tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85858174107170843562024-02-07T22:26:07.942+00:00Residential Landscape Architect...... in training!Tales and trials of becoming a garden designer starting with a year of studying Residential Landscape Architecture (Garden Design to you and me!), at the Oxford College of Garden Design in 2009/2010 year group.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger163125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-9523660207266810402012-01-04T09:04:00.000+00:002012-01-04T09:13:42.177+00:00More new blogs to readI had a year off last year, well from this blog but to be honest I missed it, the new blog is slightly more serious, well it is supposed to be! about latest trends in plants and design and things to see and do and of course design and designers, personal comment necessarily remain professional, no ranting or frustration expression there!<br />
<br />
Like any good business plan, I suppose, one has to decide the purpose of a blog in the same way as one decides the purpose and goals of a business. Just blabbing onto the internet page without direction seems a bit messy and unsatisfying.<br />
<br />
So I am aiming to come back to this resurrect this blog and talk about the process of building a business now that I am trained and a slightly 'battle hardened'. As always comment is most welcome as are offers of work, gainful or otherwise.<br />
<br />
The website is up and running and can be found at<br />
<a href="http://www.rosewarnegardens.com/">www.rosewarnegardens.com</a><br />
<br />
I am also toying with the idea of a second site for the Iris but for now they reside at<br />
<a href="http://miniaturetallbeardediris.wordpress.com/">http://miniaturetallbeardediris.wordpress.com/</a><br />
and<br />
<a href="http://beardedandblousey.blogspot.com/">http://beardedandblousey.blogspot.com/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-53623853239314005722010-10-27T21:58:00.001+01:002012-01-04T08:57:18.556+00:00NEW Blog!I have started a new blog to <a href="http://www.rosewarnegardendesigns.wordpress.com/">www.rosewarnegardendesigns.wordpress.com</a><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-63387796224632189342010-10-21T22:02:00.003+01:002010-10-23T16:38:13.412+01:00Knoll Gardens & Neil LucasGrass man <a href="http://www.knollgardens.co.uk/">Neil Lucas</a> is a joy to listen to. Interesting and humorous and incredibly knowledgable about his topic...GRASSES of course.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9T0PrVEOv5_MJ7of7yyCcrKJgAMlYGm4vzHNLIcrukR5vOgxcfj-7WY6-oOdy24dbf7N6bTNBolW5aNwRuUlp07s3z-bEKVXdLTfqu7IHRcfJS7qawJ2WLs3PdZC2XaVzSm8LoJW4ioeE/s1600/DSC_9802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9T0PrVEOv5_MJ7of7yyCcrKJgAMlYGm4vzHNLIcrukR5vOgxcfj-7WY6-oOdy24dbf7N6bTNBolW5aNwRuUlp07s3z-bEKVXdLTfqu7IHRcfJS7qawJ2WLs3PdZC2XaVzSm8LoJW4ioeE/s320/DSC_9802.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<br />
About 20 'garden designers' and hangers on followed him and his assistant Luke around the glorious<a href="http://thestudentgardendesigner.blogspot.com/2009/10/grasses-grasses-everywhere.html"> Knoll Garden</a> this afternoon soaking up the knowledge and even asking one or two pertinent questions.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogLtKfjNVe3d9drQVzb4_W64rlhu7Rj1QyFg8ac-ON4qZaxzDXkceC_HXqKwwnrmo0S60cMP34YaKbX73LyuI6Zy9GtaMO9-m6AYfDdQtswW0pa_3t0gdR4jdNiZyizBmmZAM_wNThiSl/s1600/DSC_9823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogLtKfjNVe3d9drQVzb4_W64rlhu7Rj1QyFg8ac-ON4qZaxzDXkceC_HXqKwwnrmo0S60cMP34YaKbX73LyuI6Zy9GtaMO9-m6AYfDdQtswW0pa_3t0gdR4jdNiZyizBmmZAM_wNThiSl/s320/DSC_9823.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
The gardens look spectacular at the moment and apparently will do so long in December. If you haven't been GO GO GO. The Euonymus make it worth while and that's before you set eyes on the sweeping grasses and trees.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnUIRd8BpZ13CIQaPBJkJdgoz_Lp1xbdorvpUKQK9OlqIOMg8C3PKI3dDbzIY62xQMQ8oEPuHy46OBYivyFaNOt4Vu_OQ1uUdQwrCqOyQ37aVVz7PbcCNhBhPVaQdaTUZSl0ut7CN-C5l/s1600/DSC_9806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnUIRd8BpZ13CIQaPBJkJdgoz_Lp1xbdorvpUKQK9OlqIOMg8C3PKI3dDbzIY62xQMQ8oEPuHy46OBYivyFaNOt4Vu_OQ1uUdQwrCqOyQ37aVVz7PbcCNhBhPVaQdaTUZSl0ut7CN-C5l/s320/DSC_9806.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Managed to escape with no more than 3 plants which is an achievement.<br />
<br />
Panicum Heavy Metal, <a href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://blog.zhaw.ch/n_exterior/uploads/Molinia_karl_foerster2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://blog.zhaw.ch/n_exterior/index.php%3F/archives/54-Rohrartiges-Pfeifengas-Molinia-arundinacea.html&usg=__B_i5XQp1dyY_aCLS599hXT650DM=&h=425&w=600&sz=110&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=lXucTzF8NZ8M1M:&tbnh=131&tbnw=196&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmolinia%2Barundinacea%2Bkarl%2Bfoerster%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1938%26bih%3D1167%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=1277&vpy=81&dur=2717&hovh=189&hovw=267&tx=175&ty=112&ei=WqzATLmpB5Lm4gbH9ICDDQ&oei=TqzATJf2DseR4gbrotXeCw&esq=5&page=1&ndsp=80&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0">Molinia arundinacea 'Karl Foerster'</a> and <a href="http://www.shootgardening.co.uk/plant/miscanthus-nepalensis">Miscanthus nepalensis</a> with it's frothy bronze fronds...of course division will be taken from a friends hoard of 4 grasses, so in reality there are 7 new additions to be squeezed in come spring!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp465SgwwTs4ogTDYLTvEcs9N3rfL9XwdpNzyKPEv-dgGsdfjhmeLeZQFl0dHXqz5LKm1_q6IQf-Lf2y0UKah4YpSXVHej8Pn08aGpEdIfxOJOz6Gu8d2lkln2n1TmsCZxd-FzZgryNUPT/s1600/DSC_9865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp465SgwwTs4ogTDYLTvEcs9N3rfL9XwdpNzyKPEv-dgGsdfjhmeLeZQFl0dHXqz5LKm1_q6IQf-Lf2y0UKah4YpSXVHej8Pn08aGpEdIfxOJOz6Gu8d2lkln2n1TmsCZxd-FzZgryNUPT/s320/DSC_9865.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
was inspired by the Paperbark Mulberry<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6eNUbjThiJz7zqvPDouq0gSvxE_J_iikATZxvMlAsk32LD6mjT-YsHh1p_I8Gl5M1bkShCazkxV_ZaZlWCnEWEObCjproiyYJ_qPLTBxhEUl9C0X1f55NFH-s-Ix090lrIEVa1k9hNcJ/s1600/DSC_9810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6eNUbjThiJz7zqvPDouq0gSvxE_J_iikATZxvMlAsk32LD6mjT-YsHh1p_I8Gl5M1bkShCazkxV_ZaZlWCnEWEObCjproiyYJ_qPLTBxhEUl9C0X1f55NFH-s-Ix090lrIEVa1k9hNcJ/s320/DSC_9810.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>and the pruning techniques<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-OSSopjYs3_OgcKS_9rCvYkhjCokZIFdxzVOT-PGafWCkyTa1yxWVq3KemnWE3aMzeqbAx2YRDmwzfp0wvl41O6uSuHC59M0AGCtzHBxhdN18ys7qdMkZyB35n-vwcEFqyv5EaTvvj_L/s1600/DSC_9893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-OSSopjYs3_OgcKS_9rCvYkhjCokZIFdxzVOT-PGafWCkyTa1yxWVq3KemnWE3aMzeqbAx2YRDmwzfp0wvl41O6uSuHC59M0AGCtzHBxhdN18ys7qdMkZyB35n-vwcEFqyv5EaTvvj_L/s320/DSC_9893.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-73269882775672690322010-10-20T09:22:00.000+01:002010-10-20T09:22:30.971+01:00RAM's and Windows XPWell as I discover more and more about hardware supporting software it all seems to get more complex. I discovered yesterday that although I upgraded the RAM on my lappy last year from 2gb to 4gb becasue I am running Windows XP as my OS (therefore 32bit) it cannot optimise the increased memory but can only use 3.something of it...darn no wonder it failed with renderworks, if only I'd known I could have simply upped the OS and the RAM instead of buying the Mac i5..........ok well thankfully I didn't know so got the joyous i5 as compensation for my own lack of research!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-61588829950817414562010-10-15T20:30:00.000+01:002010-10-15T20:30:27.846+01:00Well here I am .......employed!I know a bit of a shock for me too dear reader.<br />
