General Interest


Chelsea 2013 uncovered by Charles Hawes

May 21, 2013

The photographers hope to get a press pass again next year…         Charles Hawes has a good selection of high resolution photographs of Chelsea Flower Show on GAP Photos. (Including one on the photo library front page.) The photographs on this page and other high res Chelsea photographs can also be obtained for [...]

Chelsea 2013, some thoughts from Anne Wareham

May 21, 2013

This year was marked for me by having one garden that shocked me by its badness, and one that delighted me. And the other remarkable thing was the extent of agreement about both those things amongst the people I talked to. Prize for shock went to Jinny Blom’s garden for Prince Harry and his charity [...]


The End of Botanical Gardens? by Ewan Michaels

May 9, 2013

The Botanic Garden of Wales always seemed an odd idea, and it is true (see below) that is has struggled for survival  from the moment it appeared. I wonder if anyone thinks Botanic gardens are still relevant today – and if so, why and what for? Here are Ewan Michael’s thoughts on the matter… Anne [...]

Tranquil Havens full of Birdsong by Abbie Jury

April 18, 2013

This is another longish one I’ve let by, just as a warning for those of you with short attention spans. Having seen so many similar owner entries in the Yellow Book over the years (“This other Eden, demi-paradise” ..) I was riveted. Wonderful stuff. Thank you, once again, Abbie. Anne Wareham, editor Abbie Jury: For the [...]


RHS judging: an interview with an RHS judge by Victoria Summerley

April 2, 2013

It may seem difficult to believe in the current wintry climate, but the Chelsea Flower show opens in a few weeks’ time. For the past few months, while the show garden designers have wondered whether their plants will survive the winter, the RHS has been re-examining the way it awards their medals. Victoria Summerley talked [...]

Your Views about Views? by Susan Cohan

March 19, 2013

There has been discussion in the British press recently, I believe, about whether we should specifically protect important views, before they are all covered by wind power stations. Views, as borrowed landscape, are vital to many gardens.  However – when we can’t even protect AONBs (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty), or the view from Highgrove, [...]


Three Actors by Tristan Gregory

March 11, 2013

Speaks for itself, this article. It comes with a great addition: a piece of original artwork by Paul Steer, created especially to accompany this piece. Thank you to both contributors – and anyone/thing else involved…. Anne Wareham, editor Tristan Gregory: I was cutting away at some Hawthorn trees one Saturday morning in an attempt to [...]

What do we want the garden media for? by Monty Don and Anne Wareham

March 5, 2013

A few weeks ago Matthew Appleby published a piece here about the use of celebrities in the media. It produced a great deal of comment, which you can see here, together with the original piece. In the course of all that comment it seemed to me that the topic moved on a little – or [...]


Orchids at Kew – could it be more exciting? by Susanne Masters

February 12, 2013

We see magnificent plant displays regularly, at Chelsea and other RHS shows. We do ‘oo’ and ‘ah’ as expected, the plants are always amazing. But could there be a different dimension to these displays? Kew is doing an orchid show until the 3rd of March. Susanne Masters visited – and wondered whether Kew could make [...]

Institutional Gardens – are they all awful? by Anne Wareham

January 23, 2013

I posted this first on the Veddw blog, which I am sure you are all familiar with. But just in case you’re not, and because of the enthusiastic response it received in the social media, (where so many comments happen now, off site, sadly) and in the post comments, I am also publishing it here. Anne [...]


Killing Groundhogs by Pamela Ruch

January 17, 2013

We all identify with the fury garden pests can rouse in us. But what’s the morality in dealing with them? A hot topic, I bet…and what on earth does a groundhog look like?? Anne Wareham, editor Pamela Ruch: I don’t remember the exact date a groundhog first clawed its way into the greenhouse last year, [...]

The gardens of Manoir d’Eyrignac and Marquessac, France, by Bridget Rosewell.

January 9, 2013

Some pieces hang around a bit long (sorry everyone) – this arrived in summer and it’s now after Christmas. So – a time trip back to summer, in a less soggy place than Wales… (Bridget is away at the moment – I hope she will respond to your comments on her return) Anne Wareham, editor [...]


Are we fed up of them all? by Matthew Appleby

December 21, 2012

Are gardens and gardeners being well served by the garden media? Are we fed up of seeing the same old faces, giving us the same old snowdrops every week? Here’s Matthew Appleby’s opinion about it. Happy Christmas, everyone!! Anne Wareham, editor. Matthew Appleby: This piece came about when I read several articles on thinkingardens analysing the RHS [...]

Sissinghurst: monochromatic colour schemes, by Abbie Jury

December 6, 2012

“All the same, I cannot help hoping that the great ghostly barn-owl will sweep silently across a pale garden, next summer, in the twilight – the pale garden that I am now planting, under the first flakes of snow.” Vita Sackville-West from ‘In Your Garden’. Not surprising, with such a romantic introduction, that single colour [...]

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