Winter Garden

Hydrangeas and nothing but Hydrangeas ….

Categories Acid-loving plants, Architectural Plants, Climbing plants, dark foliage plants, Hydrangea, late summer border, Open to the public, Plants for a shady garden?, RHS WIsley, Savill Garden, Seasonal colour, shade, Summer garden, The Savill Garden, White Garden, Winter Garden2 Comments on Hydrangeas and nothing but Hydrangeas ….

What a lot of Hydrangeas - from a variety of destinations including RHS Wisley and the Savill Garden near Windsor. Probably a few from Golden Hill Nurseries down on the south coast who are specialists in this beautiful plant - definitely worth seeking out their expert knowledge at any future plant fair or flower show.…

Continue reading ➞ Hydrangeas and nothing but Hydrangeas ….

Arabella Lennox Boyd – invention and boundless imagination in the gardens at Gresgarth Hall

Categories Architectural Plants, Art in the landscape, Autumn garden, Clematis, container gardening, Fragrant plants, Garden Design, General comment, Grasses, herbaceous, Kitchen Garden, late summer border, Mediterranean Garden, Open to the public, Ornamental trees, Rhododendron & Azalea, Roses, Seasonal colour, Shrubs, spring flowering, Spring Garden, Summer garden, Travel broadens the mind, Trees, Water gardening, Winter Garden6 Comments on Arabella Lennox Boyd – invention and boundless imagination in the gardens at Gresgarth Hall

A garden, though visited in 2015, that has a hold on me still, with vivid memories of superb planting, striking vistas, artistry and sheer passion for the gardens and countryside around. The season 'up north' will be naturally a little later than here, 'down south' so while I visited at the beginning of July, climate…

Continue reading ➞ Arabella Lennox Boyd – invention and boundless imagination in the gardens at Gresgarth Hall

Postcards from Sussex – the extraordinary Arundel Castle and Gardens

Categories annuals, Architectural Plants, Art in the landscape, Bee Friendly Plants, Climbing plants, colour, container gardening, Cottage Garden, Cutting Garden, Dry Garden, Exotic, Fragrant plants, Fruit Trees, Garden Design, General comment, herbaceous, Kitchen Garden, Mediterranean Garden, Open to the public, Organic Gardening, Ornamental trees, Seasonal colour, soft fruit, spring flowering, Spring Garden, Summer garden, Travel broadens the mind, Trees, Tropical, Water gardening, Winter Garden2 Comments on Postcards from Sussex – the extraordinary Arundel Castle and Gardens

  To prevent a general revolt over a daily onslaught of postcards from June 2017, you'll be glad yo note I've left out at least four more galleries from David Austin Roses in Shropshire, the delightful Chastleton House and a mooch around Woodstock and Blenheim Palace. For the not so feint-hearted, please search for stories…

Continue reading ➞ Postcards from Sussex – the extraordinary Arundel Castle and Gardens

Pruning, care and maintenance plan for your roses, starring Mottisfont Abbey

Categories General comment, Mottisfont Abbey, Pruning, Roses, Winter GardenLeave a Comment on Pruning, care and maintenance plan for your roses, starring Mottisfont Abbey

There have been some changes at Mottisfont in Hampshire. A new garden has been created and there is a new-ish visitor centre. But these notes and images are more about the practicalities of growing Old Roses, with detail from winter and spring. For those wishing to delve deeper into the art and science of rose…

Continue reading ➞ Pruning, care and maintenance plan for your roses, starring Mottisfont Abbey

A few scribblings on creating a White Garden

Categories Acid-loving plants, Alpine, annuals, Architectural Plants, Autumn garden, Bedding, Bulbs, Camellias, Clematis, Climbing plants, conifers, container gardening, Dahlias, David Austin roses, evergreen perennial, Evergreen shrubs, Exotic, Flowering Cherry, Fragrant plants, General comment, Hellebore, herbaceous, Hydrangea, Iris, Magnolia, Mediterranean Garden, Mottisfont Abbey, National Trust Gardens, Ornamental trees, Rhododendron & Azalea, RHS WIsley, Roses, Seasonal colour, shade, Shrubs, Sissinghurst Castle, Snowdrops (Galanthus), Spring Garden, Summer garden, Trees, Trees for smaller gardens, White Garden, Wildlife gardening, Winter Garden, Wisteria, Woodland Garden2 Comments on A few scribblings on creating a White Garden

  Creating a White Garden Straight out of the block, I'm talking about green. And grey, silver, and variegation. We'll get to white but a few thoughts first. ‘Green is the backdrop to the garden but in its range of shades and textures, green has much more to offer as any foreground interest. Grey dims,…

Continue reading ➞ A few scribblings on creating a White Garden

Colour on a dull day, just not today: A banquet-kaleidoscope-smorgasbord-gallimaufry of early Spring colour and scent … (or Where’s Thug?)

Categories Abstract Photograpy, Acid-loving plants, Alpine, Architectural Plants, Bedding, Bulbs, Camellias, Climbing plants, colour, Fragrant plants, General comment, Hellebore, herbaceous, Japanese Maples (Acers), Magnolia, Ornamental trees, RHS WIsley, Roses, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Seasonal colour, spring flowering, Spring Garden, Trees for smaller gardens, White Garden, Wildlife gardening, Winter Garden, Woodland GardenLeave a Comment on Colour on a dull day, just not today: A banquet-kaleidoscope-smorgasbord-gallimaufry of early Spring colour and scent … (or Where’s Thug?)

  Another look through the Teddington Gardener Archives, mid-March 2016, and as the title says, a jumble of images, woodland and glasshouse, Wisley and Kew and a welcome reminder of Thug, the Petersham Cat, still missed.   Ah, well, you've got me - one huge gallery of images and barely a note to cover the…

Continue reading ➞ Colour on a dull day, just not today: A banquet-kaleidoscope-smorgasbord-gallimaufry of early Spring colour and scent … (or Where’s Thug?)

Pruning, care and maintenance plan for your roses, starring Mottisfont Abbey

Categories General comment, Mottisfont Abbey, Pruning, Roses, Winter Garden5 Comments on Pruning, care and maintenance plan for your roses, starring Mottisfont Abbey

The beautiful collection of Old Roses at Mottisfont Abbey in Hampshire - displayed in three separate walled gardens, each with its own distinct character and altogether showcasing several hundred Old Roses varieties with a range of complimentary plants. And the fragrance! Be still my beating heart! Actually, there is a new garden there, that I…

Continue reading ➞ Pruning, care and maintenance plan for your roses, starring Mottisfont Abbey

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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Winter Containers

Categories annuals, Architectural Plants, Autumn garden, Bedding, Bulbs, conifers, container gardening, dark foliage plants, evergreen perennial, Evergreen shrubs, Fragrant plants, General comment, Grasses, Hellebore, herbaceous, November, Organic Gardening, Ornamental trees, Petersham Nurseries, Plants for a shady garden?, Seasonal colour, Seeds, shade, Shrubs, White Garden, Winter GardenLeave a Comment on Winter Containers

Stylish winter containers with ideas and examples from Petersham Nurseries; colour, texture, fragrance contrast and harmony for outdoor planting combinations