<br />
One minute I was hot footing it down the self employed, starting my own business route and the next I have a job, well a 6 month full time contract with a possibility of a permanent role later. And yes as you ask, as a designer/project manager. Of course there is the usual trial period while we both suss out if it's a good fit but even so it has been a remarkably quick process and I find myself in a company where I will learn ALL about the build side of things, assuming the trial period is successful!<br />
<br />
Exciting (read terrifying!) and a challenge to be sure.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-85548861536745108412010-10-11T16:26:00.000+01:002010-10-11T16:26:05.166+01:00DO you know which soil you are on?Do you know which soil you re on? quite possibly but when it comes to being a Garden Designer soil-scapes can change pretty fast.<br />
<br />
This little tool from Cranfield University is rather a godsend for these matters.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.landis.org.uk/soilscapes/">http://www.landis.org.uk/soilscapes/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-55710880390133519842010-10-10T10:48:00.003+01:002010-10-10T11:18:57.077+01:00OCGD going from strength to strengthHaving completed the OCGD P<a href="http://www.garden-design-courses.co.uk/curriculum.htm">ost Grad Diploma</a> in September, 'coming down' has been a bit more drawn out than I thought it would be!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.garden-design-courses.co.uk/faculty/dheather.htm">Duncan</a> (the college principal) has completely revamped the course and started the <a href="http://www.garden-design-courses.co.uk/pgdipcourse/online_garden_design_course.htm">first online 'virtual reality' course</a> which runs alongside the terrestrial 'real reality' version now located in the beautiful <a href="http://www.conference-oxford.com/?p=conf_venues_hughs">Maplethorpe building</a> of Oxford's St Hughs college. No wonder they have DOUBLED the student numbers for this years courses!<br />
<br />
Lucky for us, the OCGD alumni, that we have full access to this excellent set of material AND the forum that goes along side it AND all the <a href="http://www.garden-design-courses.co.uk/pgdipcourse/masterclasses.htm">masterclasses</a> running this year, and of course, our ongoing and inspiring, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/ocgd/">Flickr group</a> still loaded with new imagery. So my withdrawal symptoms from all the intense studies, practicals and academics can be soothed somewhat by a moderate amount of immersion in all things designer-yUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-87118837427980024912010-10-07T12:48:00.001+01:002010-10-07T17:12:47.245+01:00Coming soonA new educator is about to hit the web, reportedly the end of this month. Backed by some serious design and horticultural clout, not to mention the web savvy marketeers, it should be worth the register and a follow: Find them at:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.my-garden-school.com/">http://www.my-garden-school.com/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-1855256566010340522010-10-01T13:43:00.002+01:002010-10-01T13:49:44.163+01:00Have you seen the Garden Museum or Piet Oudolf?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">No? Well neither have I but both will be remedied at a 'members only' lecture hosted by the</span><a href="http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Garden Museum</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> in October entitled </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk/events/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Going Dutch: Piet Oudolf - His Life and Work</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Am thrilled to now be described as a 'Country Friend', of the Garden Museum, which sounds so Jane Austen!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">All the other lectures are sold out, unsurprisingly, due in part no doubt to a large editorial in the Telegraph on Saturday</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Note to self: buy the telegraph on Saturday!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-16195321617765739912010-09-29T13:16:00.001+01:002010-09-29T22:40:23.074+01:00Are design competitions worth the time and effort?I am just back from the post office more extortion as they extracted the cost of getting a <a href="http://www.sgd.org.uk/student_green/student_appl_reqs.aspx">competition entry</a> submitted in time. OK so it's my own fault for leaving it until the last minute but really, £5.05? for delivering an A4 envelope, a light A4 envelope, to an address a mere two counties away?!<br />
<br />
That said I am thrilled at the achievement of getting not one but two essays/articles written in the last few weeks. I'm not that hopeful about winning anything or even being placed but on a personal level I am proud of myself for knuckling down and writing first a Historical Review of a local <a href="http://www.wimpole.org/">National Trust</a> garden, Wimpole Hall and secondly, perhaps even more surprisingly, for sitting down this morning at 7am and writing solidly for 5 hours to produce a creditable 2000 words on a garden visit I made in late summer, The <a href="http://www.dorothyclivegarden.co.uk/">Dorothy Clive Garden</a> in Shropshire.<br />
<br />
Am now wondering how it took me 4 weeks to write the first one which was only 1300 words longer! I am going to blame the research angle entirely, and yes the research took weeks :)<br />
<br />
After the remains of today off, next week I am thinking about getting started on an entry for the <a href="http://www.chrisbeardshaw.com/scholarship.asp">Chris Beardshaw mentoring program.</a><br />
<br />
Oh and once the results are out I'll publish both here, if of course they don't win awards and thereby publishing restrictions ;)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-11250831444742771782010-09-28T14:07:00.002+01:002010-10-02T11:46:51.047+01:00Noel KingsburyShould really have posted the day I got back so inspired was I, but life got the better of me and here I am 6 days later putting finger to keyboard ( pen to paper sounds so much nicer!).<br />
