The Galloping Gardener

Sussex burning!

2012-02-03T09:22:00.000Z

It's not often you get to see a garden burning, but that's what I saw this week.... and here are some pictures showing what happened.

On a freezing day here in Britain, a unique garden went up in flames! Acres of prairie plants burned to the ground in huge fires, swept by an icy East wind.

But fear not, this is all part of the annual cycle at Sussex Prairies, which many of you have now read about or been to see in recent months .... and by next year, the garden will be back in bloom ....

Sussex Prairies in May

The "burning" is carefully orchestrated by owners Paul and Pauline McBride every winter, in preparation for the months to come.

Sussex Prairies in July

And by May, the garden will be open again for visitors to enjoy ...

Sussex Prairies in November

All part of the cycle of a prairie garden throughout the year ....

Pinch and a punch ... the end of a cold month!

2012-01-31T08:51:00.001Z

Not too many gardens to visit at this time of year, so to end
the month, I've chosen a few shots that show the cold weather!

Red sky in the morning ....

2012-01-28T08:42:00.003Z

Red sky in the morning;

Shepherd's warning

(And it's cold here, that's for sure!)

Thoughtful Friday

2012-01-27T08:29:00.000Z

Terrible British weather, when everything goes grey!

Galloping Gardener's Alphabet Gardens © Best of the "S"s.

2012-01-21T16:37:00.001Z

Part of the garden created by Hugh Johnson at Saling Hall, Essex

Hurtling through that alphabet now, with the end few letters in sight and already planning those garden visits for 2012. I visited plenty of new gardens last year, although not as many as I would have liked! Essex featured high on my list as I wanted to catch some of the iconic gardens there and see several new ones, starting with Saling Hall, home of renowned British wine writer and critic Hugh Johnson (who I was lucky enough to meet). This garden is certainly interesting - and I really enjoyed the open areas (above) which come complete with Greek-style contemplation temple. But the Johnson's are moving on and when I visited the house was up for sale, so by now it may well have gone, alas for garden visitors.

The garden at Spencers was recently re-designed by Tom Stuart-Smith

Spencers is not too far from Saling Hall, so if you are visiting gardens in the area, you could call in here too next summer, although opening hours are very restricted and you should check on the web before setting out. The owners called in leading garden designer, Tom Stuart-Smith to revamp their plot and you'll find a glorious walled garden here.

Sarah Raven is famous for her cut-flower courses

Sarah Raven's Cutting Garden is one to put on your list too - nestling in the heart of rolling English countryside. Filled to bursting with flowers that you could put in any arrangement for your home, she also offers flower arranging and cookery courses at her farm in Sussex. When Sarah's not here, you'll find her at Sissinghurst, where she lives with her husband. She'll be opening this garden for the National Gardens Scheme once in 2012, so check their website for details.

The Rock Garden at Sizergh Castle - stunning in springtime!

Sizergh Castle is one to put on your Wish List if you're going to be in Cumbria visiting some of the other great gardens there. It doesn't get much of a rating in the Good Gardens Guide, but has a charming rock garden and delightful Dutch garden. My verdict is that it's definitely worth stopping for and deserves more than the measly six-line listing it gets in the guide!

Galloping Gardener's Alphabet Gardens © 2011 Best of the "P"s and "R"s

2012-01-19T07:17:00.002Z

Painshill - an 18th century landscape park in Surrey

More than half way through the month of January and although we've already seen heavy winds, severe frosts and snow here in the UK this month, many plants are way ahead of schedule and the traditional spring flowers are well ahead of themselves. On sunny days it's a great time to explore some of the gardens that remain open throughout the year, including Painshill Park (above). I've visited several times, but never reviewed these wonderful 18th century landscape gardens within a stone's throw of London. So one for my "To Do" list for 2012!

Painswick remained hidden in a valley for years before re-discovery some 30 years ago

Painswick Rococo in Gloucestershire is about to come into bloom again with its fine snowdrop collection, followed in the spring by spectacular tulips. This is the only garden of its kind in Europe and is filled with fine Rococo buildings. Re-discovered only recently, the garden has been restored to its former glory and its six acres are well worth exploring.

Poleden Lacey is famous for its roses

Polesden Lacey is one of the National Trust's most visited properties in Southern England and remains open throughout the year for walks. Much restoration work has been carried out here recently and there's a winter garden which will soon be full of snowdrops. Polesden is famous for its rose garden in the summer, and also offers spectacular tulip displays in springtime.

The garden at Restoration House has been loving restored

Restoration House in Kent is closed during the winter months, but is certainly worth visiting during the summer, when it opens its doors on Thursdays and Fridays from the end of May to September. This is a hidden gem in the middle of Rochester, which has been lovingly restored. Plans are now afoot to restore the land next door, which was recently saved from the jaws of a property developer!

Seriously ... this is what you'll find on a Central London rooftop!

And for a really unusual garden, head for Babylon Restaurant in London's Kensington High Street, where you can have an excellent lunch and enjoy the roof garden, complete with flamingoes! Although there won't be much in bloom in the winter months, there's plenty on the menu inside and the unique location of this property, on a rooftop in Central London, makes it one to put on your Wish List for 2012.

Winter Wonderland at Sussex Prairies

2012-01-15T19:36:00.000Z

No dialogue ... but a beautiful sunset tonight at Sussex Prairies!

What's the obsession with scarecrows???

2012-01-13T21:02:00.000Z

I've galloped around the world for the last three years looking at gardens! And to be perfectly frank, I knew nothing about them when I first started. Lack of experience meant that I simply didn't know the difference between a good and a bad garden; certainly couldn't understand the basic principles of planting and what makes a border work; and as for naming a plant ... you might just as well have asked me to give the Latin names for butterflies!!

Wet-suited scarecrow at Knightshayes, Devon

But that's about to change, thanks to Anne Wareham of ThinkinGardens and other gardening gurus, who have made me realise that it's not helpful writing exclusively about good gardens. The time has come to write about the bad ones too so that visitors don't waste their time looking at pathetic planting or bad design. Worse too are the gardens that trade on their history!

I've certainly seen bad gardens in my time, but have always chosen to ignore them. So my New Year's resolution is to get real and start saying what I think! And, for my first rant of 2012 I'm picking on the National Trust's apparent obsession with scarecrows.

Scarecrows at Standen, West Sussex

I've seen them all over the country in the last 12 months and am wondering why so many of their properties feature these creatures - I very much doubt they scare off the birds and, if they are designed to improve the way the garden looks, I hope my readers will let me know what they think.

Aquaman scarecrow at Trengwainton, Cornwall

What has become clear in my travels this last year is that kitchen and walled gardens are all the rage. But I suspect that in days gone by when those gardens were fine examples of "you are what you can grow", the scarecrows were intended to scare the birds, rather than acting as decorative garden objects.

War-ravaged scarecrow at Hughenden Manor, Bucks

So onwards and upwards for 2012 - the year when I'm going to tell the truth about what I see, with the help of my viewfinder!

Capital "N" for the National Gardens Scheme

2012-01-12T13:42:00.000Z

Dean House opens on six days for the NGS this year - described as "one of Hampshire's best-kept secrets"

It's that time of year again and the National Gardens Scheme (NGS) is gearing up to offer another gourmet menu of public and private gardens around the country. Every year there are more properties on offer as owners dip their toe in the water and agree to show their gardens to the public, in a unanimous effort to raise funds for some of the most valuable and needed charities in the United Kingdom. Plots range in size from small front and rear gardens, to huge estates and public gardens, but all entrance fees go directly to the NGS, which disperses them to its chosen charities.

Brandy Mount House - snowdrop lovers heaven, which opens for the NGS for just one day this year

The number of properties open under the NGS banner grows every year, and although some gardens are entirely seasonal, like Brandy Mount House in Hampshire (above), which has always attracted huge crowds because of its snowdrop collection, although it only opens for one day this year (Saturday, 11th February) there are other stalwart owners who open every week for charity, during the summer months. But what's encouraging for all of us who love gardens is the commitment by owners to the NGS and the good work it does in terms of supporting charities that have become household names, including Macmillan, Marie Curie and Crossroads - who all provide valuable support to cancer patients.

Feeringbury Manor in Essex, opens its doors every Thursday and Friday from 5 April to 27 July

This year sees many interesting and innovative improvements on the NGS website, which will enable garden enthusiasts to pick and choose the gardens they visit. The "Garden Finder" search facilities are geared to allow gardeners to choose by opening dates, region or interest and the postcode search enables a quick method of finding gardens near home at the last minute, if you suddenly fancy a day out. You can also search by garden name, or use key words. But the good news is that the search engine is a lot faster and more efficient than ever before.

Old Buckhurst, Kent - a real jewel in the NGS crown, which opens regularly throughout the season

And then there's the infamous "Yellow Book" which provides full listings of all the thousands of properties on offer around the country, which you may just want to keep in your glove compartment in case you're suffering with garden withdrawal symptoms, as I regularly do during the summer months. Properties are divided by county and if you suddenly find yourself at a loose end and with no access to the internet, you can dip into your Yellow Book and see if there's a garden open locally.

Vann is home to a Gertrude Jekyll water garden and opens regularly from March to June

Properties like Vann come up immediately if you use the keyword "Gertrude Jekyll", and you can also search for gardens with accommodation if you're planning to tour the UK looking at greenery, which will give you the chance to stay on site at gardens on your wish list that you might not be able to access on an open day. My new year's resolution is to stay at NGS gardens whenever possible so I can review them for readers and have the added bonus of seeing them in the early morning light, without crowds obscuring the view finder!

Sussex Prairies opens regularly for the NGS and is also a gourmet bed and breakfast choice

Galloping Gardener's Alphabet Gardens © 2011 - Best of the "M"s

2012-01-07T10:25:00.001Z

Marks Hall in Essex has a glorious walled garden redesigned for the new Millenium

With all the wind, rain and gales here in the UK in the past few weeks, garden visiting hasn't been an option, except in your dreams! So as an antidote to all the foul weather, I'm revisiting some of the gardens I saw last year, from Marks Hall in Essex - an impressive arboretum and garden, to Mottisfont Abbey in Hampshire, famous for its spectacular rose displays, while planning my garden visits for 2012.

Matara Gardens in Gloucestershire - off the beaten track and certainly one to watch out for in future

Marks Hall and Arboretum (top) is one of a group of Essex gardens I visited for the first time last year, along with Green Island and Saling Hall. It has fine vistas and walks, and an interesting walled garden, completely redesigned for the new Millenium, which is now reaching a new stage of maturity and providing plenty of eye candy for visitors in the summer months.

Just as impressive, but less well known because it hasn't really featured on the garden tourist map yet are the Matara Gardens (above) Gloucestershire, nestling in the heart of glorious countryside and used primarily as a private wedding venue. There's a lot going on in this garden, with new areas are being developed all the time and if you're in the area visiting any of the glorious Cotswold properties near Cirencester, it's one to put on your list.

Merriments will give you plenty of ideas for your garden at home

Merriments has always been one of my favourites. Located close enough to some of the really well-known gardens in Sussex and Kent, this is one of the best nurseries in the South of England, with a beautifully designed garden that will inspire you with all sorts of ideas for your own, even if you can't achieve the same grand scale you find here. I doubt that any visitors get out without buying plants for their garden at home, and I know that some of my favourites have come from here over the years.

Monk's House - a charming Arts and Crafts garden and former home of Virginia Woolf

Monk's House near Lewes in Sussex is one of England's hidden garden gems. It may be small, but it has an interesting history as the one-time home of Virginia Woolf, and the garden is beautifully planted to provide visitors with a really uplifting feeling when they first walk into it. The only down side is the extremely limited opening hours, with the garden on view just two days a week, but if you can get there on one of those days you won't be disappointed.

Mottisfont Abbey in Hampshire - famous for its roses

Mottisfont Abbey is legendary for its roses and even has special evening openings during the summer months so that visitors can enjoy the rich scents at twilight. But visit at any time during high season and you'll find plenty to see in this 21-acre garden, designed in part by Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe.

In the next of my alphabet reviews, I'm going to look at some of the great NGS gardens on offer around the UK during the summer months. And the sun's shining, so I might even get out into my own garden today!

Moving On .... Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T06:28:00.000Z

Some memories of 2011 before we move into 2012

Happy New Year!

Galloping Gardener's Alphabet Gardens © 2011 - Best of "H"s +"L"s

2011-12-29T21:17:00.001Z

Hampton Court, Herefordshire has been immaculately restored and draws visitors from all over the world

From wonderfully restored castle gardens like Hampton Court (above) and magical arboretums like Hergest Croft (below) in Herefordshire; glorious spring gardens in Cumbria, like Holker Hall and Levens Hall with its magnificent topiary, I saw some wonderful new properties during 2011. So in the last of my alphabet roundups this year, here are some of the gardens I saw that readers may want to add to their Wish List for 2012.

