Category blogging
Japanese gardens – philosophy meets nature
In 1857 Japan opened its borders to visitors, ending centuries of self-imposed isolation. The inquisitive went to visit and returned with new ideas on many subjects. At the age of twenty-four Josiah Conder, an English Architect, went to Japan in 1877 to teach. He was keen to learn about Japanese art and eventually went on […]
Inverewe and Inveresk, a tale of two Scottish Gardens
In 1862 Osgood Mackenzie started a garden from scratch on barren land. Nothing too remarkable about that. Except, the 850 hectare estate is in the Scottish Highlands, an area not exactly renown for fair weather. Osgood’s mum bought him the Inverewe estate. Very nice of her, but what about a garden? Shouldn’t all big estates […]
Heligan – lost then found
Years ago, as a young child, my family stayed in a converted barn on a farm in Lancashire. The farm is part of a large estate that included a vast wooded area. Exploring the undergrowth, we discovered a lost garden with sweeping stone steps, a lake and archways of rhododendrons. There’s something truly magical, and […]
Miss Gertrude Jekyll and grand garden designs
Often wondered where Dr Jekyll got his name? Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote the book Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, was friends with Walter Jekyll and borrowed his name. Walter though had a more famous sister, Gertrude Jekyll, who really should be better known for her name and its legacy. Gertrude Jekyll is an architect […]
Fish, for gardening.
In 1999 a couple visited a country manor house with the view to buying the property. They arrived in the dark and never saw the garden. They failed to appreciate the importance of the garden or have any knowledge of its creator Margery Fish. Having purchased the house, they stepped up, took a horticultural course, […]
Eden Project – gardening on a grand scale.
Not all gardens are for the pleasure of a home owner or part of a public park. Some are simply there to exhibit the wonderful world of plant life and remind us of the delicate balance between the needs of humans and nature. Botanical gardens can be found up and down the country, the most […]
Dewstowe Gardens – hidden grottoes and ferneries
Gardens should be above ground, shouldn’t they? Plants need sunshine and rainwater to survive, so how could life be sustained underground? In 2000 a garden was discovered in South Wales. It had been lost for over 50 years under tonnes of soil, buried just after WWII. There were ponds and rills (small streams cut into […]
Mr Brown – a visionary landscaper who saw capability
Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown is a name that sticks. Until I researched this post, I was under the impression that the ‘capability’ nickname referred to his capable abilities. It actually comes from his describing landscapes as having ‘great capabilities’. The man had vision. These days, he might be considered a wrecker – he didn’t simply plant […]
Drum roll… get your pitchforks and hoes ready!
For the fourth consecutive year I’ve entered my blog into the annual A-Z blogging challenge. From the 1st April to the end of the month, I shall blog each day (except Sundays) using each letter of the alphabet to represent my posts. Themes aren’t compulsory, but I like to use them to help focus my […]
Decisions, decisions…
Shall I or shan’t I, that is the question. Do I have the time? Will I manage to schedule all the posts in advance like I think I’ll do every year but never do then end up doing them the night before the day. I’ve an idea for a theme…. that’s what is tempting me. […]
The Quiet Writer 