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I have always loved Tulips but they really came onto my radar after I read Polly Nicholson's book, "The Tulip" and heard Polly give a talk about her own collection of historic tulips. My interest was sparked and it wasn't long before I knew I had to visit Holland and see the world famous Keukenhof Garden which has a collection of over seven million flowering bulbs. Keukenhof is just outside Amsterdam and is open for eight weeks every year from around the end of March until May. What you will see very much depends on the timing of your visit and in early April daffodils and narcissus are usually the main event with a few early flowering tulips. This garden has been described as the most beautiful Spring Garden in the world so expectations were high and it didn't disappoint. Keukenhof is a little commercial and attracts many visitors but the grounds are so huge that it didn't feel overcrowded at all and was extremely well organised. I started by visiting the Historic Tuilip Garden which was arranged in a parterre style with low Buxus hedging, water features and some very well pruned trees. Everything was well labelled making it super easy to see what appealed to you and jot down the details. My personal favourites were Narcissus 'Conspicuus' dating back to 1869, Narcissus dubbel 'Pip van Winkle' and Fritillaria 'The Premier'. There is something for everyone at Keukenhof - you can wander at leisure taking in the colours and feel of the garden, sit and take a break or pause to admire a water feature, sculpture or statue. For those who are curious about the history of the bulbs information boards give a wealth of background history. In the historic garden there is information on the daffodil that originates from the countries surrounding the Mediterranean and Central Europe. The first daffodils to the Netherlands were introduced by the renowned Dutch Botanist Carolus Clusius (1526 - 1609). Nowadays there are over 26,000 varieties in shades of orange, white, yellow, green and even pink. From the Historic Tulip Garden a path leads you towards the Oranje Nassau which presently contains a stunning rose display. In this part of the garden many different tulips were flowering and again there was plenty of opportunity to take in the history of this beautiful bulb. The first tulip bulbs arrived in the Netherlands during the 16th Century mainly through trade with Turkey. A Century later the bulbs were in such high demand that the so called "Tulip Mania" developed (1636 - 1637) when the price per bulb sometimes reached 4,400 guilders as the bulbs were so scarce. Nowadays 15,000 hectares of tulips flower every year. In the middle of the Keukenhof garden is Willen Alexander and this is where you will find indoor displays of literally thousands of different tulips all in flower. This is a garden lovers paradise as each group of tulips is labelled and so you can easily see which colours and forms appeal to you and note them down for your own garden. For me this display was the highlight of Keukenhof. One of my own personal favourites was Tulipa ' Lasergame'. Guineveres Garden | Garden Writer

Like many others, my love for and connection to Roses goes back a long way, and is well instilled within me. The front garden of my childhood home was a Rose Garden, and my Grand Parents grew Hybid Tea roses when they were fashionable in the 1950s. My Nana had a beautiful wooden trellis which ran the length of her garden and this was where she grew climbing roses. Many of those roses, and the trellis, which is now over 80 years old, are in my own garden, and are a link back to the past and its precious memories for me. When I moved into my present house which is over 400 years old, I set about restoring the garden with historic roses and traditional old fashioned cottage garden plants, and this was when I started to research and source Old Roses for myself. Roses have gone full circle in my life and in the lives of many others too. Roses weave their way through life's ups and downs, providing something constant and of equisite beauty, with links to the past and hope for the future too. This connection to and love of Roses was what attracted me to this book when it first caught my eye on a bookshop shelf. "Where the Old Roses Grow" is written by Janelle McCulloch. The cover suggests this is a book about "Vita Sackville-West and the Battle for Beauty during Wartime". In reality the book covers many more people than Vita - it remembers four or five people who each in their own way saved many of the old roses for us all to enjoy today - Vita Sackville West, Maud Messel, Constance Spry, Edward Bunyard and Graham Stuart Thomas. The book begins with Vita Sackville West finding Sissinghurst, which was in a completely rundown state, and even referred to as a "dump". Vita had a vision, and more importantly the ability to follow that idea through. She first saw the house on 4 April 1930, and could never have realised how influential the garden would be not only on her own life, but in the world of horticulture for many years to come. Sissinghurst helped Vita get through the doom, gloom and worry of the War, as the house and garden were somewhere close to her heart where she could find peace and retreat. Its walls gave her privacy and solace where she could write and garden whilst trying to forget the warplanes flying over-head, and the uncertainty brought about by the turmoil of war. Vita gradually amassed a huge collection of Roses, many of which climbed freely over Sissinghursts tall brick walls. She wrote about these Roses and the garden in several books as well as newspaper columns, but she also visited and corresponded with others who shared her love of these beautiful plants. The book begins with an unknown solitary rose which Vita found at Sissinghurst when she first moved in. Even highly respected Rosarians were unable to name