Hergest Croft has seasonal colour throughout the year

Herefordshire is certainly rich in world-class gardens and my three days there earlier this year were woefully inadequate to see all the gardens on offer. Hampton Court (top) was restored by an American, and offers many acres of eye candy, with hardly a plant out of place; while Hergest Croft has been in the same family for many generations, and has a enviable collection of trees, including many champions and a vegetable garden (above) to make your mouth water!

Holker Hall is famous for its rhododendron displays, which are just as spectacular when the petals fall

Holker Hall has magnificent spring blossom displays, even when the rhododendron flowers begin to fall to the ground (above). Located in one of the most stunning parts of the UK, this is just one of many wonderful gardens to visit locally if you're planning a trip to the Lake District or Yorkshire. And if you're in the area, you must make the effort to see Levens Hall (below) - one of the finest topiary gardens in the world.

Levens Hall is rated as one of the world's top topiary gardens

Another property to catch if you're planning a trip to Herefordshire is Little Malvern Court (below), even though its open season is limited. This is a property with a really interesting history and a garden to stroll around, with wonderful views over the surrounding countryside.

Galloping Gardener's Alphabet Gardens © 2011 - Best of the "G"s

2011-12-27T09:19:00.001Z

The Gibberd Garden in Essex - "Landscape as theatre"

With another Christmas behind us, I'm back on the garden trail looking at places visited earlier this year. There were certainly some striking "G" gardens on this list, starting with the Gibberd Garden in Essex - former home of architect Sir Frederick, who created a peaceful haven here with two subsequent wives and filled it with both architectural icons (including pillars that once adorned Coutts Bank in the Strand) and modern pieces acquired during his marriages. Definitely worth going out of your way to visit and easy to access from London if you fancy a day out.

Gilbert White's House in Hampshire sits in the heart of Jane Austen country

Gilbert White's House in Hampshire proved to be a real surprise, with its interesting history and charming garden. White had a passionate interest in both plants and wildlife and spent his life recording what grew in his garden. The house is located in the heart of Jane Austen country, but is often omitted from garden guides, so one to remember if you're in the area, because part of its charm is the wide open spaces. Definitely not a "gardened" garden, but filled with interesting ideas.

Great Fosters has an Arts & Crafts garden which was graced with modern sculpture last summer

Great Fosters had been on my visiting list for several years, but it was the sculpture rather than the garden that stuck in my mind following my foray there last summer. The garden is a fine example of the Arts & Crafts style, but is really there for the enjoyment of hotel guests, rather than visitors, so when a collection of modern sculpture went on show last summer, I made a beeline for the property. For full details click on the link and you will even see Marilyn Monroe in a different light!

Green Island Gardens in Essex - 20 acres of joy created by Fiona Edmond

Further afield in Essex and worth combining with the Gibberd Garden if you're in the area is Fiona Edmond's garden at Green Island - a wonderful triangular creation filled with interesting greenery and a sense of abandon. Owner Fiona, created this garden when she was recovering from ME and has continued to develop it since her return to good health. This is definitely a garden on the rise and I suspect that we'll be reading a lot more about it in both gardening guides and glossies in years to come.

Arabella Lennox Boyd opens her garden to the public

Determined to see Gresgarth Hall - the garden created by well-known British garden designer, Arabella Lennox-Boyd - I headed north to Lancashire early in the year and embarked on a memorable garden tour of the area, while catching Arabella's icon on one of its early season open days. This garden is a riot of colour in May and draws huge crowds on open days, but is certainly a plantsman's paradise and will give you plenty of ideas for your garden at home. Check the Historic Houses Association website for details of openings in 2012.

Greys Court near Henley in Oxfordshire is run by the National Trust - a small, but interesting property in the heart of the Chilterns - renowned for its rose garden and dwarfed by an interesting collection of ancient buildings. Located in the heart of fine garden country, this is one to combine with some of the other greats in the area including Cliveden.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY READERS AND FRIENDS - 2011

2011-12-25T10:47:00.000Z

In the glasshouses at Kew ...

2011-12-22T14:11:00.000Z

Where better to go than Kew during the Christmas holidays - there's lots to see in the glasshouses!

Frosty morning - gone shopping!

2011-12-19T09:54:00.003Z

Thick frost here this morning, so rushed out to get all those last minute presents!

Galloping Gardener's Alphabet Gardens © 2011 - Best of the "E"s

2011-12-16T08:47:00.000Z

Ecclesden Manor in Sussex opens every year for the RNLI

Although I haven't galloped at my usual speed this year, I did manage to visit several interesting new gardens in the South of England, including Ecclesden Manor in Sussex, which opens its doors a couple of times each year for charity. This year it also opened to mark the 30th year celebrations for The Society of Garden Designers and I was lucky enough to meet the man who designed the garden here - John Brookes - doyen of British gardening design.

The Edison Estate in Fort Myers, Florida has a glorious riverside location

On the other side of the pond, I revisited the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, while visiting the US and staying at my former Florida home. I'm sad to say that this will probably be the last time for me, as I've recently severed my connections there, but I plan to return to the East Coast next spring and visit some of the wonderful gardens in bloom in both the Carolinas and Georgia, so watch this space in 2012.

Emmetts Garden in Kent has panoramic views over the surrounding countryside

Emmetts Garden in Kent is glorious throughout the year - from early springtime when all the bulbs are in bloom, right through to the autumn when the trees come into flower with their wonderful coloured leaves. This is a garden that I've yet to review, despite several visits in the past, but it's certainly one to remember, because although it's only open from March to October, it offers great walks with panoramic views over the surrounding countryside.

Visit Enys in Cornwall for spectacular bluebell displays

Right at the other end of the country, particularly glorious in springtime and renowned for its bluebells in May, Enys in Cornwall is one of many spectacular properties in the far West of England. And while it's hard to imagine drifts of spring flowers like this in the depths of winter, this garden is one to add to your list if you're planning to go in search of bluebells next year.

Will Giles' Exotic Garden in the heart of Norwich

I didn't manage to get there myself, but fellow gardeners, friends and garden designers, Paul and Pauline McBride of Sussex Prairies did and they were certainly impressed by Will Giles' Exotic Garden in Norfolk. This is definitely one for my Wish List in 2012, along with many other gardens in the East of England. To read their review and see more pictures of this inner-city exotic wonder, click on the link.

Galloping Gardener's Alphabet Gardens © 2011 - Best of "C"s + "D"s

2011-12-11T11:27:00.002Z

Chartwell in Kent - former home of Sir Winston Churchill

All the new gardens I saw this year in the "C" and "D" sections of the alphabet definitely have a story to tell, starting with Chartwell in Kent, former home of Sir Winston Churchill and his family. The house and garden enjoy a magnificent hilltop position, with fantastic views over the surrounding countryside. The Prime Minister loved his home and spent as much time as he could here when he was not busy masterminding the politics of his country. His two great passions were bricklaying and fish breeding, and his talents are evident in the walled garden (above) that he created - which is filled with both cutting flowers and vegetables during the summer months, and the many lakes an ponds at the property.

Chenies Manor is a blaze of colour in springtime, with its spectacular tulip displays

Chenies Manor House in Buckinghamshire has long been on my Wish List, because I'd seen many photographs of the tulips in bloom and wanted to see them for myself, so a flying visit in April revealed the true glory of this garden in springtime. It's only open on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, so tends to get crowded as the whole gardening community knows about the spring flower displays. But well worth making the effort to see and easily accessible from Central London.

Cliveden - a garden on a grand scale with fountains by Thomas Waldo Story

Cliveden, one-time home of the Astor family and now in the hands of the National Trust is another impressive Buckinghamshire landscape garden with fine views over the surrounding countryside. Known for its impressive fountains and walks, this is a garden on a grand scale, and a house with quite a history, and much scandal attached to it, including the famous Profumo affair of the 1960s. Also famous for its Thomas Waldo Story fountain (above) and water garden, Cliveden makes a good day out for the family.

Denmans - open all year round and designed to draw the eye in many directions

Open throughout the year, and designed with colour, structure and shape in mind, John Brookes' brainchild - Denmans - is quite different to other gardens that you'll find in the South East - clever planting and schemes designed to compliment one another ensure that there's always something to see here, rain or shine. This garden is open throughout the year and only closes three days a year at Christmas and New Year and has been planned so carefully that even those winter visits will delight.

Dorothy Cliveden has dazzling spring colour displays when the rhododendrons are in bloom

The garden that Dorothy's husband created and named for his invalid wife, lives on today and provides pleasure to all that visit, particularly in springtime when the rhododendrons and azaleas are in bloom. Colonel Clive created a fantastic rhododendron collection here and in April and May, with more than 250 cultivars, and the Quarry Garden (above) is a blaze of colour in springtime. But there's also plenty more to see in the summer months and this is definitely a property to bookmark if you're in the area.

Galloping Gardener's Alphabet Gardens © of 2011 - Best of the "B"s

2011-12-06T09:22:00.001Z

First signs of spring at the Pavilion Gardens in Brighton

When I come to my end-of-year reviews, I always remember how many gardens I've missed in a year! My quest for new gardens takes me all over the country, but my reflections on gardens I've seen reminds me of all the plots I could have re-visited on my travels. I live in Brighton on England's south coast and we have some very fine gardens here, including the Pavilion Garden (above), the Kipling Garden in Rottingdean and some wonderful hidden gardens.

Bonython in Cornwall has a fine walled garden, lakeside walks and many exotic plants

Bonython in Cornwall is one to put on your wish list if you're down in the West Country with its stunning views over the surrounding countryside. Particularly eye-catching early in the season with its impressive azalea and rhododendron displays, it also has a fabulous walled garden filled with flowers and champion vegetables in high summer. There's also a fine collection of exotic plants. I have to confess that I didn't get to Cornwall this year, but it's high on my list for springtime 2012 as I'm hoping to catch all those early spring blossoms.

Brook Cottage is a plantsman's paradise

Brook Cottage near Banbury is a four-acre plantsman's paradise that will amaze you. It's renowned for its rose displays in high summer, but you'll find plenty in bloom here whatever time of year you visit. Part of the charm of this property is that you can wander through the many different garden areas and not meet a single soul - it feels very intimate and you almost feel as though you're trespassing into a private garden. Located in stunning countryside, you can easily combine this property with the other Cotswold greats including Kiftsgate Court and Hidcote Manor, for a taste of English gardens at their best!

Bury Court in Hampshire has two very different gardens by two renowned designers

Bury Court is another to add to your Wish List in 2012 - this extraordinary garden is a veritable masterpiece - designed by two of the greatest modern designers - Piet Oudolf and Christopher Bradley-Hole - around a series of barns. Stunning on a summer's day, whichever garden you see, since they open on alternate months. There is always a plant fair on open days and you'll be hard pressed to get away without purchasing! This garden is located in the heart of the Hampshire countryside, which makes a great day out. But do check the website for openings, because they only happen once a month.

Harold Peto's water garden at Buscot Park in Oxfordshire

And for a taste of Harold Peto's water garden talents, visit Buscot Park in Oxfordshire - you won't be disappointed. This is a property on a grand scale, with 150 acres of gardens and parkland, and a fine collection of old masters in the main house. Harold Peto's former home - Iford Manor - is close enough to visit on the same day. And next spring, I'll be walking you around another of Peto's gardens - one that you don't normally get the chance to see! I had a sneak preview last week and can't wait to show readers when it comes into flower in 2012.

Galloping Gardener's Alphabet Gardens © of 2011 - Starting with "A"

2011-12-03T19:22:00.000Z

Alfriston Clergy House in East Sussex has a charming cottage garden and Arts & Crafts terraces

With so few gardens open for business in Britain at this time of year, I'm into my annual round-up of new gardens visited during the year, starting at the beginning of the alphabet, with Alfriston Clergy House in East Sussex. This is a charming, small garden, with Arts & Crafts terraces, owned and operated by the National Trust, surrounding a 14th century cottage - the first property added to their portfolio in 1896. It nestles in glorious countryside near the coast and makes an interesting stop if you're visiting any of the Bloomsbury Set gardens in the area. For a perfect day, stop for lunch in Lewes and take in some of the gardens after lunch.

Arley Hall in Cheshire looks good throughout the season, but The Rootery is particularly impressive in May

Looking glorious in springtime, when I visited for the first time this year, I'm told that Arley Hall in Cheshire also looks good throughout the visitor season (April - September), and certainly deserves the coveted 2-star rating it gets in the "Good Gardens Guide". It's a large garden, divided into many different areas, but particularly stunning in May is The Rootery (above). But there are also magnificent borders - reputed to be amongst the first in Britain - and many different garden rooms.

