General Interest


Gold at the Olympic Park by Bridget Rosewell

November 16, 2012

Meadows now cover a multitude of sins – or at least, the term ‘meadow’ does. All part of the ‘naturalistic’ trend (see Michael King’s post and Sarah Price telling you how to do it at home here) Bridget Rosewell takes a look here at whether meadow is a term which makes sense in the context of the [...]

Three views of the RHS by Elizabeth Musgrave

October 16, 2012

Apologies – this one has jumped the queue.. (nothing to do with me overlooking what’s on my schedule, of course..) Does the RHS offer anything which meets the needs of the thinkingardener? Elizabeth Musgrave gives that some thought.. Anne Wareham, editor Elizabeth Musgrave: I am a serial joiner of the RHS.  I join for a [...]


If not spectacle, what? by Tristan Gregory

October 15, 2012

Last week Tristan Gregory proposed that we may need respite from spectacle. (see ‘Spectacle or not’) This week he continues his theme by discussing what might come next.. Anne Wareham, editor Tristan Gregory:  In a previous piece I made a case for adapting the philosophy of landscape to make the space available to us into [...]

Spectacle – or not? by Tristan Gregory

October 8, 2012

Here are thoughts about how people in the past created gardens to offer them respite from the pressures and anxieties of their age, and opens the question about whether we might do the same. It’s the first of a two parter, but this part stands alone well enough. The next bit you will have to [...]


An interesting book review by Abbie Jury

September 17, 2012

I haven’t named the book which is the subject of this review yet on purpose. Most of our readers are still from the UK so you might assume this book will not be especially interesting to you. But I think the review may be. It raises an issue which has bothered me for many years [...]

Painswick Rococo Garden – 21 images from the Art in the Garden exhibition by Anne Wareham

August 2, 2012

I cannot claim this as a review – rather the editor’s privilege to produce a brief, pictorial indication of what is to be seen at this exhibition, which we visited in the drizzle on the 31st July. I have a pile up of material waiting to be published here (our first blog review soon..) and life has [...]


Hampton Court Health Warnings by Helen Gazeley.

June 25, 2012

“Most artists aren’t that philosophical or conceptual. They’re just artists who work within a certain style and if you took their so-called concept into a 6th form debating society, it would be ripped to shreds.” Grayson Perry, RSA Journal, Autumn 2008. Quite. This year, at Chelsea we saw a shining example of a garden with meaning, [...]

Lagerfeld Rules – should he ever turn his attention to gardening, by Abbie Jury

June 8, 2012

I love the way thinkingardens reaches across the world. My ambition is to become truly international, with the best from every continent..Well, it sounds so glamorous. A bit like Karl Lagerfeld, perhaps? So, recently I ‘met’ Abbie Jury, an excellent writer and gardener from New Zealand, and here is her take on the said Karl Lagerfeld.. [...]


Chelsea 2012 by Anne Wareham

May 22, 2012

I did my usual for Chelsea – asked people I met on Press Day a question I thought would be of interest to thinkingardeners. Less celebrities this time. All pictures by Charles Hawes, but the unnamed person in them, while bearing a passing resemblance to me, is clearly fifteen years older and much heavier… Anne Wareham editor [...]

Naturalistic Planting is anything but, by Michael King

April 24, 2012

There has been a great deal of animated discussion recently about what a ‘meadow’ is in a garden context and I think this is a subject well worth clarifying a little better. It is clearly related in people’s minds to prairie planting, naturalistic planting, perennial planting and perhaps other confusing terms. Michael King, co-author with Piet [...]


The 9/11 Memorial Park in New York reviewed by Sheppard Craige

April 8, 2012

A poignant piece about a very particular site, sensitively written. Thank you, Sheppard. Anne Wareham, editor. Sheppard Craige: The still unfinished 9/11 Memorial Park in lower Manhattan has already been seen by more than a million visitors. It is a powerful minimalist composition of two large squares excavated in the earth by architect Michael Arad. [...]

Parks or Gardens? by Alison Levey.

March 14, 2012

We (Charles Hawes and I) have been puzzled for years about why people rave about Rousham. In fact so puzzled that we’ve been back more than once to try and work it out. Pleasant enough – apart from the miserable rose garden, grotty green stagnant pool, shredded hostas and a statue of a horse being eaten [...]


Mulch Love by Sean Swallow

February 29, 2012

Now here’s a little light relief, after all that Chelsea and farewells to the RHS. My apologies though – I intended to give you a longer break but WordPress published this despite me. (or my incompetence) Personally, it’s the weeds that keep me mulching… or absence of them..unlike Sean I hate weeding. And coming in [...]

Strictly Come Chelsea by Victoria Summerley

February 18, 2012

This piece is another act of dedication and concern from Victoria Summerley, who should have been packing for a much needed holiday rather than writing for us – and hopefully, for the RHS judges. (Her holidaying around means she will be unable to respond to any comments of queries on this piece) Her last piece [...]

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