Several times, over the last fifteen years, I have driven down to the Cotswolds to visit my brother and sister-in-law and take in the wonderful ‘Fresh Air’ sculpture show in the gardens of the Old Rectory in Quennington. Hosted for the 34 years by Lucy and her husband the late David Abel Smith, the show …
Hampstead Heath
The garden’s ‘big’ day…..
The garden’s big day was, of course, the 21st June when we were open for the National Gardens Scheme. And a very successful day it was too. We had over 130 visitors, sold LOADS of delicious cakes and good number of plants, listened to a great saxophone quartet and raised nearly £1200. The garden, on …
Spring 2026………
Way back in February our lovely mimosa was busy heralding the approach of spring although, despite its best efforts, nothing much happened for at least another month. By that time the rocket in the Growing Garden had gone to seed and the dandelions, muscari and comfrey in the wild garden were just getting into their …
Autumn colours
A few colours from the garden – such as my lovely little acer which, when it has dropped its leaves, will be displaying glowing yellow, red tipped stems all through the winter. And then the hydrangea. Apart from one unkillable pink Japanese anemone, this is the only plant which remains from the original garden – …
A weary garden, Guiseppe Penone and The Well Gardened Mind
Tomorrow we will be hosting our late summer jazz-in-the-garden party but I fear that the various heatwaves have taken their toll and we have very little flower left. Ten days ago, as you can see, the cosmos were still flowering as were the penstemon, the antirrhinums, the roses and the geranium Rozannes. Now all that …
A weary garden, Guiseppe Penone and The Well Gardened MindRead More
A very overdue update on the 2025 garden
Sunday 22nd June – 12 – 6pm – Garden open for the National Gardens Scheme I am afraid that we have been so focused on getting the Growing Garden next door into shape for the garden opening that my garden has had to take a back seat – if not in care then at least …