The Audubon House and garden in Key West is one of several gardens worth visiting

Across the Atlantic, Audubon House in Key West is a tiny, one-acre garden plot filled with lovely plants and a slice of history that will appeal to keen birdwatchers, because this is where John James Audubon came to paint many of his birds, using the plants in the garden here as background. The museum is filled with many Audubon originals. I actually visited this time last year, but it made such an impression on me that I wanted to include it in my annual round-up.

Austwick Hall in Yorkshire has a moongate - designed and built by the owners

Austwick Hall in Yorkshire won my heart the moment I found the moongate at the bottom of the garden. Although I never wrote a full review on this property, I was lucky enough to stay there for several nights while visiting gardens in the area. The garden is lovely in May and the owners run a really wonderful Bed & Breakfast - definitely a place to stay if you want to see all the other glorious gardens in the area!

Aysgarth Rock Garden in Yorkshire - a tiny Edwardian plot, recently restored

Not far away from Austwick is the Aysgarth Rock Garden - a tiny plot tended by the villagers of this Yorkshire Dale hamlet. This garden was created between 1906 and 1914 by local alpine plant specialists, Messrs James Backhouse & Son of York. It's a charming slice of Edwardian history, set in stunning countryside, and a short stop here will lift your spirits!

Galloping Gardener Choices 2011 - Great garden memories Part II

2011-12-01T17:11:00.000Z

The Dutch Water Garden at Hampton Court, Herefordshire

July took me to Herefordshire this year, where I visited Hampton Court (above), as well as Hergest Croft, Westonbury Mill Water Gardens and Little Malvern Court. Two days wasn't long enough to do justice to these incredible gardens, so I plan to go back next year and catch them all again, as well as other properties that I missed.

Sandgate Close in Seaford, Sussex - a tiny botanical garden by the seaside

"Small is beautiful" certainly applies to Sandgate Close in East Sussex - an interesting property, which admirably demonstrates what you can achieve in a tiny plot! Even though the owners were worried that I was visiting so late in the season, I was delighted by this garden. The owners open their pride and joy for the NGS and various charities throughout the season, and in 2012 you might want to combine this with Geoff Stonebanks' amazing garden just down the road.

Sarah Raven's Cutting Garden, which opens for the NGS during the summer months

In September, I managed to get a sneak preview of Sarah Raven's Cutting Garden, just before it opened for the NGS. It's an interesting property and, as you'd expect, filled with flowers! Of course, Sarah's made her name by offering exclusive flower arrangement and cookery courses at her home in East Sussex, so you might want to check out what's on offer in 2012 and you can combine a touch of learning with the joys of her garden.

Dazzling perennials and art in the garden at Sussex Prairies

September sees Sussex Prairies in full glory! I first visited Paul and Pauline McBride's garden in the winter of 2009, but since then this prairie garden has risen to dizzy heights in the gardening world and been featured in all the major gardening magazines. But the innovative owners are always coming up with new ideas and this summer saw many new artists showing their work in the garden.

In November, I visited a garden that's been on my Wish List for the last five years - Nek Chand's amazing Rock Garden in Chandigarh, India. I was amazed by what I saw there and lucky enough to meet Nek Chand and spend some time with him, talking about the incredible feat he's accomplished in the 27-acre plot on the outskirts of Corbusier's city, using recycled waste products throughout. Sadly, the time I had there was limited, but I plan to return in 2012.

The undulating hedging and reflecting pool look good throughout the year at Veddw

I certainly can't compete with Charles Hawes on the photography front, or indeed Anne Wareham on being "The Bad Tempered Gardener", but I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak at one of my favourite gardens today, on the first day of December - glorious Veddw in Wales. The good news is that the structure of the garden is no less impressive on a cold winter's day than it is in high season, but the bad news is that it's not open to the public at this time of year, so roll on 2012 and make sure you add this garden to your "Bucket List". It still remains in my top 10 gardens in the world! And if you can't get there, why not put Anne and Charles' books on your Christmas Wish List?

Galloping Gardener Choices 2011 - Great garden memories Part I

2011-11-28T08:27:00.000Z

We're getting to that time of year again, when garden visiting here in the UK is becoming harder - winter's on the way and short of looking for good frosty scenes, there's not a lot to see ... although I will be going in search of good glasshouses and winter gardens in the next few weeks. So as we hurtle into December and I contemplate my Christmas tree, I'm planning to spend this month reflecting on some of the wonderful gardens I've been lucky enough to see this year.

Winter colours at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Hampshire

January is always a tricky month for gardens in the UK - there's not a lot to see except frost and snow, but one of the places definitely worth visiting is Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Hampshire. It has a wonderful winter garden and many fine trees. This shot was taken early in January this year, and shows just how much colour you can achieve in a winter garden if you plan ahead with your planting.

The cottage garden at Castle Bijaipur, Rajasthan

February is another cold and grey month here, when I head off to work on my Udaipur hospital project! The gardens in Rajasthan are at their best in the winter months and this year I was lucky enough to travel with Paul and Pauline McBride of Sussex Prairies, in search of plants and ideas for the garden at Disha Hospital. One of the places that really surprised us was the cottage garden at Castle Bijaipur.

McKee Botanical Garden, Florida - saved from the axe by local supporters

In March, I'm usually in Florida with my husband, because he doesn't like the cold English winters, but we won't be going back next year. So I'm reflecting on some of the wonderful sights I saw this year when I visited Florida's east coast, and spent time at McKee Botanical Garden. This is a garden that looks set to become quite an eye opener in the next few years, as new life is breathed into a plot that narrowly missed the property developers' axe! It's only three and a half acres, but there's plenty to catch the eye and several other interesting gardens nearby.

The water garden at Woolbeding House, Sussex

April took me to Woolbeding Garden for the first time - former home of Simon Sainsbury, it was opened to the public for the first time this year by the National Trust. It's a fascinating garden divided into two distinct parts - formal areas adjacent to the house and unusual water gardens across a Sussex meadow filled with sheep and flowers. Part of the charm of this property is that it's hard to access due to limited parking, so visiting can be a challenge, but well worth the effort if you can get there.

The laburnum pergola at the Dorothy Clive Garden is one to rival Barnsley House

In one of my first forays north of London this year, I called in at the Dorothy Clive Garden when the rhododendrons were in bloom in May. I certainly won't forget the glorious laburnum pergola there (above) - definitely one to rival Barnsley House! And there's plenty to see here throughout the year, so one to put on your wish list for 2012. I shall certainly be returning.

The Japanese Garden at Green Island - one of a series of garden rooms at this remarkable property

June took me to several new gardens in Essex that I'll be featuring in later round-up reviews this year, but one that sticks in my mind is Green Island, near Colchester - a stunning 20-acre triangular oasis, well off the beaten track. Particularly memorable is the Japanese garden, shown above in full bloom - one of a series of garden rooms at the property. But you'll find plenty to see here in the summer and part of the charm of this garden is the many acres of woodland.

Postcard from Florida - Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

2011-11-20T14:25:00.001Z

Weather is here and wish you were wonderful! This is probably my last trip to Florida, so I wanted to reflect on the garden that has given me the most pleasure here in the last five years - Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota. Renowned for its orchids, and fantastic collections of epiphytes, there is always something in bloom there. I shall definitely miss my forays into this wonderful garden, but hope that other readers will remember to visit if they're anyway in the area.

Almost Wordless Wednesday - Nek Chand's garden people

2011-11-15T23:10:00.000Z

This is my third posting on Nek Chand's amazing Rock Garden in Chandigarh, and I make no apologies for giving this remarkable man so much coverage here on my blog! I've been trying to visit this garden for the last five years and shall definitely return next time I'm in India, because I know that no number of visits would ever reveal all the secrets of this extraordinary place.

It's not just about the architecture, or the remarkable story of how this garden was developed, it's Nek Chand's incredible figures that make this place so unique. This is a magical kingdom, filled with thousands of people created from household waste products - an insight into how their creator sees the world.

At every turn another figure will catch your eye - be it a soldier, dancer or mini warrior, staring out at you. There are thousands of animals too - monkeys, tigers, dancing bears, camels and elephants. And it's quite extraordinary to think that Nek Chand spent twenty years working alone in this garden creating all these figures before his work was discovered.

Visitors come from all over the world to visit the Rock Garden. And for me it's one of the great garden wonders of the world - certainly the most unusual site I've yet visited.

You can see more pictures of this amazing garden by clicking on the links below:

Garden Wonders of the World
Nek Chand's Rocky Wonder

When rubbish makes a garden unique! Nek Chand's Rocky Wonder II

2011-11-12T10:08:00.001Z

When you arrive at the Rock Garden in Chandigarh, the first tiny taste of what awaits you are the sculpted water birds adorning the entrance wall (above). Arrive on a Sunday as I did and you will queue for an hour to get in, because the garden has become as popular with locals as tourists, but visit on a weekday and there is hardly anybody there. Nek Chand started creating this magical kingdom over 60 years ago, just as Chandigarh was under construction. He has worked here ever since, and now aged 86, he continues to visit every day, and is completely unaffected by his international celebrity status.

At the entrance to the garden, there are open courtyards displaying fossilised rocks

Narrow walkways lead through the garden

Nek Chand arrived in Chandigarh in 1951 - he was just 27 years old, newly married and, like many of his fellow countrymen, still reeling from the after shock of Partition in India. The ultra-modern city, designed by Le Corbusier, was under construction and was symbolic of change in a country that was shaking itself free of British Imperialism.

Chand studied the maps of the new city and realised there was a thickly-forested tract of land between Sukhana Lake and the high court building that was not scheduled for reconstruction. He had already started collecting fossilised rocks from the Kaushalya riverbed and he brought them here to his secret place; built himself a shelter where he slept at night; built fires of rubber tyres to ward off the snakes; and over the next 20 years created the magical kingdom that exists today. He cleared the land; built the temples, buildings and walkways; planted additional trees; and created the thousands of sculpted people and animals that make the garden so unique.

The narrow walkways at the entrance to the garden are topped with village houses and running streams

All went well until the mid-seventies, when an official discovered what was going on within the walls of Nek Chand's secret garden and, as he didn't own the land, he faced the possibility of eviction. But worse was the threat that his life's work might be destroyed. It looked as though all would be lost until Chief Commissioner, Dr M.S. Randhawa arrived to inspect the site. And, as luck (or maybe fate) would have it, he was an art lover who immediately recognised the extraordinary feat that Nek Chand had achieved in creating this garden out of nothing except natural materials and reclaimed rubbish.

Thousands of local tourists flock to the garden at weekends and on holidays

Randhawa elected to champion the cause and provide Chand with a gang of workers and transport, so he could carry on with his work. The rest of the story is history and in the last 30 years, Nek Chand has continued to develop his life's work; been visited by international celebrities and politicians; and placed the city of Chandigarh even more firmly on the tourist map.

Keep looking up to appreciate Nek Chand's architectural skills!

Visit at a weekend and you will be overwhelmed by the number of local tourists (above) - every inch of this 30-acre garden is filled with chattering people who are truly amazed by the garden. The narrow pathways are overflowing with visitors, who stop and marvel every few seconds, as another extraordinary feature catches their eye. The first part of the garden is an architectural wonder, with canyons towering above; topped with temple-like structures and water flowing freely down rock faces.

Every wall in the Rock Garden is different, and equally eye-catching

Every wall is different, every surface constructed using domestic waste, like the socket wall (above left) or carefully crafted pebble designs, designed to appeal to the eye. And then there are the great gorges (below), where you must look up to appreciate Nek Chand's carefully-crafted facades and tall bridges that draw your eye down the garden. This place is a masterpiece - and for me, ranks alongside the Taj Mahal in terms of India's wonders!

Keep looking up to appreciate the bridges overhead and midget-sized doors built into the rock faces

The reality is that Nek Chand constructed everything you see and designed an ingenious method of storing water in tanks so that the water would keep flowing, even in the dry season. You need to look up as well as around, in case you miss something, and occasionally, you'll see figures peering down at you - either sculpted or real, because the garden curators watch from above to make sure that nobody damages this great work of art. Many of the walls are built of coarse local rock, but then Chand has embellished the open spaces with bridges and constructed midget-sized doors high in the rock faces.

Pebble steps compliment the rocky walls and draw the eye upwards to viewing balconies

Monty Don featured this garden in his television series, "Around the World in 80 Gardens" - but it had already gained international repute long before this. Visit Nek Chand in his office and you will see pictures of him with Indian Prime Ministers and many other foreign politicians, as well as internationally-acclaimed film stars and musicians. But the fact remains that Nek Chand is a simple man - he has charm, talent and integrity and has not allowed his success to go to his head. I sat and took tea with him and was honoured to be in his presence. And words will never do justice to the amazing garden he has created!

For more pictures of the Rock Garden, click on the link. In my next feature, I will be looking at some of the amazing figures created by Nek Chand, during his sixty-year reign here.