it, and so Vita called it the Sissinghurst Rose and it is available to purchase to this very day. This rose symbolised the beginning of her life at Sissinghurst, but very poignantly her life ends with another beautiful rose, Madame Alfred Carriere, which was just coming into bloom and climbing near her bedroom window, as Vita fell ill towards the end of her life. Timing is everything in life, and the beauty of this book is that it has been published at a time where our own generation is also experiencing unsettled times - many of us turned to our gardens in Covid, and now in this uncertain world our gardens are bringing us comfort and peacefulness in our day to day lives. For me this book is a story of connection and parrallels between the past, the present, the people and the roses. This is what makes it so readable and it's why I have been unable to put it down. The story is about facts, but they are told like fiction, as the story weaves in and out of several peoples' lives, telling a compelling but beautiful story. Many of the characters, who are of course real people, had another vocation, or occupation - Vita wanted to write, Constance Spry had a career in floristry and Edward Bunyard was renouned for his Fruit Nursery in Kent. Roses were a seondary interest, for each of them, but eventually came to be a huge part of each of their lives. The book seems meticulously researched, and I found myself constantly jotting down names, places or plant names that I then looked up myself. I found it fascinating to read about Maud Messel and how the rose collection at Nymans, which now rambles through its ruins, so much affected her life. Also of Graham Stuart Thomas who initially became interested in old roses from a commercial view point, but ended up moving his whole collection to Montisfont towards the end of his life. These people went to great lengths to treasure, protect and source their Roses - travelling to Europe to seek out a very rare rose, taking cuttings to preserve a rose for the future, or to simply share it with a friend, while refusing to dig up their roses when vegetables and "Dig for Victory" was a huge part of the war effort. "Where the Old Roses Grow" is one of the best books I have read in a long time, and I hope that one day I will be able to meet Janelle McCulloch myself, and thank her for bringing these people's rose stories to life for me through the pages of her beautiful book. Guineveres Garden | Garden Writer

Tucked away at the very edge of Wales is a magical garden, hidden from the road and nestling amongst the trees.  It’s very easy to miss this special place because, at first glance, it looks like another viewpoint over the sweeping Porth Neigwl - Hell’s Mouth Bay.  However, if you take the time to look carefully, and stray from the road, you will find the Manor House of Plas Yn Rhiw and its stunning garden. I have missed this garden many times when taking the road to Aberdaron and so when I stumbled on it, whilst Winter reading, I knew that it was somewhere I had to visit in the Spring.  I read lots about the garden before my visit, but no amount of reading could prepare me for the beauty I encountered in person, nor it’s remarkable inhabitants, who have their own unique story.  Plas Yn Rhiw is a place of mystery, legend, and the strength of character of the three Keating sisters, Eileen, Lorna and Honora.  Not only did these three sisters save the building which was in a dreadful state of repair, but they also restored the garden and campaigned tirelessly to save the environment eventually leaving the house and surrounding land to the National Trust. Encouraged by Clough Williams - Ellis, the architect of Portmeirion fame, the sisters bought the property in 1939 and the youngest sister, Honura, was the driving force in the garden restoration.  Honura had an artist's vision, having studied at the Slade School of Art in London but she was also prepared to learn from experts - there are gardening journals on bookcases in one of the bedrooms of the house to this day and correspondence with others involved in gardening.  Unfortunately no detailed notes of progress in the garden, over the years,  have been found. I approached the garden via a small wooden gate from which a grassy path led through trees towards the house itself.  To the right I could glimpse the sea through the treetops below me, this was a sea with swirling mists and waves that could stir up emotions.  To the left I was aware of the house, but it wasn’t in full view and so there was a sense of excitement, mixed with foreboding because I felt that this could be a wind-swept place with extremes of weather and a somewhat difficult, but exciting, place to live.  At the end of the grassy path, you reach a road and a gateway into the garden.  This is a garden of many different parts which enfold and delight as you wander through it.  To the right of the house is a derelict building with open windows, missing both frames and glass, which look out to sea.   Here there are cobble stones and ferns with  Hedera  (Ivy) clinging to the old stone walls, as well as a very old  Wisteria , and if you pause for a moment, you can sense time stood still.  It's a place where human habitation is long gone, and plant life is slowly establishing to take its place. There are several different parts to the garden - close to the house the garden is divided with a series of Buxus hedges which are surrounded with gravel and grass paths.  Further away, the garden leads into Woodland and Orchards but there is always something new to capture the imagination and surprise as you wander between a series of interconnecting parts of the garden.  From time to time, your eye is drawn back to the house which dominates the space or out to the sea. Many of the trees and shrubs have been here for years and are now mature and stunning to see.  There are  Rhododendron ,  Azalea  and  Fuschias  as well as a beautiful  Magnolia  Tree.  