What style? by Kate Cox
If you’re a garden designer, do you design gardens based on what you love? On what originally inspired you to become a designer? On your own garden? On major public gardens? Or what the client wants? I hope Kate won’t mind me saying that she struggled with...
Posh Day Out for Katherine Crouch
Although this took place quite some time ago, it seems to me that many thinkingardens readers will find interest in what goes on at this prestigious annual event. And others will simply find it very entertaining. With thanks to our willing victim, Katherine Crouch....
The Ultimate Visitor Experience by Janna Schreier
This is the question that a great many of us would like to make sense of, and here is someone actually seriously researching it for us – with your assistance, I hope. It would be great if you would answer the survey and help add to our understanding of our...
Can a walk be a garden? The High Line revisited by Bridget Rosewell.
We’re back, troublesome as ever. Has anyone else bar Bridget found the High Line less than perfect? Count on thinkingardens for a different view… Anne Wareham, editor Bridget Rosewell: What is it about the High Line in...
‘There is a place for jokes, and a place for not-jokes’ – Ambra Edwards meets Ian Hamilton Finlay
This is the first of a series of repeated and rejuvenated early articles from thinkingardens. I’ve been aware for some time that there are excellent pieces on here which many people don’t find. (though there is an index on site) And that if they did,...
Designers Damned by Lou Nicholls
I know that garden designers, gardeners and garden makers read and contribute to thinkingardens, so here’s a cat to set amongst you pigeons. Does it hit a spot? Or is it totally unreal? Feel free to comment, or even to offer a piece countering the case made...
The Lesson of Beth Chatto’s Gravel Garden
Troy Scott-Smith suggested that Andrea Russo and Paola Avesani would be good people to review Beth Chatto’s latest book Drought Resistant Planting. It turned out that language problems were going to make that difficult, so instead they wrote a piece for...
Gardeners, Designers – or Garden Makers? by Anne Wareham
My apologies. This was not the piece I intended to publish this week, and I had no intention of popping up again so soon to annoy you. But today I got annoyed and you know how rare that is. For many years I had wanted to define and articulate the difference between...
Want to get Published? by Claire Austin
If you’ve ever wondered about the freedom of no agent, no editor, no publisher, just you, your words and freedom – this is for you. Hope it helps. Anne Wareham, editor WRITING THAT BOOK by Claire Austin THE NEED FOR KNOWLEDGE All gardeners want to grow...
Sissinghurst – forever, for everyone? by John Sales
I thought this response to last week’s piece, Commercial at what Cost? from John Sales, the National Trust’s chief gardens adviser until his retirement in 1998, merited a separate post. Anne Wareham, editor John Sales: Your thoughtful piece about Troy...
Commercial at what cost? by Anne Wareham
I’ve thought a lot about what Troy Scott-Smith is up against at Sissinghurst and I gather he is appearing on Gardener’s World this week (8th July) to talk about it. These are some of my reflections about on Sissinghurst’s revitalisation and the...
Blog for Nothing? by Alexandra Campbell
An issue close to the hearts of many of us, I think. I wish I could pay all you generous contributors ££££s! Anne Wareham, editor ARE WRITERS BEING EXPLOITED IN BLOGGING…AND CAN WE DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT? by AlexandraCampbell A debate broke out about this on...
Taste and Themes at Chelsea by Daniel Bristow
Quite a few of us have ideas about themes and taste at Chelsea (see ‘Do themes help?). But we rarely hear a critical comment from a designer who is actually showing a garden at Chelsea. It takes bottle. Here is Daniel Bristow, (“Propagating Dan”)with...
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.
