It’s an odd way to approach something which should be such a total, immersive, absorbing experience: to go round a garden with a guide or with the proud owner wittering at you. (sorry, Rory – would love to have you wittering at me anywhere…) Why not...
Do you have the patience? Here is Sally Gregson, shooting herself in the foot: a nurserywoman encouraging us to think (and look and think some more?) before we buy… Anne Wareham, Editor Sally Gregson: Several years ago in Italy Carlo Petrini started the Slow...
I am very grateful for the generosity of Tim Richardson and the editor, Sarah Giles, of the Garden Design Journal for permitting me to use this piece, which I think raises an issue, as Tim says, of special importance to designers of small gardens. (as opposed to small...
We’ve had a lot of responses to Nick Turrell’s piece, ‘Would you be a Gardener?’. Including what amounts to a whole new article, which I am publishing below. Keep up the comment – but more, perhaps, let your views be known and the pieces...
I hate the image of gardeners that we are routinely presented with in the media. We are all middle aged, cheerful and smiley. If you are a woman you are inevitably as ‘lovely’ as your garden and had better be as sweet natured and lovable as Beth Chatto or...
The photographers hope to get a press pass again next year… Charles Hawes has a good selection of high resolution photographs of Chelsea Flower Show on GAP Photos. (Including one on the photo library front page.) The photographs on...
This year was marked for me by having one garden that shocked me by its badness, and one that delighted me. And the other remarkable thing was the extent of agreement about both those things amongst the people I talked to. Prize for shock went to Jinny Blom’s...
The Botanic Garden of Wales always seemed an odd idea, and it is true (see below) that is has struggled for survival from the moment it appeared. I wonder if anyone thinks Botanic gardens are still relevant today – and if so, why and what for? Here are Ewan...
This is another longish one I’ve let by, just as a warning for those of you with short attention spans. Having seen so many similar owner entries in the Yellow Book over the years (“This other Eden, demi-paradise” ..) I was riveted. Wonderful stuff....
It may seem difficult to believe in the current wintry climate, but the Chelsea Flower show opens in a few weeks’ time. For the past few months, while the show garden designers have wondered whether their plants will survive the winter, the RHS has been re-examining...
There has been discussion in the British press recently, I believe, about whether we should specifically protect important views, before they are all covered by wind power stations. Views, as borrowed landscape, are vital to many gardens. However – when we...
Speaks for itself, this article. It comes with a great addition: a piece of original artwork by Paul Steer, created especially to accompany this piece. Thank you to both contributors – and anyone/thing else involved…. Anne Wareham, editor Tristan Gregory:...
A post prompted by this piece by Matthew Appleby Anne Wareham, editor What do we want the garden media for? Monty Don: I hesitate to dip my toe in these waters but for what it is worth, here is my pennyworth. A number of points: Television, high-paying...
We all identify with the fury garden pests can rouse in us. But what’s the morality in dealing with them? A hot topic, I bet…and what on earth does a groundhog look like?? Anne Wareham, editor Pamela Ruch: I don’t remember the exact date a groundhog first...