Garden Wonders of the World! Nek Chand's Rock Garden, Chandigarh

2011-11-09T06:15:00.002Z

The Rock Garden spreads over 30 acres in Chandigarh and is a combination of architecture, plants and sculpture

In all my garden travels, I have never before seen a garden like Nek Chand's Rock Garden in the visionary city of Chandigarh, north of Delhi in India. I was lucky enough to spend several days there and to meet the creator of this extraordinary Garden Wonder of the World. It's an amazing combination of architectural and artistic talent, but is the work of a single man, who worked for several years without anybody being aware of his endeavours.

Shri Nek Chand, creator of the Rock Garden

The story behind the Rock Garden is so unusual that it will take me several weeks to walk readers through this wonderland, and as our gardens in the western hemisphere take on spectral winter forms, I shall feature both the gardens and the sculptures that Nek Chand has created out of recycled rubbish. It is an incredible story and I hope you'll enjoy it! But words alone cannot do this tale justice, so much will be told by the pictures you see.

Throughout the garden there are thousands of figures sculpted from recycled rubbish

The city of Chandigarh was designed by the Swiss architect, Le Corbusier and is the capital of the north-western provincial state of Punjab in India. Nek Chand arrived here after partition in 1947. He is the first to admit that he still misses village life as it was prior to all the political changes in India, and says: "The memory of those times still haunt me. The trauma of partition shattered me and I could not recoup my equilibrium and zest for life until I was able to create this garden".

A collection of figures created from recycled sanitary ware

Nek Chand was born on the 15 December 1924; was educated in India; and had no formal education beyond High School. He worked for many years as a road inspector and during his travels he collected rocks and discarded industrial and domestic rubbish. He began work on his vision back in the 1960's, although nobody discovered the secret garden for more than two decades. Then came the question of what to do with the magical hidden world he had created in the northern corner of Le Corbusier's city - on public land - and without official sanction!

There are more than 20,000 individual figures in the Rock Garden - both people and animals

The garden he has created here demonstrates his incredible abilities as both architect and landscaper, sculptor extraordinaire, and visionary artist. Fortunately the authorities recognised the importance of what Chand had done, so the Rock Garden is here to stay. It now attracts millions of visitors and has become one of India's great tourist attractions. I'll walk you further through the gardens in the next few weeks, because I need time to sort my photographs and collect my thoughts about what I saw in Chandigarh. I have never yet seen any garden or creation like this anywhere in the world. But I shudder to think what would have happened if the authorities had trashed Nek Chand's work on discovery!

Charlotte Weychan

Magical Monday! Too long since last posting!

2011-11-06T13:18:00.000Z

No postings for nearly two weeks, but worry not, I've just visited one of the most amazing gardens in the world and will be ready to tell you all about it in the next few days, so watch this space!!!

Wordless Wednesday - Autumn Colours at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

2011-10-25T18:12:00.001+01:00

Wonderful to visit at any time of year, but looking quite lovely now with all the autumn colours is the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens at Romsey in Hampshire. And if you're really quick, you can catch the sculpture in the garden, in situ until the end of the month.

Will Giles' Exotic Garden treat in Norfolk

2011-10-21T23:13:00.000+01:00

Will Giles' Exotic Garden in Norwich, Norfolk is one that I've been trying to get to for a couple of years, but both time and weather have conspired against me and it remains at the top of my wish list for 2012! But fear not, my great friends Paul and Pauline McBride of Sussex Prairies, who are working with me on the Disha Hospital project in Rajasthan made it there today and kindly sent both pictures and words to make a welcome guest entry for "The Galloping Gardener". Thank you Paul and Pauline. And just so English readers know - the garden opens for the last time this Sunday, see information below!

The Tropic of Norwich

Mid October and here we are within a stones throw of Norwich city centre, surrounded by lush tropical bananas, breadfruit and ginger plants!! Will Giles has created this amazing tropical haven on a steeply sloping site, overlooked by a huge tree house perched in a mature oak in the middle of the garden (right). It’s only half an acre but feels much bigger and the winding paths invite exploration and pull you into the jungle ahead.

As you climb up through the glossy and flourishing plantings you hear the subtle cascade of a Caribbean waterfall as it plunges down the hillside into a dark and secret pool. A dramatic, flint-lined series of levels draw you into a welcoming viewing cabin at the top of the garden where you get perfect views down over the terraced slopes. The quirky tree house is almost a treat too far with its golden obelisk cheekily topping its lofty excess! Give me some wild tigers and fantastical papingoes and we can be transported to new kingdoms!

Our particular favourites were the huge Alocasias, Persicarias, Crotons and Brugmansia. Will has torn up the rule book, with most of these tender beauties surviving temperatures down to -11 C!

The last chance to visit this tropical paradise this year is this Sunday and opening hours are 13.00 - 17.00 so hurry to catch the wonderful colours and exhuberant textures of this truly hidden gem at the heart of this glorious cathedral city.

Paul and Pauline McBride.

Best of British castle gardens II - Hampton Court, Hever and The World Garden at Lullingstone

2011-10-18T17:09:00.000+01:00

Hampton Court castle in Herefordshire

My quest for castle gardens took me to pastures new this year. First to Herefordshire, to Hampton Court - a fine castle which has origins back to the 15th century, with a first-class garden. Completely renovated by an American, who bought the property in 1994 - this is one of the best-kept gardens I've seen yet. It's a good combination of landscaped areas and ebullient planting and comes complete with maze and water garden. There's also a fine Dutch garden (below).

The Dutch Garden at Hampton Court (Herefordshire)

Next stop is Hever Castle, which I've featured many times before here, because it also has one of the finest gardens in Britain and a collection of statuary that will make you sit up and stare - all acquired in Italy by former owner, Lord Astor, who also lived at Cliveden in Buckinghamshire. Hever has all the magical attributes that a 14th century castle should - a moat, a water maze, an impressive lake and following Lord Astor's involvement - one of the finest Italianate gardens in Britain.

Hever Castle in Kent is open throughout the year

Another really unusual castle property is Lullingstone in Kent - home of the Hart-Dyke family and now the site of Tom Hart-Dyke's amazing World Garden. He was captured by South American bandits whilst on an orchid-hunting trip and spent several months in captivity in the jungle - it was during this time he conceived the idea of the World Garden which would allow him to showcase plants from all over the globe. He has worked wonders with his innovative ideas and part of the charm of this garden is the views of the castle and church behind.

The World Garden at Lullingstone showcases plants from all over the planet

An Englishman's home is his castle! British castle gardens I

2011-10-13T22:59:00.004+01:00

Ardtornish, seen through the trees in October

Britain has more than its fair share of castles - originally built to protect their inhabitants against marauding invaders, but now many of them are in the stewardship of organisations like the National Trust and open to the public. We're also incredibly lucky that many of them have beautiful gardens and in this first of three blog entries about castles, I shall review some I've seen in the last couple of years, starting in the far north of the country at Ardtornish, home of the Raven family, which has a magnificent garden, filled with trees, and exceptionally beautiful at this time of year.

Ardtornish has wonderful views over the Loch and many fine specimen trees

Ardtornish is a plantsman's garden filled with many fine shrubs, specimen trees and fine views over the adjacent loch. It's also the former home of John Raven, the well-known botanist who wrote "The Botanist's Garden" and Sarah Raven, who runs the Cutting Garden at Perch Hill. A visit to this garden makes a wonderful day out if you're up in this part of Scotland, because you can take a ferry from Oban and admire the impressive Highland scenery.

Arundel Castle is an impressive sight when viewed from below

Arundel Castle in Sussex is still home to the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk. It's an impressive sight when you see it from below, perched on top of a hill. The present Duchess has completely redesigned the gardens in the last 15 years and the new Collector Earl's Garden (below) has breathed new life into the castle grounds. Opened by Prince Charles in 2008, it's a bold, theatrical design conceived by Julian and Isabel Bannerman, who also designed the water garden at nearby Woolbeding.

Collector Earl's garden at Arundel Castle

Caerhays Castle in Cornwall, is spectacular in its own right when seen from the sea, or from the road as you approach. Famous for its fantastic spring displays of rhododendrons, magnolias, camellias and azaleas, the garden is one of the best in this part of the country when in flower. But the season here is short and the garden only remains open from March until the end of May, so make sure you get there if you can to see the dazzling spring blossoms.

Caerhays Castle in Cornwall

This is the first of three castle features scheduled for October, so watch this space if you're looking for more castle gardens to visit in 2012. As the evenings draw in, I shall be posting more about some of the wonderful castles here in the UK that will delight gardeners and their families.

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is in flower." Catch that autumn colour around the UK!

2011-10-09T09:42:00.000+01:00

Benmore, Scotland

Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Hampshire

Wakehurst Place, Sussex

Savill Garden, Surrey

Scotney Castle, Kent

Trengwainton, Cornwall

And don't forget these other spectacular autumn gardens:

Kew Gardens, London
Sheffield Park, East Sussex
The Garden House, Devon

Winkworth Arboretum, Surrey

Grand gardens of Britain - Cliveden

2011-10-07T09:40:00.000+01:00

"Fountain of Love" by Thomas Waldo Story

Britain has many gardens on a scale so grand, you can do little else than gaze at them! Cliveden is one such property - former home of the rich and famous; surrounded by scandal over the years and burnt to the ground twice, today's house was built in 1850 for the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland. It sits on top of a hill with astounding views over the surrounding countryside and although the house is now a luxury hotel, the gardens, which are open to the public throughout the year, are run by the National Trust.

Today's Italianate house is the third built here - two former properties were destroyed by fire

No expense was spared when the gardens were laid out in the first half of the 18th century, and subsequent owners of the property made their own imprint on the grounds. Many of the impressive statues, sarcophagi and giant urns that grace the gardens were acquired by William Waldorf Astor, the American millionaire who had a gift for acquiring monumental masonry from the Italian aristocracy. His impressive collection is housed between Cliveden, which he purchased in 1893 and his second country home, Hever Castle.

The parterre, best viewed from the Upper Terrace of the house

Elsewhere in the grounds you'll find other architectural edifices including an amphitheatre, a grand stone pavilion and an octagon temple, plus the famous "Fountain of Love", which Astor commissioned from a fellow American - Thomas Waldo Story - his monumental fountains also grace Blenheim Palace and Ascott. But it's the scale of the property that will impress you - everything here seems larger than life - and combine the garden with the views, and you'll have a memorable day out.

The Water Garden with its pagoda

Elsewhere in the grounds there's a parterre, best viewed from the Upper Terrace of the house; a magnificent ilex grove, a water garden, complete with pagoda acquired from the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867; a Memorial Garden commemorating those who died in the great wars; a Secret Garden; and a Long Garden bordered with box hedges and topiary. And a new feature at Cliveden is the maze, installed last year.

The Long Garden

Cliveden is not for the feint hearted. The grounds extend to hundreds of acres and you'll need at least half a day to take in all the various different garden features. You can also tour part of the house and see how high society lived in days gone by. Ever since the first house was built, the property has attracted socialites and political scandal. It was here that the Profumo Affair of the 1960s erupted. But even if former scandal and intrigue are of no appeal, you'll love the gardens and you could always go on to Ascott, which is just a short distance away.

Blazing the pumpkin trail in Cornwall - Trengwainton

2011-10-04T09:33:00.000+01:00

Trengwainton enjoys a microclimate and offers year-round interest for visitors

Trengwainton in Cornwall is about as far west as you can get in the UK before falling into the ocean! This delectable 25-acre garden enjoys some of the mildest weather in Britain and the planting here is, for the most part, sub-tropical. The result is a wonderful combination of exotics, which thrive in a micro-climate, alongside more traditional English plants, and an impressive walled garden. Visit like I did, late in the afternoon, and you might even be lucky enough to see a rainbow over Mounts Bay and beyond!

Particularly impressive in the autumn is the walled garden

The fabulous walled garden is divided into five main areas, and boasts impressive magnolias in early spring; tempting fruit and vegetable displays during growing season; and dazzling autumn hues at this time of year in the form of multi-coloured pumpkins and late-flowering perennials. Combine this with the subtle autumn light and you'll have a veritable feast for your eyes and memories to record forever with your camera.

Pumpkin feast in October at Trengwainton

In the 19th century Trengwainton was home to a former Jamaican sugar-plantation owner, who planted trees here to protect the land from the ocean storms. But later it was acquired by the Bolitho family, and when Sir Edward inherited the property in 1925, the garden underwent a huge transformation. He sponsored one of the many fashionable plant-hunting expeditions of the early 20th century - a young man called Frank Kingdon-Ward, who went to Assam and Burma in the late 1920s.

There's plenty of colour in the walled garden in October

Bolitho's reward was many of the exotic species that survive at Trengwainton today and during his 35-year reign at the property he also had the foresight to realise that the unique south-east facing position of the garden lent itself to cultivating species from around the UK too. Today the garden is home to a fantastic collection of ferns, palms, rhododendrons, magnolias and azaleas, which guarantee year-round interest for the visitor.