The Magnolia was planted by Honura and is one of the few plants she documented on paper - noting how amazingly it had bloomed once established in the garden.  This is the Magnolia campbellii subsp. mollicomata and it was gifted to the sisters by the famous Welsh Garden - Bodnant   near Conwy . By the derelict building is a small grass lawn with the most spectacular sea view, framed by two Taxus bacatta (Yew) trees which have been heavily cut back.   Clouds and sea merge into one with just the sandy beach at Hell’s Mouth Bay punctuating the view.  The lawn is surrounded by borders which, at this time of the year have Daffodil , Tulipa and Lunaria annua which give a splash of colour, without detracting from the view beyond. Here the garden borrows from and merges into the surrounding landscape on a spectacular scale.   At the edge of the lawn a duck blue bench is perfectly placed to sit, contemplate, and take in the view.   Euonymus  and  Spiraea  sit just below the wall and the trees, bereft of leaves, along the slopes below, break up the landscape perfectly with their branches silhouetting against the sea.  Just being here awakens senses and stirs emotions. As well as the striking  Buxus  hedging, the garden is scattered with  Taxus baccata  topiary which is well established and adds structure.  Keeping all of this clipped must be a labour of love for the gardeners because, at the time of my visit, it all looked very well kept and extremely healthy. Much thought has been given to the hedging and topiary because it is made up of many different shades of green and this is set off against the variety of different coloured shrubs in the garden.  On the bottom terrace a beautiful yellow coloured  Kerria japonica  is striking against a ruby red  Azalea  and very tall  Dicksonia antartica  (Tree Fern) with clipped topairy  Ilex aquifolium . Although the peninsula is subject to very harsh weather at times, Plas Yn Rhiw has its own microclimate and is sheltered from the worst weather due to its position.  Testament to this is the survival of the Dicksonia antartica  (Tree Fern) which seemed to be thriving on the lower terraces of the garden contrasting beautifully with the mature trees beyond which also provide shelter. Close to the house the Buxus gives a very enclosed feeling and makes the garden seem intimately connected with the house itself.  Its purpose is two-fold as it also protects all of the plants within its boundaries from the elements enabling them to thrive. There is a beautiful veranda along the front of the house with a very small curved lawn area adjacent which is framed with a hedge.  This curve shape cleverly matches, and lines up with, the curve of the bay beyond the garden. The beautiful Abutilon 'Ashford Red' climbs up and along the veranda and I believe that it flowers for a very long period.  There is also a stunning Rosa 'Zephirine Drouhin' and both flourish due to the shelter close by the house itself. Plas Yn Rhiw really is a special place and somewhere I was extremely lucky to see.  It is testament to the three Keating sisters that it remains as beautiful today as they made it during their own time there.  As if to confirm these thoughts a stunning rainbow appeared in the sky just as I walked through the gates to leave !  You could not get anything more magical than that - it is a hidden place of love, tranquility and peace.

The garden at Gwaenynog is not open to the public very often so when I heard, at short notice, that it would be opening on a Sunday late last Autumn, I knew I had to make the journey to Wales to see this very special place for myself. The Walled Garden at Gwaenynog is the jewel in it's crown and even though I'd never visited I felt as if I already knew the garden well. This is because Gwaenynog gave inspiration to the childen's author Beatrix Potter who visited, spent time in, and sketched the garden on many occasions. This garden is the setting for The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, one of Beatrix Potter's best known and cherished tales. Beatrix kept a secret journal and in this she described the garden as at Gwaenynog as "the prettiest kind of garden, where bright old fashioned flowers grow amongst the currant bushes." It took me a few hours to drive over to Wales and it was a dull and overcast day but as I drove through the gates to Gwaenynog I knew my journey had been worth the effort. This garden was owned by Beatrix Potter's Uncle Fred and Aunt Harriet Burton and Beatrix visited on several occasions, possibly making as many as thirteen visits between 1895 and 1913. These visits gave Beatrix plenty of inspiration for her writing and art and several of her sketches of the garden were on display during the weekend I visited. As I parked my car and walked towards the garden I felt a peacefulness and a sense of stepping back in time to a different era. The garden had an old fashioned charm to it and it was wonderful to see the Gardener's Cottage before stepping through the garden gate and into the walled garden itself. Tall stone walls surrounded most of the garden and I recognised these from some of the artwork. You could certainly feel and see the link back to Beatrix Potter which was wonderful. It was a quiet day with few people about so I felt I had the garden to myself which meant I had time to wander at leisure, uninterrupted, and take everything in. It is testament to the family who are the current custodians that they have kept this garden close to their hearts and not allowed it to become commercialised. Instead there was a feeling that nothing had changed since Beatrix Potter was here many years ago sketching, exploring and soaking up the atmosphere of this garden herself. Surprisingly though it wasn't always like this because the garden was abandoned after Beatrix Potter's time here and was neglected for many years. Parts of the garden had been