RHS Bridgewater Garden - Third Visit?

 Here I am Tuesday morning looking to catch up on the gardens I explored this summer.  Next up, is RHS Bridgewater.  A new garden in the North of England around Manchester.  Always fun to go to Manchester.

Wollerton Old Hall Garden - A Third Visit

 Here we are again at the Old Hall in Wollerton and their bountiful garden.   A small garden that is greatly loved by the community.  I don't think you can arrive in a large tour bus.   This year they remade the Well Garden.   This space with sixteen pyramidal yews cut into quarters has been a favorite of mine.  I was shocked to see its remake.   I will compare below and announce my judgement.

The Pleasure Gardens at Trentham Hall

We are back at the gardens of Trentham in Stoke-on-Trent.  This is our 4th or 5th visit.  This huge estate has many things to do and is geared toward family visits but has many elements of a true Pleasure Gardens.  Lots for the kids but even more for the gardener.   With big names like Piet Oudolf, Tom Stuart-Smith, Nigel Dunnett,...Capability Brown lake and old trees. We enjoy seeing this garden at different times of the year.  This time it is June.

Public Transport in San Francisco

Muni Heritage Fleet Weekend. 

A rare double ended trolley in Muni Wings livery, starting off its run from Castro headed to Fisherman's Wharf.

It is four in the afternoon and I understand many of the historic fleet will travel up Market to either 17th or Church following the J-Church out to the Barn on Ocean Ave.  I decided to walk up Market Street from Castro to see the Parade.   

Peaks District - England

 We drove by this peak a few times during our week stay in Buxton.  We stopped on the way home this evening to check out some of the local flora.

London Private Garden - South London

 This is Flo and we are in the basement of her home looking out onto the garden behind her London Townhouse?  I don't know what to call the neighborhood, I will show a photo for the street below.

Yes I am gardening or doing gardening tasks in London.  I just deadheaded these Iceburg Roses.  I am in my garden tourist attire. 

York Gate, England

 Here's some photos of my June trip to England with Frank Eddy.   I love these road trips.  

Travel Date June 9, 2024

First time to York Gate but have seen numerous photos in Gardens Illustrated magazine.  But photos can only go so far in telling the story of this garden.  

The front entryway looks recently planted with water-wise plants among large borders and gravel.  It is a gravel garden; very trendy since Beth Chatto made it famous.

Dolores Street Hell-Strip

This sidewalk hell-strip garden has a harsh southern exposure surrounded by concrete and asphalt.   It is irrigated in the summer dry months.   I have been replacing those plants which couldn't take the exposure like a mop head hydrangea, I do not lie, with Mediterranean and California native plants and cultivars.

This is a year in review post and these most recent photos were taken the first week of July, 2024.

Dahlia Show - San Francisco Botanical Gardens

Although the Dahlia is the official flower of San Francisco, I find it difficult to grow well in my gardens. It is hard to look at all these gorgeous flowers and not want to try again. We will see.

Best in Show------->

My Favorites this year include Hollyhill Daydream, Verrone's Morning Star and Pam Howden.

Streets of San Francisco - Thomas Church & Zen Center

Thomas Church designed the courtyard between two big performance spaces in San Francisco's Civic Center area.   I recently visited a garden in Washington State designed in part by Thomas Church and that was the reason for my visit.  See what is here in my own city.   The courtyard is simple, lawn, box and pollarded London Plane trees.  I think the brick path work is the most interesting part of his design.