Gardens are so often an expression of their owner’s character, so what would the garden be like of someone Cecil Beaton described as ‘a galumping, greedy, snobbish old toad’ and the Queen Mother somewhat more discreetly as ‘so shrewd, so … Continue reading
When I started my scribblings about visiting gardens I showed them to a friend who worked for ‘The Independent’. He was kind enough to forward one to a grand doyen of garden writing who gave me a piece of advice … Continue reading
In the American Mid-West prairie states spring starts late. There was still snow on the ground last year in mid-April, and ice on the lakes until early May, but by late June the air temperatures were in the upper 20s, … Continue reading
Passing through deep-cut narrow Surrey lanes winding through tunnels of beech woodland, my first memory on arriving at Vann was of being confronted by a 12 year old boy whizzing round on a tractor, cutting the car park’s long meadow … Continue reading
Sometimes, when designing gardens, there is a clear need for a piece of sculpture, and I always find this is a problem because it is a subjective choice, and the client seldom wants to be guided by the designer. … Continue reading
We English are so polite. Like most of my compatriots, if I visit a garden that I don’t like, I don’t write about it; but all that is about to change, no more Mr Nice Guy. I have resolved to … Continue reading