ploughed up and horses allowed to graze within the walls. In fact all that remained of the former garden were two derelict greenhouses. Only when Janie Smith and her husband took on the property in the 1960s was any thought given to restoration. It was Janie's daughter Frances who was behind the garden restoration intially, and at the time she was only twenty years old but she had some horticultural knowledge which she had learned whilst working in the Kitchen Garden at Chatsworth House. In 1988 she set about restoring the gardens and making them as close as possible to how they had been in Beatrix Potter's time. A lot of research went into the restoration efforts and Frances contacted Frederick Warne as well as the Victoria and Albert Museum to help her out. Looking at Beatrix's own illustrations of the gardens was a great help and enabled Frances to identify the plants that used to grow there as well as the garden layout, design and sense of place. As with a lot of success stories there was a stroke of luck involved when Frances met David Lewis a former apprenctice who had worked in the garden during the 1940s. David could remember much of the layout and planting plans from that time including the varieties of plant, fruit and vegetables which were grown. This was an enormous help and instrumental in the restoration project as Frances was able to keep the planting as true as possible to the original design. There is a potting shed in the garden with gothic style upstairs windows and it's believed that this was in fact the building used for Mr McGregor's Potting Shed in the Beatrix Potter stories. This buidling was restored along with the garden and is now a display area with fascinating photographs which show before and after pictures of the garden. It was lovely to see that the family had recognised others who helped with the work on the garden and there was a lovely handwritten note to acknowledge the help of a Mr Wil Pierce who assisted with digging in the Kitchen Garden back in 1989. I thought this was such a lovely tribute and spoke volumes of the family - both Janie and Frances, to ensure that his help was acknowledged and documented for others to see. Beatrix Potter wrote much about the garden saying "The garden is very large, two thirds surrounded by a red brick wall with many apricots and an inner circle of old grey apple trees on wooden espaliers. It is very productive, but not tidy. The prettiest kind of garden". It was the inspiration for her drawings of the garden where the small rabbits in the Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies were overcome by the soporific of lettuce. When I visited in late Autumn I was lucky enough to see many of the espaliered apple trees laden with fruit and similar to how Beatrix had described. At the entrance gates windfall and other applies were displayed in crates and available for visitors to take home with them. It was amazing to see the way these trees had been pruned and shaped into an espalier design by the current gardeners and I imagined how that same task would have been carried out by the people tending to the garden back in Beatrix's time. I could feel the links back to the past as I soaked up the atmosphere of Gwaenynog for myself. During my visit at the end of Autumn many of the summer flowers and roses were finished but the garden was abundant with apples and there were brightly coloured Sedum plants as well as beautifully pastel coloured Cosmos . Roses were climbing on wooden frames and I would love to take a trip back in Summer to see these and the herbaceous plants in full bloom. Beatrix used this garden as the scene of two other of her unfinished books - Flittermouse and Fluttermouse as well as Llewelyns Well. This book begins with a description of the garden - "In Summer there were white and damask roses and the smell of thyme and musk. In Spring there were goosberries and throstles, and the flowers they call ceninen. And leeks and cabbages also grew in that garden; and between long straight grass alleys, and apple trained espaliers, there were beds of strawberries, mint and sage. And great Holly trees and a thicket of nuts. It was a great big garden". Now the vegetable and productive part of the garden is separate from the flowers, roses and herbaceous borders and I was lucky enough to see these amazing pumpkins which put my own pumpkins, back home, to shame. I really should have enquired about the variety as it was a bad year for pumpkins and yet those at Gwaenynog were thriving. Although it was the wrong time of year to experience the full colour of the garden I was delighted to see that many of the plants had not been cut back for Winter but left for the birds and wildlife as well as making quite a striking architectural statement. Garden Writer | Guineveres Garden

During a visit to Ireland last Summer, I was privileged to be invited to Patthana garden, not only for a guided tour of the garden itself by TJ Maher - the artist who created this spectacular place, but also for lunch prepared by his husband Simon. Lunch was delicious and with hindsight I realise how lucky I was to have this wonderful experience. Patthana is without doubt my favourite garden in Ireland, and I often let my mind drift back to remember that beautiful day. We were scheduled to arrive at Patthana for lunch and all morning it had been quite cloudy with frequent and heavy rain showers - we were cold and wet plus a little disappointed that our visit would probably be spoiled by the rain. There is nothing to prepare you for Patthana, only an unusual sign outside on the street, and a very distinctive high metal gate. As we walked through the gate and in to the Courtyard, TJ was there to greet us with a warm Irish welcome and smile. Within no time at all we were sat down with friends, old and new, to enjoy the most delicious lunch. To our delight, sunlight began to filter through into the Courtyard