open to the public, Ornamental trees, plants for roses, RHS WIsley, Roses, Seasonal colour, Shrubs, soft fruit, Trees for smaller gardens, Tropical, Wild Food/Foraging, Woodland Garden2 Comments on 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…

Continue reading ➞ 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 …

A little cruise up the Thames …. London by moonlight with the Petersham Crew

Categories General comment, Petersham Nurseries, Travel broadens the mindLeave a Comment on A little cruise up the Thames …. London by moonlight with the Petersham Crew

A summer party cruising from Kew Bridge to London Bridge - and rather conveniently, back again - with those lovely folk from Petersham Nurseries (and that's the sole horticultural link here but I hope the scenery will make up for my hijacking these pages for personal benefit). It would be a very tough ask to…

Continue reading ➞ A little cruise up the Thames …. London by moonlight with the Petersham Crew

The Hive, mostly, but room here for a few other delights at Kew Gardens …

Categories Art in the landscape, General comment, Grasses, herbaceous, late summer border, Open to the public, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew1 Comment on The Hive, mostly, but room here for a few other delights at Kew Gardens …

The Hive at Kew Gardens - and you had to get up quite early to see it as unpopulated - though not all to myself - as this. One photographer already on site (for The Mail? maybe...) was trying to get a 360°panorama by taking several photographs - to be stitched together later - but…

Continue reading ➞ The Hive, mostly, but room here for a few other delights at Kew Gardens …

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

Categories Architectural Plants, Bedding, Climbing plants, Cottage Garden, Cutting Garden, David Austin roses, Dry Garden, Fragrant plants, Fruit Trees, General comment, herbaceous, Hydrangea, Open to the public, Plants for a shady garden?, RHS WIsley, Roses, Seasonal colour, Summer garden, White Garden, Woodland Garden5 Comments on 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…

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

More A-Zs from RHS Wisley – Agapanthus and Zantedeschia in the Trial Fields

Categories Architectural Plants, Autumn garden, General comment, RHS WIsley, Summer gardenLeave a Comment on More A-Zs from RHS Wisley – Agapanthus and Zantedeschia in the Trial Fields

The Trial Fields at RHS Wisley where much is being assessed and examined, usually over a three-year period, to determine the best cultivars and those that might be awarded the coveted Award of Garden Merit (AGM). Rosemary and Alliums, Corn, Viburnum, Penstemons, Petunias, Begonias and Cabbage, Cosmos, Calla Lily, Echinacea - and much more -…

Continue reading ➞ More A-Zs from RHS Wisley – Agapanthus and Zantedeschia in the Trial Fields

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

Categories Architectural Plants, Autumn garden, Bedding, Climbing plants, colour, Cottage Garden, Cutting Garden, Dahlias, dark foliage plants, David Austin roses, Dry Garden, Fragrant plants, General comment, House plants, Hydrangea, late summer border, Organic Gardening, Petersham Nurseries, Roses, Seasonal colour, Summer garden, White GardenLeave a Comment on 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…

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

Things that caught my eye today – Ideas to brighten up the garden in July, August and beyond ….

Categories General commentLeave a Comment on Things that caught my eye today – Ideas to brighten up the garden in July, August and beyond ….

Firstly a few from home this evening - I'm particularly pleased with the lilies in the front garden, wafting their intoxicating fragrance for weeks now - and the bright blue Campanula Blue Octopus, flowering for over a month. Then (below) more from my day at Petersham Nurseries. Plenty of colour as we move into midsummer…

Continue reading ➞ Things that caught my eye today – Ideas to brighten up the garden in July, August and beyond ….