Funky frogman is just one of many scarecrows in the walled garden

In 1961, Bolitho gave much of the land to the National Trust, and although his descendants remain in the big house, the NT uses this site to test new plant species for hardiness. The result is an interesting collection, and unlike so many other gardens in Cornwall, that remain heavily dependent on the main tourist season, Trengwainton stays open throughout the year. Part of the charm of the property is the focus on exotic scarecrows throughout the walled gardens, like the funky frogman above!

If you get this far down in Cornwall, you might even consider a trip to the Scilly Isles where the garden at Tresco Abbey awaits you. I didn't make it because the weather turned bad, but I did get to visit another of my favourite English gardens - Tremenheere Sculpture Garden - which has equally spectacular views over Mounts Bay and St Michael's Mount.

Galloping Gardener Walks © - Autumn delights in Devon

2011-10-01T20:13:00.002+01:00

The Garden House, Devon

There's no getting away from shorter days as we enter October, but what better place to be than Devon now that the children are back at school and the gardens there are a blaze of autumn colour? Today, I'm featuring three very different gardens that will really give you a taste of Devon at its best - all are open until the end of October, and even if you can only get to see one of them, you won't be disappointed!

There is still plenty in bloom at The Garden House in October

Start at The Garden House - one of my favourite gardens anywhere in England - with its wonderful acer displays at this time of year, but just as impressive at any other time during the open season - this must be one of the most romantic and mystical gardens I've seen yet. The terrain is hilly and there are a series of garden rooms, constantly changing and evolving, but the whole garden comes together and creates an impression of absolute serenity.

The acers are coming into full colour now at The Garden House

Move on to Marwood Hill near Barnstaple for a very different experience with its rolling landscape, subtle colours and glorious vistas over the lakes. This garden was created by a doctor, who developed a passion for plants and trees and is filled with rare and unusual species. There are more than 5,000 different plants here and it is also home to the National Collection of astilbes. You'll also find a large collection of eucalyptus trees.

There are many champion trees at Marwood Hill

A large part of Marwood' s charm is that it feels like a family garden, even though it boasts a fine selection of champion trees. And if you've got this far, a visit to nearby Docton Mill is a must - a nine-acre garden with a water mill that dates back to Saxon times. This garden has had new life breathed into it by its current owners, and also boasts one of the finest cream teas in the county!

Marwood is home to several National Collections, including iris and astilbe

Docton Mill is located in an area of outstanding natural beauty and as you approach it, you get fine views over the Bristol Channel and see Lundy Island on the horizon - home to one of the largest puffin communities in the UK. The mill stream creates a perfect haven for damp-loving plants and there are also many fine trees here.

The mill at Docton dates back to Saxon times

All three of these gardens are magical in their own way, but are just a taster for some of the other Devon gardens that remain open until the end of the month. But part of the joy of visiting this county is the rolling countryside and the fine sea views - both north and south. Other gardens worth visiting are Coleton Fishacre, Killerton, Castle Drogo and RHS Rosemoor.

Wonderful walks at Winkworth Arboretum, Surrey

2011-09-30T08:58:00.000+01:00

It's all change here in England this week! After a rather watery summer, when the promised days of sunshine faded into a memory, and temperatures made history because they were so low, we've finally been rewarded with our long-promised heatwave, and are breaking all the records for September! Yesterday, temperatures crept up to thirty degrees centigrade in southern England, and it felt like summer for the first time in weeks. So perhaps this year nature is giving us a reprieve before the snow comes, because forecasters say we'll be blanketed in the white stuff by the end of October!

I've been amazed by how fast the trees are changing colour here in the south, and have spent the last week looking at gardens that normally peak in October. My quest for autumn colour finally took me to Winkworth Arboretum in Surrey - the 100-acre paradise created by Dr Wilfred Fox some 80 years ago. Fox was a medical doctor specialising in dermatology, but when he wasn't in his London consulting rooms, his great passion was trees, and in 1937 he started creating the arboretum that survives today.

Dr Fox drew much of his inspiration from other English arboreta including Sheffield Park and Westonbirt. He had been involved in founding the Roads Beautifying Association prior to purchasing Winkworth and in 1948, was awarded the Victoria Medal of Honour by the Royal Horticultural Society for his work in promoting ornamental street tree planting.

When he first purchased Winkworth, he concentrated on maples, which give such fine autumn colour, but in later years he planted azaleas, magnolias and Japanese cherries. The combination makes for spectacular colour displays in both spring and autumn. In 1952 Dr Fox gave 60 acres of his woodland paradise to the National Trust; five years later they acquired a further 35 acres; and today Winkworth is classed as one of Britain's great arboreta.

Winkworth is also famous for its carpets of bluebells in springtime, although the trees make it a haven for walkers and woodland lovers throughout the year. Just a word of warning though - it's hillside position means that it's not ideal for disabled visitors - to enjoy all aspects of the arboretum, you need to descend into the valley, and even though there are ample woodland paths, the terrain is steep and many of the trails include steps (above), that make wheelchair access difficult.

Wordless Wednesday - Autumn Colours 1

2011-09-28T18:20:00.000+01:00

Autumn colours at Sheffield Park, East Sussex

September Gardens IV - Scotney Castle

2011-09-25T14:12:00.000+01:00

The moated manor house at Scotney draw visitors from all over the world

What better garden to visit, than the grounds of a romantic castle on a glorious September day? Scotney Castle in Kent is spectacular at any time of year, because of the undulating terrain that divides the main house from the medieval moated ruin at the bottom of the valley. Particularly memorable in spring time when the rhododendrons and azaleas make a sea of colour, but just as eye-catching at any other time of year and now, as the leaves are beginning to change colour, a joyous place to walk and enjoy the views down into the Bewl Valley.

The manor was disassembled by former owner Edward Hussey for effect!

The moated house (above) proved to be too damp to live in, so in 1836, Scotney's owners invited William Sawrey Gilpin, nephew of Picturesque-style creator, William Gilpin, to their home, and work began on the new house up the hill, which is open to the public today. But it's the medieval property in the valley that causes visitors to gasp as they see it reflected in the circular moat, even though the walls were removed for effect by former owner Edward Hussey, who wanted a romantic landscape to reflect on from his new castle at the top of the hill.

Part of Scotney's charm is the woodland walks ...

The grounds at Scotney comprise many acres of woodland, which suffered badly in the great storm of 1987, resulting in a complete replanting by the National Trust in the last 30 years. The results are impressive given the extensive use of rhododendrons and azalea, which make a colourful and sweeping landscape and allow glimpses of the moated manor below to maximum effect as you wander down the valley. Both spring and summer seasons offer spectacular colour displays!

Circular beds in the grounds of the moated medieval castle

Christopher Hussey, well-known art historian and grandson of Edward Hussey III, who built the new house on the site, using stone from the quarry, resided here for nearly 20 years with his wife Betty, during the 20th century, and left the property to the National Trust on his death in 1970. This was in keeping with his family motto: "Vix ea nostra voco", meaning "I scarcely call these things our own".

Glorious autumn colours add to Scotney's charm at this time of year

Today, the Scotney estate offers visitors the chance to view the house at the top of the hill, with its magnificent views over the surrounding countryside; the chance to walk in undulating countryside; and an opportunity to explore the quarry, which has been turned into a garden and the moated medieval manor, with its herb garden. It would be hard to find a more romantic setting than this, especially early in the morning, when the mists rise off the water!

The new house, built by Edward Hussey III

Scotney is open Wednesday to Sunday until the end of October and continues to open at weekends until the middle of December. It re-opens again in February, in anticipation of the abundant snowdrops. The whole estate extends to nearly 800 acres, and offers wonderful winter walks. It is also close to Sissinghurst if you want to visit another romantic castle garden with an interesting history.

Sarah Raven's Cutting Garden - NGS opening this weekend!

2011-09-22T19:11:00.001+01:00

The Cutting Garden, filled with colourful blooms in late September

Although autumn is definitely on the way and the leaves are changing colour here in southern England, there are still gardens worth visiting when the weather is kind - and if you want a day out with a difference this weekend, head for Sarah Raven's Cutting Garden in East Sussex which opens for the NGS on Saturday from 9.30 - 16.00. It's still filled with colour as autumn approaches and well worth a visit if you want to see a real slice of English garden paradise!

The nectar garden outside the front door of Perch Hill Farm

Sarah Raven comes from a long line of gardeners and both the farm and the business she runs from Perch Hill, which is home to her "Cutting Garden" are a tribute to her inspirational approach to gardening, cooking and the use of flowers - both as decoration in the garden, and in the home. Daughter of the late John Raven, distinguished botanist and Faith, who created a magical garden at Docwra's Manor in Cambridgeshire, that I have yet to visit, she has created her own little paradise in East Sussex.

The rose garden

Hidden down a narrow country lane with passing places, Perch Hill Farm is home to an impressive array of vegetables and flowers that will make most gardeners want to change the way they garden at home. It's a glorious example of how to make a small space work, with colour and variety, as well as a practical layout that is guaranteed to give you flowers in the home and endless fruit and vegetables that you can use when you cook.

View through the Cutting Garden

But Sarah's talents don't stop in the garden. She's also a well-known garden author, runs a selection of courses from Perch Hill, has a flourishing mail order business, and teaches cooking and flower arranging. And when she's not here, she's at nearby Sissinghurst Castle in Kent, where she lives with her husband, Adam Nicolson in his ancestral home, as grandson of legendary gardener and author, Vita Sackville-West and Nigel Nicolson.

I've certainly waxed lyrical about The Cutting Garden here, but have every reason to. I've been trying to visit for several months, but have never managed to make an open day, and looking at what's on offer, I for one will be doing some of my Christmas shopping through Sarah's web site. I'm even tempted to do one of the cooking courses on offer next year!

Wordless Wednesday - Autumn Colours

2011-09-20T22:10:00.000+01:00

September Gardens III - As far as the eye can see in Sussex!

2011-09-18T13:24:00.001+01:00

Autumn is definitely in the air at Nymans Garden and the leaves are beginning to turn

There's no doubt about it ... autumn's in the air and when I went briefly to Nymans this afternoon, the acers were already turning orange and yellow. Of course, the wind, rain and unusually low temperatures we've experienced in the last few weeks, haven't helped, but it was the light that made me realise that autumn has come early this year. When you see flame-coloured leaves against a watery blue sky, you know winter's is on the way!

The .... garden, with its striking topiary

Nymans is an impressive garden to visit at any time of year because of its hilltop position, great open vistas and wonderful views over the surrounding countryside. Former home of the Messel family, who were great plant collectors, this is a National Trust garden undergoing a lot of change at the moment, and it's well on the way to becoming a flagship property along with Sissinghurst and Hidcote Manor.

There are many new planting schemes at Nymans this autumn

The main house was largely destroyed by fire in 1947 but makes an impressive backdrop for the ever-changing gardens around it. This autumn sees a lot of new grasses in situ, and you can see there's much work in progress throughout the grounds, particularly in the rock garden. Gone is the former viewing platform, and there's a whole new garden and planting scheme planned here for next year.

You'll be amazed by the abundant and eye-catching planting at Sussex Prairies

Just as impressive, but totally different, is the Sussex Prairie Garden just down the road near Henfield - quite spectacular in September as every plant is in bloom and you can wander through the garden gazing at planting schemes that are not just eye catching, but unique. There is no other garden like this anywhere in the country! Owners Paul and Pauline McBride have been nurturing this plot for the last five years and their endeavours have certainly paid off.

Carefully planned colour schemes add to the opulence at Sussex Prairies

Sussex Prairies is open Wednesday - Friday (11.00-17.00) until the end of September and is well worth making a detour for if you're visiting Nymans. The views here are just as good, but the outlook is completely different. And if you fancy a Flower Arranging Masterclass, click the link to find out more!

September gardens II - Rudyard Kipling's Sussex

2011-09-15T17:32:00.000+01:00

The Elms - rented by Rudyard Kipling for just $1.60 a week

Many great writers have lived in and loved Sussex, with its hilly landscape and glimpses of the sea, including Rudyard Kipling, who moved here in 1897 and stayed until he died. He lived first in Rottingdean, near Brighton, when he moved into his aunt's holiday home, just a stone's throw from the sea. It was here that he wrote many of his much-loved "Just So" stories. The family were so happy in the village, they finally rented a house for themselves -The Elms (above) on the edge of the village green - for the princely sum of three guineas a week (approx $1.60).

The Kipling Gardens at the rear of Elms House have been restored during the last 30 years

The former walled garden adjoining Elms House became completely derelict during the latter half of the 20th century, and in 1980, had fallen prey to a potential housing development. But the local Rottingdean Preservation Society managed to raise the required £51,000 to purchase the land and since then the gardens - named after Kipling - have been restored and saved as a public space. There is even a bowling green at the heart of the garden.

