A return to Mottisfont Abbey; an Old Rose Pilgrimage

A pilgrimage to these gardens, for which, so far as the roses are concerned, we have Graham Stuart Thomas to thank principally and for the last 40+ years, the National Trust for preserving and enhancing his original collection of Old Roses. Mottisfont holds the National Collection of Shrub Roses. I met Jonny Bass, the head…

Jack Frost comes calling….

A frosty morning with the few roses cocky enough to be flowering all rimed with ice. A little rose garden with climbing rose The Generous Gardener on tall black obelisks, accompanied by a trio of English shrub roses also from David Austin, Gertrude Jekyll, Geoff Hamilton and Winchester Cathedral. The whole scheme is bordered by…

Gertrude & Geoff

The rose bed outside the visitor centre to Syon House and Gardens planted up with four David Austin varieties with low hedges of box and lavender. Gertrude Jekyll, Geoff Hamilton, Winchester Cathedral and The Generous Gardener.