‘Not since Central Park opened in 1857 has a park reshaped New Yorkers’ thinking about public space and the city more profoundly.’ New York Times 20 September 2014 … Continue reading
Kew 5 – The Temperate House: Restored to Glory
For as long as I can remember, Kew’s Temperate House has been its ugly duckling. Botanical gardens have to move with the times and can no longer rely on government largesse, and therefore a great deal of effort is put … Continue reading
Bodnant Garden – Suburbia Writ Large
The many underwhelming gardens I have visited find themselves banished to the back corners of my mind. Some gardens, like Bodnant, refuse to go there yet irritate me so much that I have to write about them. Bodnant has two … Continue reading
Mendocino, California – Find Your Happy
I stumbled across Mendocino by accident. We had arrived in San Francisco the weekend of Gay Pride where we were confronted with a difficult decision. Were we going to party with about half of the city or do what we … Continue reading
Portland Japanese Garden – A World Renowned Masterpiece
It may seem strange that a middle-sized American city has what is widely acclaimed to be the finest Japanese garden in the United States but also considered to be the most beautiful and authentic in the world outside of Japan. … Continue reading
Portland – Lan Su – That Rare Thing, A Great Chinese Garden
So-called as the reflection of the moon appears to be trapped in the pavilion’s shadow on the pond. It has always struck me as strange that Chinese gardens in the West are rare, but Japanese gardens are comparatively common. … Continue reading