<br />
Organised by an <a href="http://www.sgd.org.uk/the_workshop.aspx">SGD</a> member in Bishops Stortford some 50+ designers arrived at <a href="http://www.writtle.ac.uk//pge_MainDisplay.cfm?ID=290&Format=N">Writtle</a> enthused about the lecture from <a href="http://www.noelkingsbury.com/Biography.htm">Dr Noel Kingsbury</a>.<br />
<br />
Not quite sure what to expect I was surprised by how youthful he seemed - I am becoming increasingly ageist it would seem! His credentials seem to stretch forever and his comment that he began a nursery at the same time as <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/tv_and_radio/presenterbiogs_j.shtml">Carol Klein</a> started her Devon nursery, made me do a double take.<br />
<br />
A fascinating and thought provoking lecture ensued as he covered succession, right plant right place and how to actually do that well. Asking us to consider the effects on maintenance (reduction!) and longevity (much longer) of our designed gardens should we take this approach.<br />
<br />
As I am sure you know by now I am more plants than design (sorry <a href="http://www.ocgd.org/">Duncan</a>!) and as the day went on I began to realise that a passion for plants can really enable a vision for design or maybe that should be a creative expression. Really understanding my media (the plants) and what makes them work well is going to unlock a whole world of possibilities. Because lets face it whilst many new varieties pop up at our yearly RHS shows, in the main, new genus and species do not get discovered every day and even if they did, the time to the typical gardening market is S L O W W W W.<br />
<br />
We spent the morning in a darkened lecture theatre where I learnt that Dr K could do with some help on his powerpoint presentations though obviously not the content therein. In the afternoon we wandered through the rather fabulous gardens of the college, putting what we had learned in the morning into practice and trying, in our smaller groups, to identify the various types of plant matter and it's growing patterns. <br />
<br />
Obviously the opportunity to ask as many questions as you like to someone as knowledgeable as Dr K was brilliant and I felt that spark of excitement when you know you've met a kindred spirit, an inspiring and gifted teacher and consequently someone you can learn a LOT from.<br />
<br />
I now have all his books (slowing working my way through them!) and will be keeping an eagle eye out for further opportunities to take courses with him.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-25070277139776216902010-09-19T14:10:00.001+01:002010-09-19T14:15:38.173+01:00Web Site DesignerWell I am officially working with a small local-ish company to design my corporate ID and if we work well together and the quote for web design is within budget we will do the website together too.<br />
<br />
Have to say it was a pleasure to meet two clearly clued up desinger-y types with a non nonsense, no fuss approach, a beautiful inspiring 'office' space and clearly an understanding that for a truly good design, being functional is vital - I hark back to a previous professional life where the founders company motto was heartwarmingly focused and simple:-<br />
<b>"Functional should be beautiful and beautiful must be affordable"</b><br />
<br />
The process of finding <a href="http://www.suttonco.co.uk/">SuttonCo</a> was an interesting one that led me to scads of 'local' web designer sites which were hideous and not remotely fit for purpose not to mention ugly, ugly, ugly!<br />
<br />
Reminding me AGAIN that <b>good</b> design, be it website, corporate, interior or garden is not as common nor easy to find as one might think it would be. But I do say thank heaven for the web otherwise I would not have found them nor been able to research them through <a href="http://suttonco.posterous.com/">blog</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/suttonco">social media</a> and <a href="http://www.petersutton.co.uk/">more</a>....so guys and gals social media marketing works!<br />
<br />
In between times I have been back to some gardens for a second photogrpah, and look, <a href="http://thestudentgardendesigner.blogspot.com/2009/10/wisley.html">Wisely</a> and <a href="http://thestudentgardendesigner.blogspot.com/2009/10/savill-garden.html">The Savil</a> last week and Wimpole Hall yesterday. When I get 5 minutes I will post imagesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-78268074400683660552010-09-13T18:58:00.001+01:002010-09-13T19:00:12.941+01:00Website DesignMoving into the next phase of the transition to Garden Designer has me researching not only web designers but websites and I am surprised by the number of eminently capable designers who do such a poor job of designing their own website.<br />
<br />
It si as if they throw out all the principles they have leant and, well, and what?!<br />
<br />
Today I came across a real classic, oh it's elegant the person is a top designer who has won awards and plenty of press BUT BUT BUT, their internet showcase fails to deliver anything but a suspicion that their web designer took them for a ride, an expensive one!.<br />
<br />
Text banged up against a table edge on one side and miles away from the other - making it look mean and out of proportion, so much flash you give up after the first 3 pages, content text so small, text so similar in tone it is barely visible on the page and content so 'blah blah blah' you switch off before the flash even finishes :), headers the change from a readable font to an illegible one as you 'roll-over' it - probably the ' clients choice' but it remains a poor one.<br />
<br />
Ok enough of annihilating this designer sites - and no I will not say who's it is...well unless you offer bribery then I might consider it.<br />
<br />
It is not the first, nor the last to demonstrate such a clear ignorance about the medium in which they are marketing themselves. Web goers are a short attention spanned lot, and I include myself in this, we want it NOW, we want it CLEAR, we want it to scream WELL DESIGNED and we do not want pretension - unless it is of the uber cool variety!<br />
<br />
Needless to say I am still hunting for my 'within budget' web designer......Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-3378714890520004692010-08-28T13:00:00.001+01:002010-08-28T13:01:39.107+01:00Can it really be done?Well here I am done and dusted. Final project, the soft landscape portfolio, printed packed and posted. A sense of overwhelming relief followed that final piece of information landing in the right place but it wasn't until posting it that the real sense of 'it's done, finished' hit me.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginFnzvzXp3hJuzBnv95_dRRkB4ovFQ54PVQWw8DtD64zTWlbCcZF1WZORj690LT-tu_mJcriyoijnkIZD-vLB7mqYDZ_-Ab2nSGBfAZG8Svc1WpgrX6jOWf_SPJxVeZAG5D29Z-Y1Y9Lq/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-08-28+at+12.55.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginFnzvzXp3hJuzBnv95_dRRkB4ovFQ54PVQWw8DtD64zTWlbCcZF1WZORj690LT-tu_mJcriyoijnkIZD-vLB7mqYDZ_-Ab2nSGBfAZG8Svc1WpgrX6jOWf_SPJxVeZAG5D29Z-Y1Y9Lq/s400/Screen+shot+2010-08-28+at+12.55.41.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvP4KON1EBz09aQzfxNwiduk2X1kAc_neafNcROd7V5iVTC0JCxeVWccvDops6wRY25nR1kFm-gCRNrXP5VOsP79m6KVV845qhGL3u5uZKOdt2uh4SMt82WDpryMI4UIA3ab-_Y4yffgk/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-08-28+at+12.56.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvP4KON1EBz09aQzfxNwiduk2X1kAc_neafNcROd7V5iVTC0JCxeVWccvDops6wRY25nR1kFm-gCRNrXP5VOsP79m6KVV845qhGL3u5uZKOdt2uh4SMt82WDpryMI4UIA3ab-_Y4yffgk/s400/Screen+shot+2010-08-28+at+12.56.04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