and the rain clouds slowly began to drift away. The first thing that struck me about the garden, even in the Courtyard area, was the profusion of bright and contrasting colours. A mulitude of plants were displayed in terracotta pots and this one, in particular, caught my eye with its striking orange lantern shaped flower Abutilon 'Red Tiger' - complete with raindrops from the earlier showers, it was strikingly beautiful. I love this plant and now have one of my own to remind me of that Summer day at Patthana. There are several parts to the garden at Patthana, beginning with the Courtyard adjacent to the house. Here is a stone pond, potting shed and seemingly hundreds of plants in pots which bring colour and interest to the grey coloured stone of the house. Everything about this garden embraces wildlife, starting with the pond where thought has been given not only to the look and colour of the planting, but also to how wildlife can access the water too. Interest has been added with height, and several climbing plants cleverly separate the potting shed from pond area, giving the impression of space. There is another form of art quite evident in the Courtyard - the ironwork railings which curve around the steep steps leading into the Inner Garden on a higher level beyond. These draw your eye and by strategic use of pots full of colour on the steps themselves you are encouraged to wander up and explore the next part of the garden, which comes slowly in to view. Originally there were only the two parts to this garden - The Courtyard and Inner Garden. For many years TJ spent his time creating a private sanctuary in each of these, placing plants, trees, hedging and fencing to hide the neighbouring properties from view. The result is a feeling that you are enveloped in a peaceful and secret oasis, yet it's only a few steps from the main village street. The Inner Garden has deep borders crammed with plants, which have been chosen by TJ for colour and form, as well as the longest possible period of interest. When he ran out of space, island beds were created in the lawn itself and curved paving stones laid to protect the lawn. When viewed from the right angle, the island beds merge into the borders behind, giving the impression that the garden is much larger. The colours at Patthana are amazing, and TJ is not afraid to play with them. He uses his Artist training to place complementary and contrasting colours in just the right places, and is not afraid to cut plants down to the ground, whilst in full flower, if they don't work. TJ will also take flower stems from other parts of the garden and place them into an area where they may work better, so that he can stand back and actually see for real the visual effect of a specific plant in a new place. This is a great idea to take back into your own garden, as it lets you see immediately how a particular plant combination is going to work. Here is a plant combination I would never have thought of myself that works perfectly. A subtle purple pink of Valeriana officinalis is planted next to bright orange colouered Helenium 'Moerheim Beauty'. It works and doesn't clash, because the more subtle colours are complimented by the wooden building in the background and the tree bark adjacent to the plant. It looks so natural and works perfectly, but this is very careful curation by TJ behind the scenes. He isn't afraid to experiment with plants, colour and form. For me a garden is all about plants and design, and many gardens seem instead to be over filled with sculptures and statues. There is very little of this at Patthana, other than a small amount of metal work which is very understated and "fits" perfectly into the space, without becoming a distraction. I loved these intricate and artsy metal holders, which had been placed at the side of a wooden seat where you could stop a while, put down your drink, and take in the garden around you. Linking in to the metal of the Courtyard Steps, they were discretely tucked away beside some ferns, and probably missed by many visitors to this garden. Until fairly recently, the garden ended just beyond the Inner Garden boundary, and a farmer's field lay beyond. TJ and Simon had an opportunity to purchase the field in recent years, and as a result the garden has now expanded and contains a newly designed Torque Garden, Meadow and Pond. These new parts of the garden lie hidden from view and are linked to the Inner Garden by a more subtly planted wooded, green and leafy area, using stone similar to the walls of the house, and so continuing and replicating the feel of the Courtyard area. There's a very tranquil feel in this part of the garden before the view opens up beyond. The Torque Garden has a very prairie style feel to it, and the pathway leads you around this part of the garden, so you can view the borders from many different angles and get very close up to the plants, so you feel as if you are almost part of them. Half way around this area you arrive at a sheltered gravel seating area with loungers and a fire pit, totally hidden away and secluded within all the planting, and yet with a feeling of openess as well. The seating feels enveloped in the planting and you somehow feel a sense of protection and peacefulness here. As you leave the Torque Garden, everything opens up and a grass pathway draws you to a wild flower meadow flanked by a row of trees to the right, and earth banking to the left, which has been cleverly sculptured to enclose the garden from the buildings behind, whilst also giving a nod to the contours of the hills and mountains beyond. Even in this more open area, the plants are prolific and spill out of the borders attracting the eye and, if you are lucky, letting you watch insects and butterflies looking for nectar. The area is buzzing with wildlife and stunning plants with striking colour like this beautiful Verbena bonariensis, which seems to self-seed in