An important addition to thinkingardens by Anne Wareham
“…. But this is different – these will be links just to specific articles which I am recommending. I’d be delighted to receive suggestions…”
A Spectator first? by Anne Wareham
Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened. Winston Churchill Since I started trying to raise awareness of the need for serious reviews of gardens, maybe twenty years ago (yes, I was very...Time for new controversies by Anne Wareham
Thinkingardens is getting review heavy. This is not a complaint. For a long time we were unable to get books unless I bought them – we are now being offered review copies and I am finding excellent thinkingardens contributors to write them. For both – many...There is no garden in this country so awful that there won’t be someone desperate to tell you how wonderful it is by Anne Wareham
I’m happy to say that thinkingardens is beginning to get offers of garden reviews. So I thought it was worthwhile to offer a short piece encouraging readers to do garden reviews for us and to try to sum up what I am looking for in a garden review. Reviews...The Laskett reviewed by Emma Bond
“It is a shame that Sir Roy Strong is subjected to the now-obligatory drivel about his being a ‘national treasure’, because this unthinking cliché diminishes his contribution, over more than 50 years, to our cultural life, whether as a curator or, in later...Chelsea 2011 by Anne Wareham
Chelsea 2011 “Is Chelsea still relevant?” – with thanks to Lila de Gupta for the question. This year I was wondering about the relevance of Chelsea and of show gardens in particular. I think that they are the joyful celebration of gardens made simply for the delight...Veddw reviewed by Bridget Rosewell
Just to wind up Matthew Appleby, who is complaining there is too much Veddw on this site… Having just been sent the review I can’t resist adding it to thinkinGardens – and I think I have earned a bit of self indulgence. Anne Wareham editor. ...
Gardens Illustrated Award: comment by Anne Wareham
“Gardens are like theatre in that you have to be there to judge them. It is not enough to review a play by looking at the publicity photographs and hearing a second hand account. It is not good enough to judge a restaurant by looking at the menu and hearing what someone else thought. It is not good enough to judge a garden by looking at slides and hearing one person’s opinion of it.”
Chelsea 2009 – What did you learn?
Anne Wareham asks what did you learn at the Chelsea Flower Show 2009
Letter from America revisited
‘We might say something is ‘crap’ to a friend who understands our reference points, but it isn’t an adequate critical comment. You have to define your parameters for critical discussion, not doing so limits potential response. It becomes yes it is/no it is isn’t…..’
Chelsea 2010 – Do Chelsea gardens benefit from having “themes”? by Anne Wareham
Anne Wareham, editor: I got an email from Graham Rice, responding to my interest in theming (ie. making gardens based on a theme) at Chelsea: “Just been watching the video of Chelsea on the Guardian’s website… And my question is this: Why do all these...Supper: January 2010
A garden is meaningless without good spaces.
In which Michael Balston froths, and also insists that water in gardens should feature “no turds, no alligators”…
Poundbury comes to Hanham Court
“Hanham Court gardens are our horticultural equivalent of Poundbury, indulging the endless British pleasure in nostalgia.”
Recent Posts from: Veddw
Favour the Ferns
Many years ago The Financial Times sent me to do a feature on the RHS ‘Flower Show’ at Tatton Park . I was totally naïve and had no idea what I was supposed to do or to write about. So my excitement was tempered by acute anxiety. The term ‘imposter syndrome’ could have been invented for me. […]
Snowdrop mania is coming…
In the UK, right now, the horticultural world is about to drive us all mad with snowdrops. Pictures of. Articles about. Gardens with them. Anything people can think of to bash us over the head with snowdrops.
Brilliant Brecon
Recently we made a visit to Brecon. This is not far from us, in case anyone was getting over excited about the possibility that I might have been travelling again. It’s in Wales, in the Brecon Beacons, recently re-christened Bannau Brycheiniog.
You should have been here Next Year
Charles made a complaint recently when we were walking in the garden.
When I complained about him complaining he told me that it was good for me to have complaints about the planting.
Garden Seats – to make and sit on.
I am discovering more and more often that it is important to have a great many seats in the garden. In fact there should probably be one every three feet or so.