SEASONAL PLANTING:160 plants over 4 seasons<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsiqPKxPLIFPrrV8JIcnLKXVCIPJArNf59VFkCxRi8Cw-wgzYnQYAtz_dbUAO60U_ZYgBKhMNBsLsV612W50ld-ARbnharQ26LpeM2RWG79Xgkz8Z2YW5t_JbIHdTS5BsR6C7u1R9Ngmt/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-08-28+at+12.55.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsiqPKxPLIFPrrV8JIcnLKXVCIPJArNf59VFkCxRi8Cw-wgzYnQYAtz_dbUAO60U_ZYgBKhMNBsLsV612W50ld-ARbnharQ26LpeM2RWG79Xgkz8Z2YW5t_JbIHdTS5BsR6C7u1R9Ngmt/s400/Screen+shot+2010-08-28+at+12.55.00.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7nLOYdtw5dKJnmu50kAdiLaDTDYJ68jZt4_t4AjoPXKLLQofQLJQtbMOJA_0iQ4xnTpWxcBrBC_95IOfcKJ0aTBE7lq61Mos00UUI3af4i2dUCSanL728UHYtDl24wJ5W1dkxqP1bhwC/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-08-28+at+12.54.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7nLOYdtw5dKJnmu50kAdiLaDTDYJ68jZt4_t4AjoPXKLLQofQLJQtbMOJA_0iQ4xnTpWxcBrBC_95IOfcKJ0aTBE7lq61Mos00UUI3af4i2dUCSanL728UHYtDl24wJ5W1dkxqP1bhwC/s400/Screen+shot+2010-08-28+at+12.54.41.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>COLOUR THEME PLANTING:120 plants over 10 colourways<br />
<br />
A certain gapping hole which of course will be filled in coming weeks with planning and progressing a new business, MY new business. But I have to say it has been a whale of a ride and a great deal more work than I imagined possible to cram into one year (well 11 months tbh) and a great deal more in terms of deliverables and learn than I also thought possible.<br />
<br />
I've enjoyed the blogging and the sense of achievement at completing the course and now putting it into practice and making a success of my new business is the next stage.<br />
<br />
New blog(s) to go with the new business.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-2303201046571096952010-08-17T17:51:00.000+01:002010-08-17T17:51:56.721+01:00Which books get you enthused about plants?In the middle of prepping 20 planting plans (!) and I am knee deep in fabulous books, spread open with sticky notes all over them identifying perfect combinations and possible plant choices. My current favourites are:<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?t=httphubpcomhu-21&o=2&p=8&l=as1&asins=0711214255&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<div><br />
</div><div>With Beth Chatto's wonderful planting schemes detailed</div><div><br />
</div><div><div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?t=httphubpcomhu-21&o=2&p=8&l=as1&asins=1845333268&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div></div><div><br />
</div><div>Predictable in places but mostly glorious ideas</div><div><br />
</div><div><div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?t=httphubpcomhu-21&o=2&p=8&l=as1&asins=1858944864&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div></div><div><br />
</div><div>Dreamy is indeed the word though the cottage garden features so heavily in UK examples one could be led to believe that's ALL we can do!</div><div><br />
</div><div><div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?t=httphubpcomhu-21&o=2&p=8&l=as1&asins=1840915269&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div></div><div><br />
</div><div>I'm in a Piet phase so though I gather things have moved on I am still lusting after these planting schemes ;)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Any other recommendations would be happily explored</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-18536925600783591992010-08-17T17:33:00.001+01:002010-08-17T17:33:34.673+01:00Earth Clock - not on topic but fascinating nevertheless<embed bgcolor="#ffffff" height="440" src="http://www.poodwaddle.com/applets/earthclock.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="580"></embed><br />
<a href="http://www.poodwaddle.com/">Poodwaddle.com</a><br />
<div><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-43551330559939503212010-08-13T11:44:00.002+01:002010-08-13T12:02:15.350+01:00Glorious Shropshire summer days<div style="text-align: left;">A short stint of house and chicken sitting for friends in sunny Shropshire allowed me ample time to pad round some glorious gardens (including <a href="http://www.dorothyclivegarden.co.uk/">The Dorothy Clive garden </a>and <a href="http://www.wollertonoldhallgarden.com/">Wollerton Old Hall</a>) in the environs. The last one was <a href="http://www.trentham.co.uk/gardens.html">Trentham Gardens</a> a huge estate with some spectacular gardens. Think mature meets modern. I visited in the winter last year and was breath taken by <a href="http://www.tomstuartsmith.co.uk/">Tom Stuart Smith's</a> Italian Garden borders so felt a summer visit to see it all in it's full glory was both appropriate and frankly a must do whilst staying less than an hour away!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">It was heaving with families and kids, HEAVING. I headed along the Trent beside the frothing grass paths and sculpture.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi448i7uP8tWHlzk69V93xcCmSEY4ldY0fUzE_pdYBP46CeAceJ111F7wgVs57LnokOJw9C9FysJWEo7dSWIEkhvZqya2-mRlKwehdryYCBkotn5zsIqZZkmz7eqTdWlTK_j7Rhhh0_rJMz/s1600/DSC_8673.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi448i7uP8tWHlzk69V93xcCmSEY4ldY0fUzE_pdYBP46CeAceJ111F7wgVs57LnokOJw9C9FysJWEo7dSWIEkhvZqya2-mRlKwehdryYCBkotn5zsIqZZkmz7eqTdWlTK_j7Rhhh0_rJMz/s400/DSC_8673.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sculpture and Grasses</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Coming upon the <a href="http://www.oudolf.com/piet-oudolf">Piet Oudolf</a> borders is a delight they tantalise along the river path inviting you to explore the wide paths and deep, blocky planting. Somehow there is something much more satisfying about big blocks of plants, not 3's, 5's 8's per <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibonacci_number">Fibonacci</a> but 34's, 55's and 89's (also Fibonacci's but bigger :) )</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjJD8zoAzUG7vGhQLRCPRcA9YqtdCJehd-H-O-7vo2bJfGiHdGbzRjFisEnxT0rjF6ipr0NXyCQt2CFChB1KdlsBVFuihBRoYUfNHNevlAHD3lWxvJhvc4poIzrMFoMVgUN_Bvqtn5bvn/s1600/DSC_8700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjJD8zoAzUG7vGhQLRCPRcA9YqtdCJehd-H-O-7vo2bJfGiHdGbzRjFisEnxT0rjF6ipr0NXyCQt2CFChB1KdlsBVFuihBRoYUfNHNevlAHD3lWxvJhvc4poIzrMFoMVgUN_Bvqtn5bvn/s400/DSC_8700.