the extended part of the garden. Beyond the meadow is a striking borrowed view - the local Church which towers high above the garden and draws your eye. Here TJ has placed a beautiful metal seat with wide arches that mirror the arches of the Church. It seems that from whereever you are in the garden there is always a plant or item of interest that adds to the view. Here I found a striking Teasel plant which towered above me, and beautifully but strikingly marked the beginning and end of the Meadow. As we walked back toward the house the garden continued to delight - here a view through the Hawthorn Trees, which were originally the boundaries of the Inner Garden which looks out to a stunning landscape beyond. The wooden fencing fades away as your eye is drawn to the gnarled and magnificent tree roots up close and the rolling hills in the background with a profusion of colour in between. The garden is spectacular. It's an Artist's work in progress but in plants rather than paints. At times this garden literally took my breath away. The design and plant combinations are beautiful, and I hope one day soon I will be lucky enough to return to Patthana - a garden that is not only stunning but has feeling and meaning - a very rare combination. Guineveres Garden | Garden Writer

Several years ago I stumbled upon some Topiary Images in a magazine. This in turn led me to probably my all time favourite garden book - "The Gardens of Arne Maynard". After reading the book I knew that one day I had to visit the garden itself. A couple of years ago my wish became reality and I finally got to stay at and visit Allt y Bela, the private garden of the renowned designer Arne Maynard. It was quite an effort to get to Allt Y Bela as it's tucked away on the borders of Wales and accessed by a long and winding country lane which seems way off the beaten track. However, the effort was worth it. From the moment I drove my car in through the beautiful wood and iron gates I just knew this visit would be something very special and was sure to remain with me for a long time to come. I'd already managed to read several of Arne Maynard's garden books before my visit, and I'd seen most of the blog posts on his website as well as every article that I could get my hands on but none of this prepared me for the beauty of this place. Seeing really is believing and so much better than a magazine or book. The house sits perfectly within the surrounding landscape and seems nestled comfortably in to the rolling countryside around it. It is refreshingly quiet and peaceful with a strong feeling of time having stopped still. The house has been painted in an eye catching orange shade and so it stands proudly and magnificently at the centre of this scene. At the same time the property feels humble and serving the landscape itself. The house seems to be almost grounded within the setting itself. There is a small stream that flows through the valley by the house and stonework along it's banks links the steam to the property and envelops the house with a sweeping curve. The stream stone matches the buildings and this feature really punctuates and sets apart the house from the countryside beyond. It looks so simple but it is really quite sophisicated design that draws your eye and subconciously let's you see the house at peace with the landscape. When viewed from another angle the curves of the stream are replicated in a series of stone walls set into the bank beyond, almost like an amphitheatre but very simplistic with planting spill out from the stone itself and a stunning curved wild flower meadow beyond. The curves get gradually smaller with height and so seem to disappear into the hillside. There are several parts to the garden and most flow into one another although the Cottage Garden and Vegetable Garden are two seperate places. Topiary is dotted throughout and there are lots of pot displays as well as the amphitheatre and wild flower meadow. It is all curated perfectly and it is difficult to see clearly where the garden ends and the countryside begins. Use has been made of local materials which adds to the sense of the place but, at the same, time there are some quite bold statements such as sculpture that is quite magestic in style but due to the simplicity of the surroundings does not feel out of place. To me this whole garden is strictly about structure but then how that can be made to fade into the background and carry the planting and landscape that surrounds it. Care has been taken to ensure that any pots, seating and hard landscaping all "fit" with the surroundings and they have been allowed to weather beautifully, even gathering moss, so that they appear to have been around for many years. Even the Head Gardener Bertie, who kindly showed me around the garden, looked a fitting part of this amazing space ! The Cottage Garden was a profusion of every type of Cottage Garden plant you could imagine. Some towered above me and it was difficult to take everything in. There were beautiful stone pathways criss crossing through this garden so that you could explore deeper and try to discover some new and beautiful plants. I could have stayed in part of the garden for quite a long time except there was even more to see. The Vegetable and Cottage Garden were suprisingly small but that did not stop them both from packing so much in. In the Vegetable Garden everything was very ordered and most of the produce here is used for the house. Most plants were labelled and there was a feeling of having stepped back in time. There was a stunning wooden greenhouse which again was not huge in size. At the time of my visit this was packed with several different varieties of tomato plant. Again natural materials had been used whenever possible including some stunning terracotta pots. The Greenhouse is a walk from the house and so some more tender plants are kept nearby in a stunning cold frame. Attention to detail