Special Plants Nursery & Garden

 We are back to Derry Watkins’ nursery and garden.  Tuesdays she offers a talk and today's is self-sowing plants.  Then we go outside in her personal garden looking at those possibilities.   

Bath Botanical Gardens

Walking around Bath, England: The Raven, meat pie with mash and gravy, sunken topiary garden circus, variegated tulip tree, big ginkgoes, gladiolus, Chamaecyparis obtusa, apple maple tree?, purple magenta borders.

The Raven

Crowe Hall

We were lucky to be staying at Crowe Hall in Bath, England.  

The Courts Gardens

 The Courts, square yew hedges, long grass and stunted daisies, iris, orange and megenta, long grass, meadow rue, pinks and purples, 

Iford Manor Gardens

 Iford Manor, wisteria, very large boxwood,theater, salvia, Geum, alpine snapdragon, rose arbor J, Cecil Brunner, look up photos of boxwood topiaries, Nepeta and wisteria, 

Rodmarton Manor Gardens

I was impressed with how this garden looked.  Last time we were here was 2014 and since then the son has moved in and I assume taken over the garden and house maintenance.  It was thriving.  I recall some areas looking tired but not any more.  Most notable, the alpine troughs.  

We ran into Simon, now retired and 90.

Snowshill

Snowshill, Charles Wade, natural material on fence, bird houses, sambucus, William Hodge gardener,cephalaria?, Nectaroscordum siculum

Sezincote

 

A garden with strong Mughal influences.

Hidcote Manor Gardens

Large part of Hidcote’s greatness is attributed to the small formal rooms created with hedges close to the house.  Along with a reputation has a good source and trial of new plants in the Johnson’s days.  

Kitfsgate Court Gardens

 Kiftsgate, abelia, irises, calycanthus?, galvanized mess for vine support.

apple orchard, bush clematis, rosa gluaca, tulips in pots?,gladiolus byzantine, Astrantia, 

Rousham House and Gardens - England

Drove out of London today to Rousham, 

rill, unaltered William Kent design, wisteria, Artichokes or Cardoons?

Flower Marquee at Chelsea Flower Show

 So here’s the deal.  I am restarting my blog as a true log of my adventures and today I in London, England for the 2022 Chelsea Flower Show.  Yesterday’s post was from the same location but was of the show gardens and vendors outside.  

Today we’re going inside the big tent.  At one of the first displays of agapanthus and nerines, there was Mary Berry giving an interview.  I love her on the British Bake Off show and here she was talking about nerines. WOW!

Chelsea Flower Show - Designer Showcase

Five hours walking around Chelsea looking at show gardens, tools, products and lots of design ideas.   What struck me, those small planting areas with pollinator friendly annuals and perennials.  Here’s a couple of the more natural displays. 

Potrero Hill Entry Garden

 Third week of May and full of flowers.  Roses, Gerber Daisies, Asters, Scabiosa, Alliums and much more packed into this tiny garden in San Francisco. 

MUG Trial Garden and Nursery

An idea that came to me over the past couple years is to focus on sharing a few of my garden spaces that I have been cultivating for over 15 years.  This is an attempt to show my clients, friends and colleagues the places I have created in these private spaces.