In 1902 Kipling and his family bought their own home in East Burwash - Bateman's - a handsome Jacobean house, in the heart of the lush, green Sussex Weald. It had no bathroom, no electricity and only partial running water when they moved there, but Kipling fell in love with the house, and as one of the most famous writers in England, his annual salary of £5,000 was more than enough to purchase the property and make all the necessary changes to turn it into a family home. He remained here until his death in 1936.

The rose garden - still in full bloom in September

Kipling fans will love the house, which is filled with fine furniture and paintings, and gives a real insight into the way the family lived a hundred years ago. The study, in particular, is filled with Kipling memorabilia, including his typewriter and his precious globe. He was always a great traveller, so it was perhaps surprising that he settled for so long in one place. But he loved Bateman's, and the family did a lot of entertaining here.

The gardens are charming, and feature a working mill house, large orchard and a spectacular rose garden in front of the house, that's still looking wonderful, even so late in the season. There is no structured garden here, with herbaceous borders and walkways, just open spaces, views of the house and a fine river walk. The whole atmosphere is very relaxed and you really feel that Kipling is not far away when you walk around the property. Close enough to Merriments Gardens to combine the two in a day, and certainly one to put on your Wish List if you're a Kipling fan!

Memories of Cuba II - Las Terrazas, where Green is GREEN!

2011-09-11T08:39:00.001+01:00

Las Terrazas is a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve

A couple of hours drive west of Havana is a nature reserve called Las Terrazas, high in the Sierra del Rosario mountain range. It's a strange and somewhat haunting place, which although beautiful, seems to have a sense of sadness. It's hard to explain unless you've been there, but feels as though you've been left on a disused film set. All the props are there - stunning views, a forest canopy, sounds of birds and impressive plants and foliage - but somehow, the place lacks spirit and the actors went home long ago!

Men, not machines, do the work in the Cuban countryside

This region was once one of the poorest in Cuba and deforestation was so severe that it threatened to impact on both the ecology and survival of the area. But in 1967 the Cuban government stepped in and orchestrated a massive project which led to the replanting of 10 million trees across a 5,000 acre area. They wanted to turn the area into an eco-tourism centre in the hills in the province of Pinar del Rio, where tourism was sustainable within an area of outstanding natural beauty.

View over the valley from La Moka Hotel in Las Terrazas

Green is really GREEN here, as you can see from these pictures - in reality, I've never had such an overwhelming sense of green in my life - the grass, the plants and the way the people live! Las Terrazas was designated a Biosphere Reserve in 1984 by UNESCO. The main tourist hotel - La Moka - is a brilliant design feat, perched high on the hilltop, surrounded by trees and indeed, with one large tree growing through the atrium.

The hotel was constructed around the trees in Las Terrazas

Excellent by foreign standards, this is the place to stay in Las Terrazas. The staff are wonderful, the gardens are beautiful and the views outstanding! But even with all the natural beauty, high standards and an aparently idyllic life, there is something lacking here. There is music, but it's muted; there is nature, but it appears orchestrated; and somehow, there is a sense of Stepford wifery and you almost expect perfect wax-like images to appear from around a corner.

Early morning view across the mountainside village

If you are looking for typical Cuban entertainment - music, salsa and dancing - this is not the place be. But those in search of nature will enjoy their stay here. You can walk for miles through the forest; visit the old sugar plantations in the area; and get a sense of how this former agricultural community once thrived. You'll find spectacular plants and foliage and hear the birds singing in the trees. But you won't get a night out on the town here - we tried, but found ourselves in a village hall that closed before midnight!

Las Terrazas will leave you feeling green!

Definitely worth making a stop here on your way to Vinales, where they make some of the finest cigars in Cuba, but don't expect music or dancing. This is a different kind of Cuba, where you'll be able to appreciate what can be achieved between man and nature! Perfect for a break from the frenetic pace of Havana - the city that never sleeps - and great for a change of gear en route to the heart of Cuba's agricultural communities further west...

Charismatic gardens of Cuba 1 - Havana

2011-09-09T08:31:00.000+01:00

Spectacular Cuban September sunset reflected in water

I can't write about English gardens this week because the weather is so appalling, it's virtually impossible to leave the house. We're currently experiencing monsoon style rain (which is good for the garden, but bad for the hair), gale force winds and unusually cold temperatures, which have forced me to turn on the central heating in the first week of September! So garden visiting is not on the agenda this week.

The pace of life outside Havana is slow and any form of transport goes ....

But seeing as I'm stuck in the house, I thought I'd reflect on where I was this time last year - Cuba. And although we had some of the most spectacular electric storms I'd ever seen in the evenings during our visit, the weather was, for the most part, idyllic compared to what we're suffering here in the UK right now. But even the fierce early evening thunder storms do little to dampen the spirit of the Cuban people and everywhere you go there are smiling faces, fantastic music and wonderful sights to see.

Early morning in Havana, when the streets are still empty

Cuba is still a no-go zone for American passport holders, but that must surely change one day. I was lucky enough to visit this magical country last autumn and was simply amazed by what I saw. The vegetation is tropical; the island is virtually self-sufficient (it has to be with all the embargoes in place); the people are wonderful and the gardens are stunning, if somewhat run down, due to lack of funds. But you'll find plants and trees here that are hard to find anywhere else in the world.

One form of transport in Havana is the "Coco" - an egg-shaped three wheeler

We started our holiday in Havana - one of the most vibrant and interesting cities I've visited anywhere yet. The old part of the city has been designated a World Heritage site and work is afoot to restore all the buildings to their former glory. But it's not just the magnificent buildings that give Havana it's lively heart beat - it's the constant sound of music, the welcoming people and the buzz in the streets. Most striking of all is the way that every Cuban greets you and wants to show off and share their country.

The Japanese Garden, designed by Yoshicuni Araki at the heart of the Cuban National Botanic Garden

And then there's the Cuban National Botanic Garden - some 10 miles from the city centre, but well worth making the effort to visit. The gardens cover more than 600 hectares (1500 acres), and although much of the terrain is wild, there's a Japanese garden at the centre (above), designed by landscape architect, Yoshicuni Araki. When you arrive, you pay your entrance fee at the gate and a tractor shows up with a trailer hitched up behind. You travel in the trailer and are taken on a tour of the gardens, which showcase some 90 species of palms.

We found this elderly gentleman (featured on the cover of the Lonely Planet Cuba guide) in Havana

Guide books don't do this magnificent country justice - as we discovered when we were there. But I hope you'll join me on my tour of Cuba in the next few days - until the weather clears up sufficiently to start visiting English gardens again. The gentleman in the picture above, was used as a former cover photograph on the Lonely Planet guide, which we used to navigate around Cuba - we found him sitting in a cafe in downtown Havana and took his picture!

Gardens to see in September - Merriments, East Sussex

2011-09-04T19:41:00.000+01:00

Looking through the hedge into the water garden - Merriments is all about vistas

With autumn in the air, and torrential downpours around the country, it's hard to find gardens to visit at this time of year that still look good. But Merriments at Hurst Green in East Sussex is the exception, and when I visited last week, I was really impressed by the wonderful collage of colour here, when other gardens are definitely past their prime.

This four-acre garden is filled with ponds, pools, bridges and pergolas, set against a backdrop of boldly planted, colour-themed borders. And most impressive of all is the labelling, so if you see a plant you like, you have the opportunity to buy it in the well-stocked nursery at the end of your visit. Any budding plants person or novice gardener would be well advised to visit, to get good ideas for their own plot.

The gravel garden

Certainly a great place to go at any time of year, but looking particularly good at this time of year are the Gravel garden (above) and the water garden at the entrance (top and bottom), with its wide rills and dense planting. There are also lots of shady arbors to sit and enjoy the views.

Merriments is close enough to Sissinghurst to enjoy both properties in an afternoon, and Great Dixter is also within easy reach. But hurry, because all these gardens close at the end of September. Definitely one to put on your September visiting list, before we get into the autumn colours.

Pinch and a punch, it's the end of the month! Goodbye August

2011-08-31T19:52:00.001+01:00

The walled garden at Chartwell in bloom in August

I can't believe it's already the end of August - the days are beginning to shorten, the temperature is beginning to drop, and there's definitely a sense of autumn in the air! I haven't visited as many gardens as I'd wished to because family commitments have kept me at home this month, but I did get to Knole, where Vita Sackville-West was born and to Sissinghurst, the legendary garden that she and her husband created in Kent which draws visitors from all over the world.

Alfriston Clergy House - a delightful small garden in East Sussex

But for me the main focus was on smaller gardens this month, and I was lucky enough to visit Sandgate Close and Alfriston Clergy House, just down the road from Brighton, Old Buckhurst in Kent, the wonderful secret walled garden at Preston Manor, and several bigger gardens that brought delights and surprises including Chartwell.

Blousy summer blooms in late August

There's a lot in bloom right now and I've explored pinks, yellows, greens and plants as an art form. But now the seasons are moving on and I'm looking forward to all the autumn colours all over the country.

Up in the air at Sissinghurst!

2011-08-29T18:50:00.000+01:00

Sissinghurst Castle, former home of Vita Sackville West, is one of the most visited gardens in England. But, in more than two years of garden visiting all over the world, I've never given it a full review before because whenever I've tried to visit, the property is so crowded, it's hard to appreciate the gardens and virtually impossible to take photographs without catching a large crimpolene "behind" in the viewfinder! In a moment of madness, I decided to get there as the gates opened today on a Bank Holiday Monday!

Climb the Tower to see the garden below

Vita Sackville West - poet, novelist and gardener - moved here with her husband Nigel Nicholson in 1930 and together they created a home that is now a museum, and a garden that has became one of the most famous in the country, but to understand why, you need to see the grounds from the top of the Elizabethan Tower (right).

Once you see the garden from above you realise it's a series of rooms around a moated Tudor manor. And although every "room" is unique, it's difficult to grasp the layout from the ground, because each area sits behind high hedges and you find yourself wandering from one to another, reliant on a map. But be warned, you climb the tower at your peril and there's no crowd control on the steep and narrow stairs! But once at the top, all becomes clear because you have a panoramic view of the gardens below.

The Tudor manor house seen from above, with all the outbuildings behind

It's the architecture that's dictated the garden at Sissinghurst. There's a manor house dating back to Tudor times (above), with a walled lawn garden; a Tower which forms the focal point of the estate; and a series of gardens laid out around the two main buildings, moated on two sides and carefully orchestrated to provide a garden symphony that has become famous throughout the world.

The cottage and garden, always in bloom throughout the summer months

Vita, who was born of noble parentage at nearby Knole in Kent, became well known after WWII for her gardening column in the leading UK Sunday paper, 'The Observer', and it's said that she "did more to change the face of English gardening than any other writing since (William) Robinson's 'English Flower Garden'. But one wonders how much influence she exerted for her other persona, as a leading light in the Bloomsbury Set, and her well-publicised affairs with both Violet Trefusis and Virginia Woolf.

The Rose Garden from above

But however Vita made her way to fame, the garden at Sissinghurst is both unique and unusual when you consider that she started work on it more than 80 years ago! There's much debate as to whether she and Harold were the first to create an entirely white garden, but there's little doubt that this is one of the features that attracts visitors from all over the world, and in June it's magnificent! But you'll also love the Rose Garden, the Cottage Garden, the much-loved Moat Walk and the Nuttery.

The White Garden from above, adjacent to the Priest's House

The National Trust has been running Sissinghurst since 1967. Vita died in 1962 and left the property to her son Harold, although her husband - Nigel - remained in residence. But the family soon realised it was impossible to pay the inheritance taxes due on the property, so they approached the Trust to take it on, which took five years of negotiation. Today few would dispute the value of Sissinghurst to the nation, but it was a daunting prospect for the Trust when they took it on, because their expertise was in houses, not gardens!

The White Garden in bloom in June - the centre piece was designed by Vita and Nigel's son, Harold

Sissinghurst is just one of several properties owned by the National Trust which has Bloomsbury Set connections. Virginia Woolf's country cottage - Monk's House, near Lewes - is also open to the public, although the gardens here are on a much smaller scale. But today it is one of their flagship properties and attracts more than 250,000 visitors a year!

It has to be said that Sissinghurst is an impressive garden, but credit should go to the head gardeners here, who have worked tirelessly for the last 45 years to create a living postcard of how the other half lived! This, like Hidcote Manor is a showcase garden, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year because its reputation has spread worldwide. Vita did much to publicise her own plot when she was alive, through her gardening columns, but the National Trust knows the value of this property and works hard to keep it looking pristine throughout the year!

Green dreams to distract you from Irene!

2011-08-28T08:27:00.000+01:00

I've been watching news of Hurricane Irene and thinking of all East coast US bloggers - hope these shots will provide a little distraction!

