There’s not really a word for Super Horticultral Museum Slash Park, is there? Not been yet, but this is how I think of Wisley, for example, which I like very much. But there are gardens and gardens, and for my preferred type I need to feel that there’s a gardener, or at least to sense their ghost wafting about the place tutting at what the new lot are doing with the planting. The other type is great when I want a cream tea and to gen up on my plant knowledge without having to say “are you really sure??” to a plant app 17 times before it admits it had no idea and was just trying to make me happy by suggesting any old nonsense.
Yes, it’s worth knowing what you want from a a visit before going a distance. But you need a good basic plant knowledge to benefit from plant labelling or a plant app.
I suppose 'if you make gardens with bulldozers' is the point, isn't it? Maybe that's why a lot of Capability Brown stuff leaves me a bit cold, too. If you've got the resources to completely reshape the whole landscape, ok, well done you, but it's 1) a little bit like cheating and 2) you've lost any of the interesting difficult bits that give it a personality. I'm not *super* convinced it's a great way to showcase plants either. I kind of want to know where those plants will thrive *without* the previous intervention of the bulldozer and the tonnes of moved soil, right?!
Well, Veddw is a different context - ie a personal garden. I have always wanted to preserve the footprints of everyone else who has been here - and they have left their traces.
And you’re right - it is these idiosyncrasies which create character.
Thinking about all this, I looked up Alexander Pope’s words when writing this post - “In all, let nature never be forgot. Consult the genius of place in all, that tells the water rise or fall.” And discovered something interesting about Rousham…. (next time!)
I loved the Cool Garden,.I have so many photos of it. I'd like to copy the rill one day. I wasn't that bothered about the labelling it looks a bit naff butI found it incredibly useful when I was thinking about replacing the box hedging, lots of interesting ideas. All in all, I found it a place of lots of ideas still. But I also agree about the Hot Garden. I expected to love it but thought it was a bit blah.
Completely agree Anne. We visited a couple of years ago. It felt a little like a posh garden centre, but did have some genuinely lovely bits which you’ve highlighted.
We weren’t disappointed but we didn’t come away thinking wow either.
Of all the RHS gardens I think visually, Wisley is still my favourite, followed by Bodnant.
My non RHS favourite (at the moment) is actually the closest to me. Woollerton Hall. It’s fabulous and because it’s smaller, you feel more intimate & connected with it.
I haven’t yet been to Sissinghurst, Great Dixter, Gravetye OR yours yet so I’m not really in a position to judge.
I loved Highgrove too. That was quite special as it gardens with William Robinson in mind, which is crucial for me.
I’m sure you’re probably right but in his book he rails against annuals and formal planting and prescribes native plants being allowed to thrive and establish their own rhythms within a garden.
As a brief aside I was once driven through Kew gardens (while open) at about 40mph by Elizabeth Banks. I can't give much comment on her garden design game but I have a lot to say about her approach to the sanctity of the lives of the hoi polloi.
After today's trip and Trebah tomorrow I think it best to miss this one out, I'm indebted to you for your review.
I’ve been there once and thought it was ok but no more. We liked that rock place too but the rest of it was nothing special. And too big, tiring in a day visit.
Did I enjoy the visit? Well, yes, cos I was with you. If I’d have gone on my own there wasn’t much I would have enjoyed as I’m more interested in gardens than plants. And for me in the entire area the only garden spaces I liked were, as you say, the Cool Garden and the underpass. That’s pretty slim pickings for a huge area. And even the Cool Garden shouted “wheel chair friendly” and I didn’t like the sculpture.
Never been to that one so thank you for the brutally honest review. I think as long as they tell you in advance what the garden is all about (which seems like they do) then it's ok and people know what to expect or just dont go at all if they are looking for something else. The established stone gulley garden looks nice, that would probably be my favourite too.
I laughed at the photo of the apparently sad child. I would be sad, too, if I went to see a garden and I got a geometrically pruned hedge and a lawn scalped brutally short. 😅 Thanks for the amusing labels, too. Glad you enjoyed the tea!
There’s not really a word for Super Horticultral Museum Slash Park, is there? Not been yet, but this is how I think of Wisley, for example, which I like very much. But there are gardens and gardens, and for my preferred type I need to feel that there’s a gardener, or at least to sense their ghost wafting about the place tutting at what the new lot are doing with the planting. The other type is great when I want a cream tea and to gen up on my plant knowledge without having to say “are you really sure??” to a plant app 17 times before it admits it had no idea and was just trying to make me happy by suggesting any old nonsense.
Yes, it’s worth knowing what you want from a a visit before going a distance. But you need a good basic plant knowledge to benefit from plant labelling or a plant app.
I suppose 'if you make gardens with bulldozers' is the point, isn't it? Maybe that's why a lot of Capability Brown stuff leaves me a bit cold, too. If you've got the resources to completely reshape the whole landscape, ok, well done you, but it's 1) a little bit like cheating and 2) you've lost any of the interesting difficult bits that give it a personality. I'm not *super* convinced it's a great way to showcase plants either. I kind of want to know where those plants will thrive *without* the previous intervention of the bulldozer and the tonnes of moved soil, right?!
