Soft, pretty chaos in the rain – Barnsley House, Glos

What a pretty pretty garden – designed by one of our greatest designers, Rosemary Very.  this is an English garden at it’s best.  Not a contemporary, stylised, minimalist view in sight.. just plenty of pretty planting.  This garden will be at its best later in the summer and its NGS open day is 13th August

Bourton House, Glos – wonderful topiary

Bourton House in Gloucestershire is really going to come into it’s own in the summer as it has wide herbaceous borders which obviously have not started their motors just yet…HOWEVER if you like topiary you can feast your eyes at any time.

Pots pots and more pots – all these delights to be found at Whichford

A riot

West Dean gardens in the Spring – an afternoon with Caroline Garland!

Springing into life at last. A morning at Kew gardens with Caroline Garland!

Bury Court Gardens, Bentley – Marina Christopher Plantsman’s Day

Marina Christopher holds a ‘Plantsman’s Day’ on the last Wednesday of every month from April through to September and I went along yesterday with my garden designer friend, Rhianon McGeoch in the pouring rain!!  Marina gives a lecture on arrival (after coffee etc) on a given subject – yesterday it was ‘Blazing Glory – perennials

Victoria’s Backyard in Wandsworth

Victoria Summerley’s garden was opened for a National Garden Open Day yesterday and although, if you look at Victoria’s blog (Victoria’s Backyard) , you will see her fantastic photos I thought I would post a few of mine too!  There are one or two things that stand out in this garden.  First of all it

Chelsea Physic Garden

The Chelsea Physic Garden has opened its “Garden of Edible and Useful Plants” but it is still young and relatively unformed, although will be an interesting project to follow.  And will help us garden designers who want to put veggies back into the urban garden.  However, it is worth a visit to the Chelsea Physic

Norney Wood, Shackleford, Surrey – open on 8th July NGS

“This is a newly-created garden in the style of Gertrude Jekyll set against a backdrop of mature trees and rhododendrons. The formal lawn terrace garden is surrounded by maturing rose and herbaceous borders. Gertrude Jekyll’s love of garden structures has been recreated with a garden house and paths linking the upper lawn terrace with the

West Green gardens again!

I had another lovely day at West Green House in Hartley Wintney yet again yesterday (one of my favourite places – see last July’s blog).  We were lucky because we got a lovely day – that does NOT mean that there was bright sunshine but it did mean that we had a softly lit, Spring,

Caroline’s visit to Vann garden

Vann means a fen or a bog but do not be put off by this! The house itself dates back to the 16th century and there is everything there to give you that feel of a rich heritage and well loved home and garden over the years.  It has an extremely inauspicious approach with no

Look who’s looking good in Hyde Park, Richmond Park and Wandsworth!

Over the last two days I have wandered around my local area, Wandsworth, but have also walked my dogs in Richmond Park and Hyde Park.  Although the sun has come out and there must be masses going on underground, with a few green shoots coming up and some buds appearing on the trees, everything is