Mellow yellows - is Autumn coming early this year?

2011-08-27T11:19:00.000+01:00

It seems that autumn is already in the air here in England and it's not even the end of August! Hope that all our East coast US friends have survived Hurricane Irene. We've certainly had the backlash recently in England with all the rain and winds. Hope you all have a good Bank Holiday - I'm planning a few garden visits over the weekend and next week if the sun stays out, even if there is a chill in the air.

Thoughtful Thursday - Plant Art

2011-08-25T07:36:00.000+01:00

If all this English rain is getting to you, why not visit a botanical garden and look in the glasshouses?

Wordless Wednesday - In the pink!

2011-08-24T08:33:00.000+01:00

Magic Monday - in bloom around Brighton!

2011-08-22T00:29:00.000+01:00

Sussex Prairies

Art in the Garden at Sussex Prairies yesterday

Preston Manor, Brighton

Sandgate Close, Seaford

Kipling Garden, Rottingdean

Preston Manor, Brighton

Preston Park, Brighton

Appealing August Gardens 1 - Loseley Park

2011-08-20T08:02:00.002+01:00

Loseley was built in 1562 and is a fine example of Elizabethan architecture

There's something about an August garden that's very appealing - it's like watching someone letting down their hair, putting their feet up and breathing a sigh of relief that all their work is done at the end of a long day! So, in the first of several new garden reviews, I'll walk with readers through some gardens that still look good at the end of a long season's work, starting with Loseley Park in Surrey.

The 2.5 acre walled garden looks good throughout the season

This is a lovely garden to visit at any time during the season, starting with the first flush of euphorbias and forget-me-knots in spring, followed by the magnificent wisteria and now with all the bright-coloured late summer flowers in bloom. The first time I visited was in May a few years ago - the walled garden looked glorious then and what struck me about this garden was the abundant planting. It was a wonderful fantasy land in springtime, and a pleasant surprise to find even more colour in August.

Abundant planting is one of the most memorable features at Loseley

The walled garden here dates back to the 16th century, but was revamped nearly a century ago and based on a Gertrude Jekyll design and divided into "rooms", to include a herb garden, rose garden, white garden and flower and vegetable gardens. The rose garden, which is still in bloom and giving off glorious scents, was renovated in some 15 years ago and although I've yet to see it in full splendour in June or July, it's still a wonderful sensory delight at this time of year.

You can sit and reflect in the white garden

The Elizabethan house was built for Sir William More in 1562 and sits in glorious parkland near Guildford, so is easily accessible from London. It is home to the More-Molyneux family today and they have spent the last 15 years improving the walled garden and making it what is is today. The central avenue of trees (below) makes a wonderful backdrop for crocosmias, dahlias, daylilies and ornamental grasses in high summer.

The walled garden is like a brightly-coloured Impressionist painting at this time of year

Patrick Taylor, well-known UK garden visit guru, says this garden is "not of startling originality, but it is skilfully planted and excellently maintained". But I'm afraid I disagree - I think the garden is both "startling" and "original" and I for one will be visiting again, because it's like walking through an Impressionist painting! Loseley remains open until mid-September, so do get there if you can - opening times are 11.00-17.00 daily, except Mondays, but open for the bank holiday next Monday.

The wildflower meadow

Loseley belongs to the Historic Houses Association, so members get in free, but unlike many other great country house gardens, the house is also open to the public, so once you've wandered through the garden, you can see how the other half live, as you wander through well-proportioned rooms, furnished in the best of British style! And if you're looking for other gardens nearby, there's always RHS Wisley.

The house is also open to the public, so why not see how the other half live?

Best of British lawns! Anyone for croquet in an English garden?

2011-08-14T13:01:00.001+01:00

Montacute in Somerset, which dates back to Elizabethan times

Britain has one aspect of gardening that's famous throughout the world - its lawns! English gardens have always been celebrated, but where did we get this concept of huge green tracts of land synonymous with large country houses? It's origins are unclear, but there's little doubt that when you see this feature in a garden, it leaves a lasting impression, like Montacute House in Somerset (above). Nothing is more pleasing to the eye that an immaculately mown lawn, especially if you haven't had to mow it yourself!

Lawn is a major feature at Mapperton in Dorset, a fine example of a Jacobean house

The word "laune" dates back to the 16th century, but is thought to have its origins in the Celtic language, where it meant enclosure. And although it's unclear how this word became "lawn", the history of large areas of cut grass has been integral to British garden design since gardens were first created here in Tudor and Elizabethan times (see Montacute, top). They were used for social gatherings, and by the time Jacobean architecture had become fashionable, they became synonymous with aristocracy. Take Mapperton House in Dorset (above) as a fine example, where large areas of lawn are part of the garden design.

Rousham House is one of the best examples of William Kent's "landscape gardening" style

The garden at Rousham House in Oxfordshire is one of the finest examples of William Kent's work, and clearly demonstrates the style of gardening introduced in the 18th century - landscape gardening - where the lawn flows into the open landscape. Both he and Lancelot "Capability" Brown, brought British gardens to a new height when they started designing huge gardens, where emphasis is entirely on the overall aspect of the garden and blending it into the country beyond, using statuary and landscape features to draw your eye into the distance.

There's nothing more appealing than clean-mown lawn lines, seen here at Hever Castle

All gardeners know that lawns have become so accepted today that we spend considerable amounts of time working on them, mowing, weeding, feeding and replanting them! In fact the lawn industry, both here and overseas is not to be overlooked, because it provides a regular source of work during the summer for contractors, and those of us who have our own lawns probably spend a considerable proportion of our free time looking after them. And as Michael Pollan said: "A lawn is nature under totalitarian rule".

The croquet lawn at Lytes Cary in Somerset

And then of course there's our croquet and tennis lawns, dating back to the 19th century. The All England Croquet Club was formed in 1868 and there's nothing better than seeing a game in progress on a hot summer's day here in the UK. The All England Tennis Club was formed just a decade later in 1877 - both started new worldwide trends in ball games, and there can be few of us left who don't sometimes sneak in and watch play at Wimbledon on our televisions during the annual tournament! Notable National Trust gardens with croquet lawns include Lytes Cary Manor (above) and Hidcote (below).

If you can bear to leave the garden, find time to watch the croquet at Hidcote Manor

I'm sure that I, like most of us, prefer to look at a lawn rather than mow it and there's plenty of gardens here in the UK where you can do just that. And James Dent echoes my sentiments exactly, when he says: "A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing and the lawn mower is broken".

Is Seaford's Sandgate Close the UK's smallest botanical garden??

2011-08-10T23:46:00.003+01:00

I was invited to visit a garden in Seaford, East Sussex today that opens for both the National Gardens Scheme and other selected charities, but was lucky enough to get a private view! I was simply amazed by what I found when I arrived at Sandgate Close and spent well over an hour talking to the owner and taking photographs. This is undoubtedly a "Garden of Eden" and one to put on your Wish List, with more than 500 different plant species in under an eighth of an acre - perhaps it also qualifies as the smallest botanical garden in terms of acreage in Britain?

This plot is the brainchild of Denis and Aideen Jones, who arrived here in 1982, when there was nothing more than a poor quality lawn and 12 Leylandii along the back fence. Times have certainly changed and today they have one of the most impressive small plots I've seen on my gallopings so far. Enter through the garden gate and you are transported into a magical world of plant wizardry. Every inch of garden is covered with different plants and this is also a fine example of how to live without a lawn!

Everywhere you look in this tiny plot, flowers are blooming and you are drawn into a magical plant world that begs further investigation. I can't think of any better place to take children to teach them about plants; or grownups who love gardening. This is a veritable Plant Kingdom and a fine example of cottage style planting taken to extremes.

Clever use of mirrors makes the garden feel much larger than it is. So too do the winding pathways between the plants. But what I really liked about the Jones' approach to their garden is that they only use local suppliers to reduce "product miles', they recycle as much as they can, and produce their own compost. They are also committed to raising funds for local charities.

As said earlier, Denis and Aideen open their garden several days each year for charity, but they also open by appointment, and if you'd like to see the garden at Sandgate Close, you can mail Denis direct at deniswjones@gmail.com. I really enjoyed my visit, and returned home wishing that I could turn my garden into an equally magic plant kingdom! If you're going to be in the area, why not combine this with a visit to Driftwood, just down the road, and also open by appointment.

Knole - ancient deer park and birthplace of Vita Sackville-West

2011-08-09T11:20:00.000+01:00

The deer park at Knole dates back to medieval times

Finding gardens to visit during the summer holidays can be difficult, especially if you've got young kids. Beautiful borders and perfect parterres are unlikely to appeal to four year olds; teens are not going to be impressed with topiary; and grannies are unlikely to go galavanting in theme parks, even if they do have gorgeous greenery! But Knole in Kent might just satisfy all age groups - this is an ancient deer park, a house steeped in history and on Tuesdays, Lord Sackville opens his private gardens to the public.

One of Knole's 12 entrances

Knole is one of the finest examples of a "calendar" house surviving in Britain today - it has 365 rooms, 52 staircases, 12 entrances and seven courtyards. Vita Sackville-West, creator of Sissinghurst garden, was the daughter of Lionel, 3rd Lord Sackville and this was her childhood home. She said Knole "has the tone of England; it melts into the green of the garden turf, into the tawnier green of the park beyond, into the blue of the pale English sky".

Lord Sackville opens his private gardens on Tuesdays throughout the season

The house was built in the 15th century for Thomas Bouchier, Archbishop of Canterbury and became home to the Sackville family in 1603. Today the property is part-owned by the National Trust, with 43 acres of grounds, but the rest is still home to the Sackville-Wests. The gardens are only open to the public on Tuesdays, but are great for kids because there are large open spaces for them to run around in, and the deer will delight all ages.

Knole has 365 rooms and you get fine views of the house from the gardens

The grounds include what is reputed to be the largest walled garden in Britain - at 24 acres, plus formal gardens close to the house and a huge wilderness area, as well as the park in which deer roam freely. They are quite used to seeing people and on the day I visited were coming up to visitors in the car park. Of course, you are requested not to feed them, but there are plenty of photo ops with the family if you want pictures with "Bambi"! More than half of the trees in the park were blown down during the Great Storm of 1987, but 20,000 new trees have been planted since then.

There are plenty of places to walk in the park and gardens at Knole

Knole is located just at the edge of Sevenoaks and if you're looking for other properties nearby, there's Chartwell, former home of Winston Churchill, which I reviewed earlier this week and The World Garden at Lullingstone Castle - the unique garden created by Tom Hart-Dyke at his ancestral home.

In Winston Churchill's footsteps at Chartwell, Kent

2011-08-07T09:27:00.000+01:00

Chartwell, with its impressive magnolia grandiflora

It's not often you walk in a former Prime Minister's garden here in England, but you can do just that at Chartwell in Kent - home of Sir Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine for more than 50 years. The red-brick house (above), surrounded by 82 acres of gardens and parkland was his home throughout the war years and it was here that he spent all his free time with his family. The house is an extraordinary red-brick edifice, but the views over the surrounding countryside are magnificent and the gardens, now under the stewardship of the National Trust, are impressive.

Chartwell has magnificent views over the Weald of Kent

Winston Churchill had already seen one war when he and his family moved here in the winter of 1922. He loved this property and despite his commitments to his country, spent all his free time here for the next 40 years. He once said: "A day away from Chartwell is a day wasted". It completely absorbed him. He loved both the house and the views, and he created the much of the garden that is there today, by moving earth and dredging new lakes and spending much of his time bricklaying - a particular passion of this great statesman, who became an adult apprentice of the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers - and put his newly acquired skills to work at home.

Both Winston and Clementine were keen gardeners. He had a particular passion for fish and she loved her roses. So it's not surprising that both feature high on the list of outstanding features at the property today. When you arrive at Chartwell, you approach the house through Winston's water gardens, including his Golden Orfe pond (below), and Lady Churchill's rose garden - currently in full bloom and filled with the heady scent of English roses.

The Golden Orfe pond, where Winston Churchill like to sit and watch his fish

Most visitors come to Chartwell to see the house, still furnished as it was in Churchill's day and with many of his personal possessions on show. You can almost smell his cigar smoke as you wander through the interior! But the garden is also a tribute to the great man, particularly the large kitchen garden, where the family grew all the vegetables they needed throughout the war years. It has been changed since his death in 1965, but offers one of the most spectacular walled gardens in southern England.

This walled garden was no more than an orchard when the Churchills moved here, but during the 1930s Winston used his newly acquired brick-laying skills to turn this area into a protected kitchen garden and the family were able to grow most of what they needed during World War II. This tradition continues today as the National Trust has fully restored the area and is experimenting with vegetables, fruit and flowers. It's an impressive display and much of the produce grown is used in the restaurant here.

