Joan Edlis on The Maggie Centre
Joan Edlis comments on Bridget Rosewell’s review of Dan Pearson’s garden at The Maggie Centre, Charing Cross, London.
Victoria Summerley on The Maggie Centre
Victoria Summerley comments on Bridget Rosewell’s review of Dan Pearson garden at The Maggie Centre, Charing Cross, London.
Maggie Centre Garden, Charing Cross by Dan Pearson reviewed by Bridget Rosewell
Bridget Rosewell reviews Dan Pearson’s garden at The Maggie Centre, Charing Cross, London.
“Some rather dispirited perennial clumps do their best to break up the mulch and are backed by the now ubiquitous groups of multi-stemmed small trees.”
Sally Gregson on “Girly Gardens – or not?”
“I read the ongoing debate about ‘flowers’ versus ‘design’ among garden designers and commentators with a knowing smile. I remember the self-same discussion when I entered horticulture 25 years ago.”
Noel Kingsbury on “Girly Gardens – or not?”
“I’ve had a look at the Ann Pearce garden, and for I’m afraid me it sums up so much of what I really hate about modern garden design – subjectively I found it sterile and unfeeling; objectively unsustainable and wildlife-unfriendly. Sorry, I hate saying this about people’s work, but we are meant to be engaged in a debate here, and I am just going to say what I think. Give me a girly garden full of flowers. Or for that matter an old guy with loads of petunias and French marigolds at 330mm intervals. Or a load of weeds…”
Bridget Rosewell responds to comments on “Girly Gardens – or not?”
“When I was a resident of West Oxfordshire – flat Thames plain – I became very interested in the hortus conclusus perhaps as an escape and contrast to that boring agricultural landscape in which Didcot Power Station is visible from practically everywhere. And I wanted detail, planted order and planted cornucopia to give me variety. Now I live in London and Monmouthshire amid very different landscapes…”
Anne Beswick on “Girly Gardens – or not?”
“I first saw Ann Pearce’s garden in The Times of Jan 06 and thought it was great. I took the article in to an evening class I was doing in garden design. They had learnt to look at things other than bright flower colour and were now happy with ideas of balance and proportion in the garden. But they didn’t like Ann’s garden. ‘It’s all right, but not for me’ was the general consensus. Leading people out of their comfort zone is difficult.
I confess that I was a bit disappointed.”
Ann Pearce on “Girly Gardens – or not?”
“I would like to begin my reply to Bridget’s response by quoting Stendhal …….. ‘what we find beautiful is the promise of happiness’. As we all know, the pursuit of happiness is not only a deeply personal one but also highly elusive and ever changing due to the complex world we live in. Therefore there are as many styles of beauty (or gorgeousness!!) as there are visions of happiness.”
Benedict Vanheems on “Girly Gardens – or not?”
“In response to Bridget Rosewell’s comments on the need for a balance between structure and the looser floral elements of a garden, I think she has made a very important point. Balancing the two will bring harmony to any garden…”
Girly Gardens – or not?
by Bridget Rosewell.
“I am not interested in girly – give me gorgeous though. I would describe the Ann Pearce garden as ‘impressive’ and ‘striking’ but not ‘gorgeous’. Gorgeous implies something more?”
Light, time and tradition
by Bridget Rosewell.
A response to Peter Osbourne’s series of articles adressing some of the problematic aspects of reviewing/criticising gardens.
“I love gardens in winter (not winter gardens). When the palette is muted and the bones show, and it is not wise to sit for too long, the good garden gives a frisson all of its own.”
Bridget Rosewell on “The love that dare not speak its name”
Bridget Rosewell comments on Anne Wareham’s article on beauty and gardens.
The love that dare not speak its name
by Anne Wareham.
On Beauty and Gardens –
“….So often when I visit a garden I am confronted with the horrifically ugly, and that seems to me to make a mockery of our materials, which are the best the world can offer.”
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.
