If you really do go down to the woods today… Leith Hill, composting, bluebells and birdsong

Categories Abstract Photography, Composting, Organic Gardening, Petersham Nurseries, Plants for a shady garden?, spring flowering, Wildlife gardeningLeave a Comment on If you really do go down to the woods today… Leith Hill, composting, bluebells and birdsong

A long walk through the Surrey countryside from Westcott near Dorking, south across woodland and vale to Leith Hill, the highest point in Surrey. A National Trust property now, it has a commanding view across the landscape - and from the top of the tower, you have more altitude than the viewing platform of The…

Continue reading ➞ If you really do go down to the woods today… Leith Hill, composting, bluebells and birdsong

What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare…. Petersham Meadows

Categories Abstract Photography, colour, spring flowering, Wildlife gardening1 Comment on What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare…. Petersham Meadows

A field of buttercups in the deep depth of the countryside? A bucolic scene where black & white cattle graze the long grass and rub their rumps on wild plum and ancient hawthorn? Petersham Meadows, actually, and the cattle are the Belted Galloways that are taking their summer holidays from the main herd at Box…

Continue reading ➞ What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare…. Petersham Meadows

Flowers for a Friday….

Categories colour, Cutting Garden, Flower Shows, General comment, Seasonal colour, spring flowering, Spring GardenLeave a Comment on Flowers for a Friday….

I hope that Thomas Bloom won't mind my hijacking these floral displays for my own delight and edification - and yours - but I am very taken with them. Keen-eyed viewers will have seen some of the individual items in my photo-reports from recent trips to Wisley and Kew and indeed, these flowers are all…

Continue reading ➞ Flowers for a Friday….

Explaining a little about fertilisers; What N:P:K means; the benefits of Organic Matter, mulches & green manure – and making your own compost tea, manure brews and the best comfrey tea (and borage is for the compost, not just for Pimms). Some steps towards Organic Gardening

Categories General comment, Organic Gardening1 Comment on Explaining a little about fertilisers; What N:P:K means; the benefits of Organic Matter, mulches & green manure – and making your own compost tea, manure brews and the best comfrey tea (and borage is for the compost, not just for Pimms). Some steps towards Organic Gardening

We may not have a plot the size of Sissinghurst here, but we may have one of the 15 million gardens in the UK, or a piece of an allotment - or a single solitary pot. We may however, dream. Then just as we want to get started - confusion strikes. We can all be…

Continue reading ➞ Explaining a little about fertilisers; What N:P:K means; the benefits of Organic Matter, mulches & green manure – and making your own compost tea, manure brews and the best comfrey tea (and borage is for the compost, not just for Pimms). Some steps towards Organic Gardening

If you go down to the woods today – neon rhododendrons, bluebells, magnolias (still), bergenia, Flamingos and a glorious Staphylea emodi – at RHS Wisley

Categories Acid-loving plants, Camellias, Evergreen shrubs, General comment, Magnolia, Open to the public, Ornamental trees, Plants for a shady garden?, Rhododendron & Azalea, RHS WIsley, Seasonal colour, spring flowering, Spring Garden, Trees for smaller gardens1 Comment on If you go down to the woods today – neon rhododendrons, bluebells, magnolias (still), bergenia, Flamingos and a glorious Staphylea emodi – at RHS Wisley

A perfect wander through the meandering paths on Battleston Hill at Wisley - quiet too (it usually is) giving you the peace and solitude to really appreciate the diverse planting, the understory, shrubs and tall mature trees. The magnolias were until recently the thing here, some real superb specimens, absolute stars, and the hellebores too…

Continue reading ➞ If you go down to the woods today – neon rhododendrons, bluebells, magnolias (still), bergenia, Flamingos and a glorious Staphylea emodi – at RHS Wisley

Camassias take centre stage at RHS Wisley…

Categories General comment1 Comment on Camassias take centre stage at RHS Wisley…

These camassias are at their absolute best - two fields of blue, banking either side of the Bowes Lyons Rose Garden at Wisley. Just the most beautiful sight. The cherry is Prunus Shirofugen I think there is another massed planting of Camassias in the gardens at Kew - parallel to the Rhododendron Walk - and…

Continue reading ➞ Camassias take centre stage at RHS Wisley…

Auriculas and other delights – the Alpine House at RHS Wisley, early May

Categories Alpine, Auricula, Open to the public, RHS WIsleyLeave a Comment on Auriculas and other delights – the Alpine House at RHS Wisley, early May

A delight, as ever, inside the Alpine House at RHS Wisley. Auriculas are out in numbers, and much else besides. A perfect spot then to while away half an hour, taking in the rich detail and rich colours of many of these splendid little fellows.

A little early May tour around RHS Wisley – Rockery, Woodland and Rockery again…

Categories Alpine, Architectural Plants, Climbing plants, Fragrant plants, General comment, Mediterranean Garden, Open to the public, Rhododendron & Azalea, RHS WIsley, Roses, Seasonal colour, spring flowering, Spring GardenLeave a Comment on A little early May tour around RHS Wisley – Rockery, Woodland and Rockery again…

A tour through the Surrey gardens of RHS at Wisley, taking us from the entrance (and before we even get going we have to stop and gawk at the Clianthus Kaka King!) before skirting along above the water lily pond to see the Wisteria and Roses enjoying the warmth of a long brick wall -…

Continue reading ➞ A little early May tour around RHS Wisley – Rockery, Woodland and Rockery again…

If you go down to the woods today – Cherry Blossom, Queen Anne’s Lace and Alexanders At Kew – a little video

Categories Flowering Cherry, General comment, Ornamental trees, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Trees for smaller gardens, Wildlife gardeningLeave a Comment on If you go down to the woods today – Cherry Blossom, Queen Anne’s Lace and Alexanders At Kew – a little video

Blue skies, white clouds, generous pink and white blossom, bronze leaves, long green grass, lime Alexanders, frothy Queen Anne's Lace, sunshine and bluebells (well, one or two, here) - a walk through the last glories of the Cherry Walk at Kew Gardens yesterday afternoon. Birdsong and planes provide the soundtrack...