The Golden Rose Walk

Particularly memorable is the Golden Rose Walk (above) which bisects the kitchen garden - a Golden wedding anniversary gift to Sir Winston and Lady Churchill in 1958 from their children - which features only yellow and gold-hued roses. It's impressive when you see it from above, from the windows of the house, but even more so when you stroll through it and smell the flowers. Lady Churchill's rose garden is quite different and found at the rear of the house. You'll find roses in every colour there.

The kitchen garden, used by the Churchills, but renovated by the National Trust

Chartwell will certainly come as a surprise to garden lovers - it's a magnificent property and immaculately maintained. It passed to the National Trust on Winston Churchill's death, although Clementine remained here afterwards. The gardens remain open throughout the year, Wednesday-Sunday, but the house has restricted opening hours during the winter months (check Chartwell website for details). Notable gardens nearby include Charts Edge, Hever Castle and Titsey Place, which also has a fine walled garden.

Small is Beautiful II - Old Buckhurst, Kent

2011-08-05T07:57:00.002+01:00

Take a windy hilltop farmhouse in Kent with no garden, a lot of determination and what do you get? A delightful small cottage garden created out of nothing! When John and Jane Gladstone arrived at Old Buckhurst after the Great Storm of 1987, they had a completely blank canvas - there was no garden at all, and faced with the prospect of high winds on a hill top, they realised the task was somewhat daunting.

View of the house when there was no garden at all in 1987

But they set to work and now, nearly 25 years later, have one of the most enchanting cottage gardens in southern England. Both John and Jane were prepared to work hard on the garden and it's easy to see how their efforts have been rewarded. They open to visitors from April to September, and this is definitely a garden to visit if you're in the area in the next few weeks because it will fill you with inspiration.

Meandering paths wander through the garden rooms at Old Buckhurst

Jane was already a keen gardener when she arrived here and realised that the only way to protect their new plot against the elements was to plant an army of hardy hedges and trees on their boundary, to shield them from high winds. But the deeds of the property prohibited them from planting conifers, pines or yew, so they had to choose carefully. And then they started planting inwards, using shrubs and perennials to create the wonderful series of garden rooms that thrive there today.

Jane Gladstone is a talented plantswoman, who has filled the garden to overflowing

It's hard to believe that this garden only extends to two acres, because their are so many different areas and you wander from room to room marvelling at the colours, the variety of plants and the wonderful vistas and textures throughout. This garden is nothing short of genius when you consider that there wasn't a single plant here when they arrived.

At the heart of the garden there is a walled area with a pond - an inner sanctuary

The garden is on a series of levels, with paths winding through it and right at its heart is a charming walled area and pond (above) that makes you feel you've found a hidden paradise. Jane says she was much influenced by Margery Fish when it came to choosing plants and combinations, but even though she may have drawn on her cottage garden principles, there is little similarity between Old Buckhurst and East Lambrook Manor today. Jane is a talented plantswoman with her own distinctive style!

Open this weekend on Saturday and Sunday (11.00-17.00) and the first two weekends in September (3/4 and 10/11), this is a garden to visit if you can to enjoy a cottage garden at its best. Jane also sells plants and I came away with a car full - they're all thriving in my garden.

Small is beautiful - Alfriston Clergy House

2011-08-02T17:51:00.001+01:00

The Arts & Crafts terraces are a feature of the garden at Alfriston

Take a half timber-framed house in Sussex with a thatched roof, add three acres of gardens, throw in a little history and you've got a picture postcard of Olde England - it would be hard to find anywhere more representative of our ancient heritage on a glorious summer day than Alfriston Clergy House! I visited this afternoon and wanted to share this charming property with my readers.

The half timber-framed Clergy House dates from the mid 14th century

The house was built in the 14th century and sits at the edge of a village green, presided over by St Andrew's Church. It was derelict by the end of the 19th century, but was saved by the local vicar, Reverend Benyon. In 1896 the National Trust, which had been created just one year earlier by three Victorian philanthropists - Miss Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley - took the Clergy House on as their first historical property. Now, more than a century later, it continues to attract visitors from all over the world to look at both house and garden.

Former tenant, Sir Robert Witt, laid out and planted the Arts & Crafts style terraces at Alfriston

The house is framed on three sides by garden. At one side there is an orchard filled with medlar and quince; in the middle there are reed beds overlooking the River Cuckmere; and at the far end there are terraces, planted and decorated in Arts & Crafts style by the tenant who lived there in the 1920s - Sir Robert Witt - who brought the huge terracotta jars, which are such a notable feature here, back from his overseas travels.

The house overlooks the reed beds at the edge of the River Cuckmere

If you're going to visit Alfriston, it's well worth walking round the village too. This is a quintessential English hamlet, filled with charming small shops, pubs and restaurants. The Clergy House is open six days a week until the end of August 10.30-17.00 (closed on Thursdays). And if you fancy visiting other gardens in the area, Charleston is near by, as is Michelham Priory.

The flower and vegetable potager at Alfriston

Opera and artistic talent at West Green House garden

2011-08-01T12:25:00.006+01:00

West Green House is characterised by its abundant planting and wonderful colour displays

It's been a couple of years since I visited West Green House in Hampshire, created by garden diva, Marylyn Abbott, over the last 15 years. Marylyn has become a household gardening name, best known for her lavishly-illustrated books but has also created a unique garden at her National Trust home near Hartley Wintney, which opens to the public throughout the spring and summer months.

The Nymphaeum and Victorian moongate

It all began in 1993 when Abbott acquired a 99-year lease from the National Trust for the 18th century manor house and six acres of grounds. She was certainly no newcomer to gardening and had already created an impressive garden at her own home in Australia - Kennerton Green - in the southern highlands of New South Wales. However, West Green House was her first major project in a climate that is both unpredictable and unforgiving, particularly in the winter months, although it's easy to see the similarities between the two gardens (click on link for slide show of Kennerton).

The Paradise garden

Part of the charm of West Green House is its many different garden areas - ranging in style from a magnificent decorative potager to a wildflower meadow, punctuated with interesting architectural features including a Nymphaeum, Victorian moongate and classical statuary to Marylyn's own modern touches: the Dragon and Alice gardens. And as former marketing manager to the Sydney Opera House, she's also introduced a summer opera season to the garden, which attracts a full house for every performance.

The potager has elegant fruit cages designed by Olive Ford

One of the most striking features of the gardens here is the abundant use of strong colours. The inner garden includes the walled garden, which provides a stunning visual display throughout the seasons and has been totally restored since Abbott arrived here. Divided into two parts - a lawned area, with stunning herbaceous plants that change throughout the seasons and a potager with decorative fruit cages (above). Most visitors are so entranced by this section of the garden that they cluster here with camera in hand, but rest assured this is just one of many photo ops at West Green House!

The Alice Garden

Outside the walls, there's the impressive Nymphaeum with it's moongate entrance (above) and wide water steps and fountain designed by Quinlan Terry; the Paradise garden with its intricate rill and fountains; ponds traversed by bridges that lead to islands; the Alice Garden where you can have your own Mad Hatter's tea party (above), with its immaculately tended box parterre, and closer to the house, the green theatre and orangery (below).

This year sees West Green House garden open from April to the end of September on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays (11.00 - 16.00), but get there at either end of the day if you want to avoid the coach parties. Its proximity to London makes this a favourite with garden visit companies and you can find yourself overwhelmed by ladies in search of lavender! Marylyn Abbot's latest book: 'The Resilient Garden' gives a real insight into the garden here and provides lots of innovative ideas for "planning and planting for unpredictable weather". There's also a Temple Garden in the making, due to open 2012!

Outside the garden walls there is a vast area of parkland at West Green House

Goodbye July - Visits to both Hampton Courts and much more

2011-07-30T23:39:00.001+01:00

It's the end of July and hard to believe that we're moving fast towards autumn. But it's been a great month for visiting gardens, new people and new places, starting with Hampton Court flower show. Lots to see there and some really interesting concepts like the "Excuse me while I kiss the sky" garden (above).

How Caple Court, Herefordshire, which has a decaying Arts & Crafts garden

I saw several gardens for the first time this month and was lucky enough to spend a few days in Herefordshire, where I visited Hampton Court, Hergest Croft, How Caple Court, Westonbury Water Mill Gardens and Little Malvern Court in nearby Worcestershire. All well worth visiting!

Painswick is the only Rococo garden in Britain - open all year and well worth visiting

Then there were visits to Painswick Rococo - the only garden of its kind in Europe - and Restoration House in Kent. Other highlights this month included my visit to Driftwood - one of the most interesting small gardens I've ever encountered; the opening of Sussex Prairies' new Art in the Garden exhibition; and my glorious new sculpture in my garden by Robin Johnson of Driftline (below).

Art in the Garden at Sussex Prairies - well worth a visit if you're in the area

New acquaintances included internationally renowned garden designer John Brookes; fellow Sussex garden blogger, Roz of Sussex Gardens; and garden designer, Caro Garland, who has her own blog.

Denmans - the glorious garden created by internationally-acclaimed garden designer, John Brookes

I'd hoped to make it to Seattle to join fellow garden bloggers at the Garden Bloggers Fling, but sadly my husband's ill health put paid to that. The same applied to my planned visit to Highgrove, but in the event, I would have been miserable, since cameras aren't allowed! But perhaps I'll make it next year.

The amonite in my garden, created by Robin Johnson

Funky Friday - Art in the Garden at Sussex Prairies

2011-07-28T19:31:00.001+01:00

Regular readers know that Sussex Prairies is one of my favourite gardens and that owners Paul and Pauline McBride are designing the garden at Disha Hospital in India. This weekend sees the opening of their "Art in the Garden" exhibition, and here's a selection of some of the exhibits on view.

Open the first weekend of every month, plus Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from now until October, this is a garden to visit if you can! I haven't seen all the exhibits yet, but will be there tomorrow for a sneak preview and promise to post more pictures next week. And for all of you who've commented on the header ... yes, it's Sussex Prairies!

Secret gardens of Kent - Rochester's Restoration House

2011-07-26T10:11:00.000+01:00

Restoration House is within the old city walls of Rochester

Restoration House in Rochester is one of Kent's best-kept garden secrets! It was built in 1587 - a handsome brick house at the heart of this thriving cathedral city - and it's said that Charles II stayed here on 28th May 1660 at his Restoration. Hence the name. But for garden lovers this is a hidden gem waiting to be explored, along with the rest of the city. Privately owned and maintained, the garden has been open to the public since 2000 and extends to just under an acre.

The pond is based on the design of a Queen Anne Mirror

Restoration House is famous not just for its Royalist connections, but was also immortalised by Charles Dickens in "Great Expectations" as the Satis House where Miss Havisham lived. Little history is known about the garden, but it is the current owners who have done most of the work here. They arrived in 1994 and have created not just the magical garden at the rear of the house, but have also rescued an adjacent plot from the clutches of property developers and are planning to extend the garden.

The elaborate parterre is a replica of a Jacobean door design

".... continual entertainment to the eye ..."

At the rear of the house is the garden, which is divided into levels by mellow brick walls. Close to the house there are low box hedges and a network of brick and stone paths. Particularly impressive is the ornate parterre which replicates the design of the Jacobean doors at the front and rear of the house. Elsewhere in the garden there are Gothic arches, an ornamental pool, well-stocked fruit, vegetable and cutting gardens and even a miniature wildflower meadow! This really is an idyllic little sanctuary within the city walls of this ancient city.

And then there are other innovations like the brick greenhouse, roofed in fishscale glass tiles which are replicas of those discovered at an ancient discovery at Heligan Gardens in Cornwall. Elsewhere there are immaculately clipped hedges and a long border filled with maturing shrubs and wonderful colourful perennials. This is certainly a garden to savour and the more you look, the more detail you will see.

The owners were determined to follow Batty Langley Principles of Gardening 1728 when they embarked on this project: "The end and design of a good garden is to be both profitable and delightful: where should be observed, that its parts should be always presenting new objects, which is a continual entertainment to the eye, and raises a pleasure of imagination".

Well stocked fruit, vegetable and cutting gardens are a feature here at Restoration House

In 2007, the site adjacent to Restoration House was stripped in preparation for a housing development, but then a Tudor wall was brought to the notice of English Heritage and Listed Grade II, which halted the development and gave the owners of this property a chance to acquire the site. They plan to develop a further garden here once restoration of the wall has been completed, but to do this they need to raise considerable funds. But this is certainly a project to watch and if the existing garden is anything to go by, I'm sure they'll succeed.

There's even a mini wildflower meadow here in the garden!

It's worth making a special trip to Rochester to see this garden, and you could easily spend a whole day exploring the rest of the city, because there's plenty to see here. Restoration House is only open on Thursdays and Fridays (June to September) from 10.00-17.00, but if you're looking to combine it with another garden, head for The World Garden at Lullingstone Castle, which couldn't be more different!