Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
This is something I started in February of last year, when rain filled a huge metal container, a vast pedestal bowl with ornate handles that originally had it's home in the Bank of Rome in Italy, somewhere (one of a pair). Too much water to drain easily, I floated Hellebores on the surface of the…
Continue reading ➞ Floating Flowers from Petersham Nurseries
I've a workshop planned this week as part of the School of Garden Inspiration syllabus at Petersham Nurseries. The subject is bulb planting in the garden, and more specifically, Spring-flowering bulbs that are available now for planting in the coming weeks and months. Some practical information and hopefully, some inspiration along the way. Without doubt,…
A few images from April 2018 featuring the Cutting Garden and Petersham House Gardens and more specifically the bulbs planted in great parallel swathes in the working Cutting Garden and then more expansively throughout the gardens of the House itself. A memory-jogger for me, given my workshop on Spring Bulbs together but boy, has it…
These images were taken on a visit on the 20th April this year to the gardens at Great Dixter in East Sussex. I had been to the charming and gently planted King John's Nursery beforehand, and there is some memorable naturalizing of spring bulbs and primroses in the old orchard that is quite superlative. But…
OK, so there is a touch of rose-making-the-blue-purple going on here too though I have weeded out the more obvious not-blues, but the theme, from palest to the boldest, with some blue-grey foliage too, is a cool blue palette. Fruit, leaf and flower all contribute and I refer you once again to Gertrude Jekyll. In…
From the palest blush, soft cool primrose, sulphurous, acid, gaudy, bright, golden, and adorning the garden right the way through the year - this is a richly diverse palette and can be used to many an effect. I've been reading Gertrude Jekyll's book on colour schemes in the flower garden and she is extraordinarily…
A trip down to Southampton this morning, to drop family off at the airport and then a convenient drive into the New Forest, ponies galore, and the gardens at Exbury. I've never been though know of their reputation for Rhododendrons, Camellias and Azaleas, and for a fine autumn showing of mature Acers. Obviously we are…
Continue reading ➞ Exbury Gardens, Hampshire
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…
Continue reading ➞ Cottage Gardens
Well, there are two standard Munstead Wood Roses, one standard Rose Ballerina, another standard Lady Emma Hamilton, oh and Desdemona, another standard - shrub roses Vanessa Bell and The Poet's Wife, a half barrel of Erigeron karvinskianus, a pot of Campanula Pink Octopus, Alliums (Mont Blanc maybe), three large pots of Pelargoniums (zonal, ivy-leaved, scented…
The Teddington Gardener 