The first time I remember an individual tree exerting a powerful effect on me was when I moved to a large shared Georgian house on the outskirts of Bath. Of course, trees provide us with shade, relaxation and aesthetic pleasure, … Continue reading
Kew is arguably the world’s finest botanical garden, and I have huge regard for the collection and the passion and foresight of all those involved, particularly in these times of diminishing government support. Recent innovations such as The Hive, and … Continue reading
Sometimes I want to say something about a garden but I grapple with it, try and pin it down, think I’ve got it beat, only to find it is pulling me towards a dead end; and then in resignation I … Continue reading
No description of Sanssouci would be complete without reference to Louis XIV’s great palace and garden landscape at Versailles. This was such a statement of power, splendour and taste that even 30 years after Louis’s death, diminutive copies were still … Continue reading
Forget the Trebahs, Trewithins, Trelessicks and Tre ..whatever… this garden is the highlight of any trip to Cornwall, and despite its diminutive size is the most exciting and remarkable garden I saw last year. It was the quality of the … Continue reading
I am always apprehensive when I visit sculpture gardens. Some of them are a collection of ad hoc unrelated works by up-and-coming sculptors, others are grand and often disparate collections of world famous artists put together by committees, and a … Continue reading