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piet Oudolf borders</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Swathes of Echinacea, White Swan and purpurea and probably several other so (no plant list :( ), Eupatorium purpureum, Solidago, Achillea, all colours and sizes, bluest Salvias, stands of Monada's, and pink/purple Liatris amongst them and then, of course with blocks of grasses to form backdrops and punctuations in the floriferous groups.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxXd3usHz2TiB6BwQNJw1vdHIBn4EkDykBsegWgeSQnPYc5oaw6A-33rApeOaIP2EDndi32ETgypqgzyOXZ-6tJCpJhIbMe-_XnxV1EjIIxjtRnVKjk_6SSu9yE54zpO9F-R4SsjX7VhJ/s1600/DSC_8713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxXd3usHz2TiB6BwQNJw1vdHIBn4EkDykBsegWgeSQnPYc5oaw6A-33rApeOaIP2EDndi32ETgypqgzyOXZ-6tJCpJhIbMe-_XnxV1EjIIxjtRnVKjk_6SSu9yE54zpO9F-R4SsjX7VhJ/s400/DSC_8713.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birch copse with grasses</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Two smallish copses of birch (Betula utilis and nigra I think) underplanted with grasses promise of future season when they will join the mature canopy of trees that dot the gardens. Seeing the layering of the plantings against the well established shrubs and trees re-inforces the vital importance of seeing the planting scheme within the whole environment.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3FrTkZ8Yl8ehtjbJDmv0HxjdVXzpEtMHw_T0W9OHDyRJ8V-PpYfzj2ji0O9YCqObBaTc6cyrEdBx1SC5e4c2bT8JQKsIWbkPvKkS6-bkjYBqjQ2kpm3u8kCzJpwmtALmoboxa8kG2knU/s1600/DSC_8752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3FrTkZ8Yl8ehtjbJDmv0HxjdVXzpEtMHw_T0W9OHDyRJ8V-PpYfzj2ji0O9YCqObBaTc6cyrEdBx1SC5e4c2bT8JQKsIWbkPvKkS6-bkjYBqjQ2kpm3u8kCzJpwmtALmoboxa8kG2knU/s400/DSC_8752.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stretching on forever</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This section of garden is maintained by 1 full time and 1 part time person plus volunteers which surprised me. It's pretty weedless and looked in excellent shape given the time of year and recent dry spell. I was lucky enough to speak at length with the gardener about her plants and the maintenance of this beautiful series of borders. Her enthusiasm for the plants and the development are infectious and lead one to imagine it will indeed develop over time and not remain static.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gOv2XM5cbBtcX4WB-4HaoaobM2qN5vup18CLFicrSIXLyHDcFjISKUkhkiIAOIo4-pejOcc7jyjgBbIwNgm25OuKYXy5c5C5Q0oYl9ny8GW4jm1ftSTQelP6ROGLMScXXjkd9EvMvi2B/s1600/2010-08-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gOv2XM5cbBtcX4WB-4HaoaobM2qN5vup18CLFicrSIXLyHDcFjISKUkhkiIAOIo4-pejOcc7jyjgBbIwNgm25OuKYXy5c5C5Q0oYl9ny8GW4jm1ftSTQelP6ROGLMScXXjkd9EvMvi2B/s400/2010-08-10.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">beautiful blooms</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Crossing the paths into the Italian Garden proved something of a disappointment though. They just didn't look great. The planting was bitty, or so it seemed, there were a lot of unfilled gaps, collapsed plants that were still flowering and shockingly weeds at eye height. OK I am not a weed snob and know it's impossible to maintain a completely weed free environment but 5'6" (eye height for me!) flowering dandelions? c'mon! that's just poor management!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJOli2X3KB-72zg0EpDWnCyoM3WJHW08m-R7gWXd0LDyFnv7Ulx_aAf3w7Hl66Ia4l6I3SdYKoMyzHwlz_W6rzgsC5UAOZVEhp3Gv8KrrVcZWNLdhhDibtssusLiE1OUtdYrxsxasqaz6/s1600/DSC_8801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJOli2X3KB-72zg0EpDWnCyoM3WJHW08m-R7gWXd0LDyFnv7Ulx_aAf3w7Hl66Ia4l6I3SdYKoMyzHwlz_W6rzgsC5UAOZVEhp3Gv8KrrVcZWNLdhhDibtssusLiE1OUtdYrxsxasqaz6/s400/DSC_8801.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5'6" Taraxacum officinale - DANDELION!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the time I thought the whole area looked unkempt - hardly appropriate for the formality of the space - but looking back at shots it doesn't strike me as so uninspiring. Maybe it felt worse in comparison to the boldness and striking planting of the Oudolf borders, maybe it was simply a hard year for the plants in that area. But uninspiring it was.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOCnJ72Pz2_nGLDi8Vb-h2QrW9c3ASefotiZY8YfhuCG-UHliwZx89OhL2pkbW7QWog4Pn1NbR-EJ8ZuxUgr4FBPe_SIvoSRSX3A4A4J4OaenLt3GC_sN4_31UlWRKhgdu1TCYol6dc15/s1600/DSC_8761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnP-PWCS9FgKV-RkKtzO5k3JNsB-YG1Tynl-948jMtDXjnqirDYED_kvT167lLsN0REo5ZpAxhIIID_MuXQIjyJ0aV_Xi22XF2ZXLTu7CblcciUyfyDPOnD5q7WHL18D2pbmpLghFhSDpK/s1600/DSC_8761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnP-PWCS9FgKV-RkKtzO5k3JNsB-YG1Tynl-948jMtDXjnqirDYED_kvT167lLsN0REo5ZpAxhIIID_MuXQIjyJ0aV_Xi22XF2ZXLTu7CblcciUyfyDPOnD5q7WHL18D2pbmpLghFhSDpK/s400/DSC_8761.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Italian Gardens</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlDx1lFs5Zzvd_CdWSMcVPxBd1sxDvU2TrAKhS1pMin_eyi8xv6dpqrYvMVC6lUW8klIHb-wRwz8B8VE6N20ZKav_CmPPjmVJx5SZCE8C2zJIvhAG_09FunnFhZaXtn00kxNmnyRLIFdF/s1600/DSC_8769.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlDx1lFs5Zzvd_CdWSMcVPxBd1sxDvU2TrAKhS1pMin_eyi8xv6dpqrYvMVC6lUW8klIHb-wRwz8B8VE6N20ZKav_CmPPjmVJx5SZCE8C2zJIvhAG_09FunnFhZaXtn00kxNmnyRLIFdF/s400/DSC_8769.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Italian Gardens</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwCly-JmjXlTcWz6nZZyNAP1azC2vao7z8ToIy0Cm9G8faNdUlBlgr5Iwxs6pmf_A3NoFAB0rfSsNuJ9-DBk-TWz73543Xw96klTlzuVjTjMyFk4zKRb445PrqGtu1k6mey5eJWsM2GN-/s1600/DSC_8791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwCly-JmjXlTcWz6nZZyNAP1azC2vao7z8ToIy0Cm9G8faNdUlBlgr5Iwxs6pmf_A3NoFAB0rfSsNuJ9-DBk-TWz73543Xw96klTlzuVjTjMyFk4zKRb445PrqGtu1k6mey5eJWsM2GN-/s400/DSC_8791.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">scale of planting in Italian Garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">and can I just say Trentham what on earth possessed you to plant this up in the upper (Italian) gardens? talk about poor juxtaposition!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjog9n6VP_tZ5ir57Q3L9E_v3Wzslp8GFNNbZbtToAyFlxaSviDpRxa64z3OaWCtbY6zcNMmM8o8-syzS_o4ExDDO-XnHdGD7VUFfIeKbcgHICuSJrWBpo0ziztdmw3owsz9PXxryyF-I7o/s1600/DSC_8765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjog9n6VP_tZ5ir57Q3L9E_v3Wzslp8GFNNbZbtToAyFlxaSviDpRxa64z3OaWCtbY6zcNMmM8o8-syzS_o4ExDDO-XnHdGD7VUFfIeKbcgHICuSJrWBpo0ziztdmw3owsz9PXxryyF-I7o/s320/DSC_8765.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hideous bedding in upper Italian gardens</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The 100 ideas gardens on the whole were not worth photographing, which is a mean thing to say but they were so badly looked after - think dying plants, weeds, gaps, dead plants, broken fences, that I was shocked they were clearly starting to hard landscape for new ones. This was such a change from my <a href="http://thestudentgardendesigner.blogspot.com/2009/12/trentham-in-winter.html">December 09 visit</a> when they were all looking full of promise and good structure.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">WHICH just goes to show one season does not a good garden make!</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-15066876312805281782010-08-06T14:25:00.001+01:002010-08-06T14:25:59.876+01:00Seasonal portfolio in the printAfter a moment of blind panic yesterday at the printers todays news came a s a delightful surprise. Not only was the quality of the print out fantastic and not in the least bit line-y (as we were worried it might be yesterday) but the first few pages look completely amazing, and the cost is about half what I had anticipated.<br />