is key as the plants are staged so that those near to the back are raised up and easy to view and traditionnal terracotta pots are stored underneath. A beautifully clipped topiary sits adjacent to the frame whilst climbing plants cling to the wall besides it. In this garden even the most practical of structures look beautiful. Everything looks so natural and you would never know that this garden is a relatively recent creation. Tightly clipped topiary of Carpinus betulus (hornbeam) and Buxus (box) sit comfortably in the garden with a backdrop of more wild and free flowing trees. Even the oak seating is set at an angle to reflect the garden design - a clever but subtle detail you may not even notice unless you look closely. Nevertheless small details like this are a nod to the sophisicated design which is almost hidden in this garden. Sadly the visit came to an end all too quickly and I made sure that I had all my notes and pictures to hand before I asked Bertie, the gardener, any final questions. We were lucky that day as the weather was kind and when we had finished looking at the gardens we were able to enjoy a well appreciated cup of tea ! If you can make the trip to Allt y Bela you will not be disappointed and I really do recommend it. Guineveres Garden | Garden Writer

I was lucky enough to be invited to visit The Mill Garden in Warwick on a sunny afternoon in late September. Little did I know that this garden would be one of the best examples I have ever seen of what garden designers describe as a garden with a "borrowed view", where features beyond the boundaries of a garden appear to be part of the garden itself. The borrowed view of the Mill Garden is spectacular with Warwick Castle as a backdrop on one side rising out of the garden with a huge sense of scale, and the river Avon framing the garden to the other side. The lawn slopes gently toward the river taking in a picture perfect view of the old abandoned bridge which used to carry the road from Warwick to London. The house itself was originally the bridge keepers cottage and has a history going back hundreds of years. The house and garden are tucked away down a small cobbled street lined with historic houses each of which has its own distinct character and gives a sense of stepping back in time. The street curves gently and so the Mill Garden is hidden from view until you reach the very end of the houses where a quaint and unassuming pink cottage comes into view. The Cottage belongs to Julia Measures and her husband David Russell and was previously owned by Julia's father Arthur who originally rented the house before purchasing it from the Earl of Warwick in 1959. Julia has been connected with this place all her life and the story of how she met her husband David, and kept the garden she believed she may need to let go, is a fairytale in itself. Gardens are as much about the people who "garden" them as the garden itself. This garden has been a constant thread interwined throughout Julia's life so I was thrilled to meet Julia and her husband on my visit, and hear first hand, from her, some of the history of this spectacular place. As you step in to the garden the Castle backdrop is breathtaking with it's turreted tower and huge expanse of grey stone wall running along the length of the garden. The dull grey of the Castle wall tones in perfectly with the pale pink of the Cottage, and its out-buildings, drawing the two together in a very subtle way. The entrance to the garden has a Cottage Garden feel with bird baths, benches to sit and take in the view as well as a collection of earthenware and terracotta pots displayed beautifully on an old stone bench. The planting here is very low and close to the ground comprising many alpine type plants in a subtle hue of colours including lilac, pink and white but framed by silver colour foliage. Height has been obtained by growing climbers along the walls of the outbuildings drawing the eye away from the Castle and out towards the garden beyond. Not only does this garden draw on features beyond its own boundaries, but it also has a very cleverly designed series of paths which lead you, in twists and turns, through the garden. The garden is not that big in size but by using this clever design it is revealed to you bit by bit and so appears to be a lot larger than it actually is. From the entrance to the garden and the Cottage, a path leads past the low level planting, through a lawn and down to the lower level garden. There is just a glimpse of water beyond and at first glance this seems to be a lake rather than the river itself - it's only as you walk further along the path that the whole view is revealed and you can look back to see the bridge. It is breathtaking and design at its very best. The stone path continues to weave its way and lead you around the garden making clever use of planting and shrubs to gradually reveal, hide or frame a particular view. This garden should be on every garden designers wish list and be a must have addition to garden design tuition courses. It's only small in size but packs so much in. The borrowed view doesn't stop at the river, bridge and castle - it also comprises mature trees beyond the river which frame in the view and link up with very tall trees within the garden itself which give the impression of being somewhere in the country rather than in the middle of Warwick Town. It's breathtaking both visually and in terms of design. What I loved about this garden, as much as the garden itself, were the people. Julia and her husband are very unassuming but were available during my visit to ask questions, share knowledge or plants. They also share the garden not only to passing visitors but by opening for the NGS Garden Scheme and over the years they have raised a substantial amount of money for charities. They also connect with other nearby gardens and gardeners and help provide training opportunities for the WAGS garden scheme. It would be very easy to keep this beautiful oasis private and enjoy it only for themselves but instead they, like many other gardeners, share and I am sure that they get a lot of pleasure themselves from doing just that. As you wander around the garden it feels so natural but there is some very clever and subtle curation going on too. There are lots of intimate viewpoints and vistas and places where you can just stop and take in the view. The garden is scattered with nods to a time past. There are old stocks, benches, pots, garden rollers and staddle stones too. I had such an enjoyable afternoon at Julia's garden and I would recommend making the effort to visit Warwick sometime and see this beautiful garden for yourself. Guineveres Garden | Garden Writer

