I'm keen to make sure my greenhouse is fully utilised over all four seasons and so during October and November, I've been experimenting! Once I'd planted out all the wallflowers, I had space and so I've done some cuttings of tender plants (I know, it was probably rather late) of scented pelargonium, osteospermum, salvia amistad … Continue reading Autumn Experiments!
After a two year break, Tony and Marie Newton opened their stunning, award winning and perfectly named garden 'Four Seasons' under the National Garden Scheme last weekend. The sunny mild weather we experienced was just perfect for the many visitors keen to take pleasure in the vibrantly colourful planting that is a key feature of this … Continue reading Four Seasons Garden – Autumn
A highlight of our visit to Kent & East Sussex deserves a few words and pictures - I'm referring to Rye's natural landscape. We both really loved it. A walk along the nature reserve down to the coast was delightful - the landscape an inspiration for a super garden, surely! The building to the left is … Continue reading Kent & East Sussex – Rye
I've been yearning to visit the gardens at both Sissinghurst Castle and Great Dixter for years, but being too far from our home for a day out we haven't been - until this September. Forward planning by way of researching on the net revealed another garden nearby, Merriments, indeed it's an RHS partner garden and … Continue reading The Gardens of Sissinghurst, Great Dixter & Merriments
No words (almost!), just pictures on a wonderful October afternoon, click for more!
When you're looking forward to next years garden, it's obviously a good idea to have a plan and at the moment I've got visions of wonderful swathes of flower filled borders all year round! This vision is not new - but in certain areas of the garden, my ambition has not been realised - for … Continue reading Wallflowers – Spring Plans!
The borough of Walsall gets a lot of poor press, often unfairly in my view. It has a diverse population, generally living comfortably together. Unfortunately there are also high levels of poverty and health, social and economic issues to contend with. Recently, the town centre appears to have entered a slow decline, with the closure … Continue reading A walk in the park – Walsall Arboretum
An unexpectedly sunny afternoon after our early morning drive from the West Midlands to Aberglasne saw Chris pondering on just how much he should be pruning off a mixed hedge and a berberis thunbergiii 'Pink Queen" This'll be a job to keep us busy tomorrow, but we're happy to see that there's been enough rain to … Continue reading Pruning dilemma and more: from Wales
Two of my close friends recently visited Monet's Garden in Giverny and came back with a gift for me - a wonderful book detailing the garden's history and planting calendar. I was particularly struck by the use of wallflower 'Ruby Gem' and as I had already sown a tray of bright red wallflower seeds with … Continue reading First greenhouse casualty!
We recently spent a week holidaying in Mallorca, at a hotel with a fabulous garden lovingly developed alongside the expansion of its buildings over many decades. The Bon Sol in Illetes, approximately 7 miles from Palma, is a family run hotel built on several levels in a small, quiet bay. The garden weaves and winds … Continue reading A little bit of Bon Sol
