We closed our garden, by Abbie Jury
Yes, this is a conversation we have every year: shall we go on opening the garden? It’s very hard work and I end the season exhausted. It comes easier to the naturally gregarious, I suspect, the ones that don’t want to hide under the bed when people...
What is Natural? by Emma White
We love to talk about ‘natural’ gardens – but what does that mean? If anything? Anne Wareham, editor Emma White: I find myself in a bit of a quandary at the moment. I’ve spent the past three years looking at how the natural elements of gardens...
The Thinking Gardens Supper – what was it like? by Lucy Masters
At last – the account of the thinkingardens supper, which took place in London in the pouring rain and a tube strike. For all that sixteen people made it (see who at the bottom of this page) and it was excellently chaired by Chris Young, editor of the RHS The...
Try formality? by Susan Cohan
Our last piece was by Michael King and suggested that the New Perennial or Naturalistic style was getting everywhere and being used insensitively. Susan Cohan goes slightly further than that and dares to express an admiration for formality; indeed, four hundred year...
It’s Everywhere – Michael King on Naturalistic Planting.
Michael King has just stirred things up again by publishing a post on his blog suggesting we may be finding naturalistic planting a little ubiquitous. Is it all getting a bit samey? (Is the classic herbaceous border a bit samey too, though?) And are naturalistic...
Be critical! by Tristan Gregory
I have had no difficulty getting reviewers of books or magazines for thinkingardens, but people are still backward in coming forward with garden reviews. We need them. Tristan suggests why and how… I hope it will encourage you to send them piling in…. Anne...
Garden bloggers: braggarts? by Jane Scorer
As someone who has been damned for being a self promoter, I must definitely come in the ‘braggart’ category. (see Veddw blog…)(see what I mean?) And you? Why do you blog? Here’s Jane Scorer’s opinion. Anne Wareham, editor Jane Scorer...
Worthy but wasted? by Jill Sinclair
Here we are again, after a short break which had you all hammering my door down, demanding a new post. So here it is. Sustainability is good, yes? And parks are great places to play, sunbathe, take the kids, walk the dog and play football – right? Well,...
Gardening in the Wilderness: do we need a revolution in the garden? by Lucy Masters
Suppers are back! Well – one is, thanks to the effort and initiative of Lucy Masters, who wrote this piece to introduce the debate. And Chris Young, editor of RHS The Garden, who will be chairing it for us! Thanks Chris. This time we will not only have the...
Clump or Mingle? by Noel Kingsbury
Now, after all that discussion and noise in response to Thomas Rainer’s piece about intermingling planting, here is Noel’s reply to Thomas. (and sorry, he hadn’t read all your comments before writing it..) I must apologise to all those who...
James van Sweden – a memoir by Noel Kingsbury
A short time ago James van Sweden died. I vividly remember the excitement I felt when I first came across the book ‘Bold Romantic Gardens’ which he wrote with Wolfgang Oehme. (It seems my copy is now worth £60.10) Noel Kingsbury wrote a memoir on his...
Blooming Britain by Christine Dakin
Well, what do you think? Do you enjoy seeing our towns adorned like this? Or should we scrap it and find some better way to display our horticultural expertise? Anne Wareham, editor Christine Dakin: BRITAIN IN BLOOM You’ll remember the time when towns and...
We should find out what people think by Anne Wareham
Mary Keen recently came across a blog post which was frank about the writer’s opinion of her garden. It was clear from her response both in her comments and a subsequent article that she was genuinely shocked and surprised to discover what they thought. It was what a...
Recent Posts from: Veddw
Ambivalence about Snowdrops
Well, I’m sorry, but I didn’t have a happy Christmas. We were both full of cough and were quite unwell. I have not recovered, and I find myself quite unable to write anything new. So I dipped into The Bad Tempered Gardener to offer you a piece on those plants which gardeners obsess about at this time […]
I’ve fallen in love with these.
I love my garden, I do. It’s at the heart of my life. But just recently I’ve been drawn back and back to a windowsill with some sweet dwarf pelargoniums.
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.