<br />
I'm really excited about seeing it finished and am onto part two though it is still more challenging due to having to limit my plant selections to 6 per colourway!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-7853766301866080722010-08-02T07:58:00.000+01:002010-08-02T07:58:38.572+01:00Do you know what this is?An alternate title could be ' It's not enough to know the Genus!'<br />
<br />
I am mid way through the Seasonal portfolio and struggling to identify some of the flower images. It is of course great exercise in plant identification but sometimes one needs outside help. Time as ever is against me so I am asking for help.<br />
<br />
Tweeters have been brilliant with speedy replies and suggestions so I am hoping that blog readers will be able to help to.<br />
<br />
These are my current challenges.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1h0kAJP9dt9N9-IUWReArqhBdiu3bCG7HSi6I4U6CaGlOoqtNq5veLYKEkdxhX5ByDcE825Eqq5HfHyyfMZfWkrRQQo2DnxKlwWofypZHhg5kGq3jkyPJN0FXyMLiRxYkkWhfnh8Xq72e/s1600/DSC_7363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1h0kAJP9dt9N9-IUWReArqhBdiu3bCG7HSi6I4U6CaGlOoqtNq5veLYKEkdxhX5ByDcE825Eqq5HfHyyfMZfWkrRQQo2DnxKlwWofypZHhg5kGq3jkyPJN0FXyMLiRxYkkWhfnh8Xq72e/s400/DSC_7363.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Geraniaum himalayense? perhaps? perhaps not?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0vaG28CC0xk3aOc4nu_TzzXrUJ4wAhROq7GPoK6bqboc0BUA7JpUTTv3J4DwZVUQ4cwbmMngywWC1uRzekaqvFHN7fi4yUG5Z6-BCIVkZqgbyVUeYZpbQtJ2YZe-0C8GLjD7neSlTPett/s1600/DSC_7374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0vaG28CC0xk3aOc4nu_TzzXrUJ4wAhROq7GPoK6bqboc0BUA7JpUTTv3J4DwZVUQ4cwbmMngywWC1uRzekaqvFHN7fi4yUG5Z6-BCIVkZqgbyVUeYZpbQtJ2YZe-0C8GLjD7neSlTPett/s320/DSC_7374.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">???? some sort or rudbeckia? or helianthus?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEY5t9LmkBVYNox8NDvilcp7LW79pXNYUv1xh6GenVTjgfQ30Pe1sQV-F06Cqnu426PdFQOwGVVD2yl91nhxD6j9IkWTEAt4e3sEmqFNxOyIqwYUWWhc8k3t-mt4soStT5NQ20V30V78yA/s1600/DSC_7325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEY5t9LmkBVYNox8NDvilcp7LW79pXNYUv1xh6GenVTjgfQ30Pe1sQV-F06Cqnu426PdFQOwGVVD2yl91nhxD6j9IkWTEAt4e3sEmqFNxOyIqwYUWWhc8k3t-mt4soStT5NQ20V30V78yA/s320/DSC_7325.jpg" /></a></div>??<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUDyg6dV5WV0eSzphU-9mIekA-nbkrb7MZSRmSjwNevp_9icmDQDecFEfZHJCzQsaZqOl1LdrITEOMYb_oHxdXrz99CjuIXTZHZmJMad-NMttInzd8Aq566SKOr6F-xff593glGrGKSCt/s1600/DSC_7366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUDyg6dV5WV0eSzphU-9mIekA-nbkrb7MZSRmSjwNevp_9icmDQDecFEfZHJCzQsaZqOl1LdrITEOMYb_oHxdXrz99CjuIXTZHZmJMad-NMttInzd8Aq566SKOr6F-xff593glGrGKSCt/s320/DSC_7366.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Veronica spicata?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">all help gratefully received :)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-44699426865386379732010-07-27T17:02:00.001+01:002010-07-27T17:02:45.431+01:00Going cross eyed with photographs and plant detailsThe final project of the PG Dip Residential Landscape Architecture course is a soft landscape portfolio (SLP). What is this? Well it forms two parts, the first part is a seasonal portfolio showing 4 'spectacular' borders for each season. Along with this is a detail page with 5 plants, from the border, detailed in terms of height, spread, water, soil type, hardiness, pH level and origin of genus oh and light levels, then a selection of 5 alternative plants. So that 4 borders and 40 plants per season plus a key and some fancy graphics!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuh3bIlx6sj5ZfgaNOfMlNpn3ifQv8LzEEvwWwthva7fj6T8bfs8stbOUjoU-In_J0ag7QYmOy2M5lve8QEd5OrdecY0zWMwEQetxrPL4ijAKpYTQDbPFDcezhWH8Gz4Ik4I8Hbhzij-q/s1600/DSC_7332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuh3bIlx6sj5ZfgaNOfMlNpn3ifQv8LzEEvwWwthva7fj6T8bfs8stbOUjoU-In_J0ag7QYmOy2M5lve8QEd5OrdecY0zWMwEQetxrPL4ijAKpYTQDbPFDcezhWH8Gz4Ik4I8Hbhzij-q/s400/DSC_7332.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>SLP part two is much harder, which is why part 1 is being done first, this consists of colour themed planting plans. 10 sets of colour ways, 5 plants per plan (that's tough!) and one plan for shade one plan for full sun. Same plant detailing and same set of alternatives. So 20 planting plans and 200 plants to detail yes 200!!!!!!!<br />
<br />
I should mention that we are expected to have photographed all the images ourselves - hahahaha<br />
<br />
Happily I am more than 2/3rd of the way through part 1 just detailing plants and dreading the slog of part two. It's a great way to learn my plants and to understand them better but GODS it is a LOT of 'virtual cutting and sticking'<br />
<br />
Portfolios are ordered and a schedule for printing is set. It is going to cost a fortune to print professionally but they will certainly be exciting things to show to clients. In fact I already have extra sets of borders to include. 16 simply isn't enough!!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtalFdq3O9-bL39oX8QoZl4X8WNjNKuWzJEhBLiMq27AbOXcThMOmBg8rth9QNDEpG_Ql7xSoDlHRZQ6noc9llRaowR8CJ7ZYWO4icnXTenfmpagoGbJyPdfeKiL7NO0bxa5DXEWVtdKx/s1600/DSC_7408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtalFdq3O9-bL39oX8QoZl4X8WNjNKuWzJEhBLiMq27AbOXcThMOmBg8rth9QNDEpG_Ql7xSoDlHRZQ6noc9llRaowR8CJ7ZYWO4icnXTenfmpagoGbJyPdfeKiL7NO0bxa5DXEWVtdKx/s400/DSC_7408.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I am resisting showing an example because I hope mine will be individual, here is an example of the enclosed plant images<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXKXFD7Si6JVhyphenhyphenoADmwhxac-a6XU3xwopun4lPIZzky7Cyop4ki5bDAzj9mmtrAA-cBACTRurBrHCxHZ9aQGsqIkqDwdYdgmyw-EJByoG_SgrDUY09PfAGA9YYfQIK4SVU_PzCy39y4QDO/s1600/DSC_7377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXKXFD7Si6JVhyphenhyphenoADmwhxac-a6XU3xwopun4lPIZzky7Cyop4ki5bDAzj9mmtrAA-cBACTRurBrHCxHZ9aQGsqIkqDwdYdgmyw-EJByoG_SgrDUY09PfAGA9YYfQIK4SVU_PzCy39y4QDO/s400/DSC_7377.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-62612189629825406302010-07-18T19:52:00.002+01:002010-07-18T19:53:33.587+01:00One of the top 10 gardens per the Telegraph readers... what do you think?<a href="http://www.cotonmanor.co.uk/garden.