I would like to propose that show gardens could be simply for delight, illumination or challenge – or whatever we would like a great work of art to be. But that is still whistling in the dark. Maybe they are a form of flower arranging? The following is what...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