Well, Veddw is a different context - ie a personal garden. I have always wanted to preserve the footprints of everyone else who has been here - and they have left their traces.
And you’re right - it is these idiosyncrasies which create character.
Thinking about all this, I looked up Alexander Pope’s words when writing this post - “In all, let nature never be forgot. Consult the genius of place in all, that tells the water rise or fall.” And discovered something interesting about Rousham…. (next time!)
I loved the Cool Garden,.I have so many photos of it. I'd like to copy the rill one day. I wasn't that bothered about the labelling it looks a bit naff butI found it incredibly useful when I was thinking about replacing the box hedging, lots of interesting ideas. All in all, I found it a place of lots of ideas still. But I also agree about the Hot Garden. I expected to love it but thought it was a bit blah.
The labelling is potentially helpful if you have enough knowledge to know when they are totally wrong!
That's true!
The Rock Gully is stunning.
It reminds me of several places in New Zealand where the warm, damp climate allows this sort of glorious growth naturally.
Were there any tree ferns?
I do not enjoy tree ferns, so, I think I would have noticed. They do seem to be everywhere though, so it’s surprising.
Ahem. You can see how slightly abrupt she is when she’s unaware she’s talking to a family member! And she’s got a real anti tree fern thing.
Whoops! Sorry! I do loathe them and it does show!
Completely agree Anne. We visited a couple of years ago. It felt a little like a posh garden centre, but did have some genuinely lovely bits which you’ve highlighted.
We weren’t disappointed but we didn’t come away thinking wow either.
I guess public gardens like that are a challenge. Do you prefer any others?
Of all the RHS gardens I think visually, Wisley is still my favourite, followed by Bodnant.
My non RHS favourite (at the moment) is actually the closest to me. Woollerton Hall. It’s fabulous and because it’s smaller, you feel more intimate & connected with it.
I haven’t yet been to Sissinghurst, Great Dixter, Gravetye OR yours yet so I’m not really in a position to judge.
I loved Highgrove too. That was quite special as it gardens with William Robinson in mind, which is crucial for me.
How come William Robinson ?
Bodnant still has that individual, family garden feel about it, I think?
I loved the Piet Oudolf work at Wisley.
That gardens should be part of and reflect nature and be natural (as much as any managed garden can be I guess)
It was nice to see Piet on tv recently.
His gardens are really wonderful although I’m probably more cottage garden than prairie in my own garden.
Soils are too rich & moist.
Yes, prairie has its limits. Where was Piet on tv? I missed that.
Didn’t Robinson have his share of formal garden or am I wrong about that?
I’m sure you’re probably right but in his book he rails against annuals and formal planting and prescribes native plants being allowed to thrive and establish their own rhythms within a garden.
Quite ahead of his time I think.
Yes, I think he was.
Any meadow left for a few lifetimes in your climate is going to look like a forest.
They can look a lot more rough after a few months.
A meadow’s annual cut stops them turning into forest. I think ours was also pasture for a while - it was a lot rougher when we arrived.
Thank you.
As a brief aside I was once driven through Kew gardens (while open) at about 40mph by Elizabeth Banks. I can't give much comment on her garden design game but I have a lot to say about her approach to the sanctity of the lives of the hoi polloi.
After today's trip and Trebah tomorrow I think it best to miss this one out, I'm indebted to you for your review.
I take it the hoi polloi managed to get out of your way?
I hope you have some rewarding visiting now.
All did but some only by the merest whisker.
Thank you 💚
Blimey
I’ve been there once and thought it was ok but no more. We liked that rock place too but the rest of it was nothing special. And too big, tiring in a day visit.
Yes, interesting question - what is the optimal size of a garden to visit?
Did I enjoy the visit? Well, yes, cos I was with you. If I’d have gone on my own there wasn’t much I would have enjoyed as I’m more interested in gardens than plants. And for me in the entire area the only garden spaces I liked were, as you say, the Cool Garden and the underpass. That’s pretty slim pickings for a huge area. And even the Cool Garden shouted “wheel chair friendly” and I didn’t like the sculpture.
Never been to that one so thank you for the brutally honest review. I think as long as they tell you in advance what the garden is all about (which seems like they do) then it's ok and people know what to expect or just dont go at all if they are looking for something else. The established stone gulley garden looks nice, that would probably be my favourite too.
It was a pleasure.
I laughed at the photo of the apparently sad child. I would be sad, too, if I went to see a garden and I got a geometrically pruned hedge and a lawn scalped brutally short. 😅 Thanks for the amusing labels, too. Glad you enjoyed the tea!
Thank you - so good to hear when I’m expecting to be thrown into outer darkness.
The discerning garden visitor.
workbooks?