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Coton Manor</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> in Coton, Northamptonshire is one of MY favorite gardens. I have even gone as far as to buy a season ticket, so much do I enjoy this garden and it's plantings.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Originally laid out in the 1920's by the grandparents of the present owner, the garden has been developed and extended by successive generations capitalising on its natural setting, attractive views and abundant water. " literature from Coton Manor</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHALcONjCJrZsfhjf20b9nTSfGIEKGMM09vTcXYsSEPSYG-UieJI9ImsHb_IFKikOts6rMqzGYxifsn9bSZdFpKE6p1dq2mupzaFJDwGwluX-bhPUu4YaOmZxL-vgoCEzNvCfUnjOEk5B/s1600/Search+results+for+coton+manor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHALcONjCJrZsfhjf20b9nTSfGIEKGMM09vTcXYsSEPSYG-UieJI9ImsHb_IFKikOts6rMqzGYxifsn9bSZdFpKE6p1dq2mupzaFJDwGwluX-bhPUu4YaOmZxL-vgoCEzNvCfUnjOEk5B/s400/Search+results+for+coton+manor.jpg" width="400" /></span></span></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The rich yellow stone walls of the house are literally coated in roses and an enormous wisteria with a raised patio skirting the house and flooded with pots of brilliant coloured geraniums. What a welcome and it certainly entices you to chose your direction carefully because there are at least 3 to chose from. I have a preferred route but tbh I usually head away from any other visitors as quickly as possible. Disappointingly Coton Manor now forbid the use of tripods - same old reason yawn. which of course on a grey damp day like the day I visit makes it all but impossible to take a good distance shot. They rather smugly point out that all the website images are taken without a tripod, I, rather impolitely want to point out to them that they have the lucky position of being there all the time and can whip out a camera whenever it suits them and especially when the weather is fine! I have to drive nearly 80 mins to get there and though it may be fine at home and forecast fine there sometimes IT RAINS and we have to try to make the best of it. Out of over 350 shots taken about half are blurred due to weather induced low light. Whinge over.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The dell gardens falling down the backside of the gardens are glorious in their damp shady conditions. At their best in the rain I have to say. Breathtaking planting and inspiring combinations. I do like seeing how it progresses and am amazed at the transformation since end of April when it was all but bare, now it is cheek by jowl planting and greenery/puple-ery. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The </span></span><a href="http://www.cotonmanor.co.uk/ornamental_birds.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wildlife </span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is a flamboyant as ever although the chooks apparently don't like the rain and scurry helter skelter across the lawn as the heavens open. The </span></span><a href="http://www.cotonmanor.co.uk/images/birds/omb_flamingo_02.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">flamingos</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> are less fussy and they stalk about munching in their orangey-ness. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Herbaceous borders are stuffed, a bit collapsed and being tied up and late 'c</span></span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/pruning_pruningflowers1.shtml"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">helsea chopped</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">' as I glide about in my rain mac trying to protect my camera from the elements.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Then the nursery stuffed to the gunnels, more heaven.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What is not heaven is the lack of promised plant list and the apathy of the staff member about it's reproduction this season (let me say it is early July and they remain open until October!). So no plant list and no labels on plants.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> For any garden opening to the public let me say this is a pet hate of many visitors, they do not care if you lose labels, that your plant list is out of date and someone forgot to reorder it, they have travelled to pay and see this garden they want to know what the damn plants (cultivar!) are! </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Despite the grumps above this is a garden worth going out of your way to visit, and more than once if you can. STUNNING</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-42524718818526184452010-07-17T08:12:00.004+01:002010-07-17T09:41:07.929+01:00Are we done with the moral high ground in this country?Flipping through the Society of Garden Designers magazine, Garden Design Journal August 2010, last night I began to read Tim Richardson's piece at the front. He always amuses me and it felt like the right tone to set before drifting off to sleep. NOT SO this time.<br />
<br />
I was shocked and admit still am to discover the depths to which the RHS and associated bodies have dropped. I am talking about show garden judging. Yes the old chestnut that raised it's head publicly at last years Hampton Court flower show.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #343434; font-weight: bold; line-height: 37px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">- <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/hampton-court-flower-show/5795959/Hampton-Court-Palace-Flower-Show-2009-sparks-fly-in-The-Daily-Telegraph-Gardening-Theatre.html">Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2009 - sparks fly in The Daily Telegraph Gardening Theatre</a></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></b> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5d5d5d; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 28px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">- <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/5852047/RHS-judge-Andrew-Wilson-responds-to-criticisms-of-the-show-judging-process.html">Chief Assessor for Show Gardens for the RHS, responds to Tim Richardson's criticisms of the RHS judging process</a></span></b><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/5852047/RHS-judge-Andrew-Wilson-responds-to-criticisms-of-the-show-judging-process.html">.</a></span></span><br />
<br />
Not only has nothing been done to raise the morale and ethical tone of the situation, indeed it appears to have worsened!<br />
<br />
The chief assessor and show garden judge, yes he can sit in both camps!, who also happens to be head of a new garden design school - no potential conflict of interest there then - is, and I quote "putting himself forward as a designer for next year's Chelsea". One assumes he will relinquish head assessors role then but there is nothing confirmed in the article to say this.<br />
<br />
ARE YOU KIDDING??????<br />
<br />
I hear you ask. Well apparently NOT.<br />
<br />
I am obviously not the only person who can see the blatant conflict of interest not to mention appropriateness in this example but it is only one example of a repeated pattern. Be a show judge and then drop out for a year and design a garden for the show. A model apparently followed by a number of award winning designers it would seem.<br />
<br />
If we Brits used to pride ourselves on our ethics and the moral high ground we followed and demonstrated to the the world, then what in heavens name has happened here in one of our most trusted and loved national bodies? Have they lost sight of basic common sense. Do they not see how difficult it is for the judges to remain impartial and even if they do manage this task, how it will be perceived by a wider, public audience. Have they not noticed the recent political scandals around expenses and conflict of interest?<br />
<br />
Of course the wider public is probably blissfully unaware of this conflict of interest. The BBC production on the big RHS shows does not even touch this aspect of the show scene, no real mention is made of either the process of assessing and then judging or of the individuals who judge/assess yet it lauds the winners again and again. Which given the current situation is probably understandable because frankly, it seems pretty hard to defend.<br />
<br />
Sadly for me all winners could be tainted with this brush until there is a clear stated and observed line between entrants and assessors/judges, the judges are from a wider variety of associated industries and have a more international flavor. Oh and conflict of interest is both CLEARLY stated and dealt with.<br />
<br />
I find later in the magazine that the French are doing it FAR BETTER than us, non c'est vrai, in the form of Chaumont. Exhibitors cannot return for 3 years, to allow new talent to have a chance and assessors are taken from a wide range of expertise including the arts, horticulture and medicine. This year 4 landscape architects, a neuroscientist, an author and a psychiatrist. Now that's what I call diverse!<br />
<br />
A career limiting blog post? will I be blackballed by the RHS? perhaps. But one has to ask why this is allowed to continue almost unchallenged.<br />
<br />
Do you dear reader find it acceptable?<br />
<br />
Do you like me want to have full disclosure and visibility?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-60532052185205673172010-07-16T07:07:00.000+01:002010-07-16T07:07:58.855+01:00Gotta love Google AnalyticsNo doubt you will have noticed the change of template which I am happy with, once a year isn't so bad, but with it I forgot to update my <a href="http://www.google.com/analytics/">google analytics</a> code which is embedded into the html code of the page - not as hard as it sounds honestly!<br />
<br />
Consequently I lose a day or two of analytics, or 'who is visiting' stats, which is fun to review.<br />
<br />
The tutorials to get the right code back up are so simple and easy to find I have to say it's a pleasure which is not something that can often be said about help tutorials online!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-36718777605224323922010-07-14T08:16:00.001+01:002010-07-14T08:20:27.708+01:00Fellows' Garden, Clare College, Cambridge<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A rather last minute trip to Cambridge last week offered the chance to visit The Fellows Garden at Clare college. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How UTTERLY spectacular they are, nestling just across the bridge from the Old Court of the college they stretch along the Cam. Re-designed in 1947 by <a href="http://www.clare.cam.ac.uk/about/gardens/fellowsgarden.html">Professor E.N. Willmer</a>, a fellow of the college it shows of stunning herbaceous borders, a tropical planting, sunken garden and a secluded green and white walkway and sitting area.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><table style="width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JEN1BizDSKZghLsjqLcpgg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Ev2Q5oIsLq13uot_ArkHOvk_cXhKQJR1bLFOTPObbpREt6VB5fZi-L5qu8dCdYsmfRp10XLwFH3gJLT0EkGwlnYN9gllFtUUvbyZowj9QVHOV3hAKlu7IhFGstseM1DabRiAyAlMRd4Y/s400/2010-07-06.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/Rosalind.Rosewarne/Collages02?feat=embedwebsite">Collages</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well manicured and clearly well tended the gardens are a treasure trove of unusual plants collated in interesting and striking borders. No wonder they feature highly on gardens to visit before you die!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585817410717084356.post-20650944469688049422010-07-10T11:25:00.003+01:002010-07-10T11:39:16.305+01:00How wild is your wildlife garden?It turns out after two years plonking every possible plant I can get for free or grow from seed into my tiny patch that something of a wildlife haven has emerged and whilst I should say this is all calculated and planned, in truth it is not.<br /><br />Having gained my little collection of local beasties - two toads, a gaggle of single bees (Apis melliferaapis) in the bee hotel, swarms (not literally of course) of bumble bees, hoverflies, ladybirds, spiders of all shapes and sizes and many other insects who pop up unexpectedly from under pots and trays. I am delighted at how well they all get on together. Of course I am thrilled with the arrival of the toads as this means the demise of slug city - yehaa!<br /><br />In honor of the toads arrival I am building a small water feature which will consist of an small upturned dustbin lid, some water and a small up and over ramp for easy toady exit.<br /><br />One toad lives in the cold frame, he refuses to leave even though I have built him a ramp. The other lives under the bee hotel pedestal ( a bin) at the other end of the garden. <br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/i3YzQj1qu6eIAIBPhlHDNQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNrXHmQcoGS1QVaqc-c9rOkS2TtU_5kIroIWVVlqUyl0PUB7eg025gZaW9UDBXVA-5sMOOeewBifhGssmdIsFzqL7vxoxH_-DFX5_30xVAiuLK6_4dmCWcpe7BI8VCLw80xAAh0WpS_eo/s400/DSC_7601.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/Rosalind.Rosewarne/20100710?feat=embedwebsite">2010-07-10</a></td></tr></table><br /><br />Last night was the first time I had seen bees going in and out of the bee hotel, and I saw 4 on about half an hour, each heading into his/her own little pad brilliant.<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ny7JIGeg7R5ugYFSnaY8FQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CuakcFmkpma7v-W4066HidOZ9RqpgNJE2MB1LBKHsojMkbCpshudjgWPtJoeXCcxPs0K-aKfZrD_sw5FI7gVxvLrSoVHVRRGUlBjzPMAwvwiBgoUFYHetCAT1J290eZLCDA0_35vF4wO/s400/DSC_7602.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/Rosalind.Rosewarne/20100710?feat=embedwebsite">2010-07-10</a></td></tr></table><br /><br />Happily the gardens is full of varieties of shrub, tree, and flower nectar and with neighbours on either side who have flourishing mature gardens and a large tree lined park two gardens over they have plenty of local food sources.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4