Hill Close Gardens are without doubt one of the most fascinating gardens I have ever visited. Steeped in history, nearly lost forever and not at all well known - these gardens are absolutely charming and a treat to see. Hill Close is a series of almost secret gardens, originally covering an area of five acres sandwiched between the ancient medieval walled town of Warwick and its racecourse. Mr Wilson inherited the site in the 1840s and seeing the need for detached gardens which were once very common, he set about splitting the plot into a series of 32 gardens each with it's own hedgerow and lockable door. These private gardens were perfect for those living in the town where most business and other premises only had a small yard alongside their business or house. Hill Close gardens, like now, were an escape from everyday life and somewhere to relax in a private space. People would use these detached gardens to grow fruit, flowers and vegetables or to just relax and enjoy some peace and quiet. In the 1860s the whole site was sold to Mr Phillips who went on to sell the plots individually and this probably saved them from development in future years. Plots were passed down in the same family for generations but by the end of the Nineteenth Century there was demand for housing and some of the plots, at the outer edges of the site, had been sold and built on. Between 1900 and 1910 half the orginal site had been developed and the Council began to buy plots as they became available. It took forty years, but eventually the Council owned the whole site. Permission was given for housing development and in 1993 bulldozers moved in. Luckily a group of local residents realised how special the site was - not only the land, but also the derelict summerhouses which previous owners had built in many different styles. The residents grouped together to try and save the gardens from development and stop the bulldozers. The heritage value of the gardens was recognised and a Trust was set up to secure the future of the gardens and to restore them. The Summerhouses and the Gardens are now Grade II Listed - recognised as being historically important, and protected, for future generations to come. Work started to restore the gardens in earnest, with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. The gardens were then opened to the public so that everyone can now enjoy and appreciate the social and gardening history of this very unique site. The Trust has recreated plots as close to possible to their original layout and planting. Each plot has a number and plaque which gives a brief history behind who gardened there. It's fascinating to read the stories of people who were gardening at Hill Close many years ago and discover what influenced them, what their family and business life was like, and how this may have impacted on their own garden plot. The gardens were used for pleasure as well as production and would have comprised lawns, ornamental beds, fruit, vegetables, garden ponds and often a summerhouse. As you wander through the plots at Hill Close today this is what you can expect to see. It's a place of community but also somewhere for privacy and a feeling of secrecy - each garden being completley unique and hidden from its neighbours. The summerhouses were used to sit and admire the gardens but also store tools. Many had a fireplace to keep some warmth and perhaps a kettle to make drinks whilst some had stoves to cook a small meal. The site had gas supply too and so was lit after dark to extend the gardening day. Plot owners obviously had a sense of pride and enjoyment in their own personal garden and many invested money making each plot unique to them. Not only were the summerhouses quite spectacular, with brick, chimneys and ornate tiles but plot owners also invested in steps, pathways and fancy edgings to their planting beds and paths. The trust relies on a team of volunteers to help maintain the gardens. There are 80 volunteers at Hill Close altogether and just half of them are involved in the gardening. Each volunteer is usually allocated to one plot. There is a huge selection of flowers and planting combinations in the gardens which gives plenty of inspiration to take away and try in your own gardening space. As you reach the final garden there is a large Victorian style greenhouse with coldframes and I was pleased to see a selection of plants for sale. These were not "bought in plants" but cuttings, division and propagation of the actual plants growing in the gardens today. In early Autumn, when I visited, the purple Verbena bonariensis (Purpletop vervain) and Japanese anemone stood out in the border and looked striking against the left over seed heads of Alcea (Hollyhock). There were a lot of Dahlias planted throughout the gardens as well as Cosmos, Geranium and Roses. The gardens have had a huge social effect, not only in the past as you can discover by reading the plot plaques as you walk about the garden, but also in the present. These gardens are still giving daily pleasure and benefits to the volunteers who garden today. Plot number 10 is looked after by Stella Carr, a well known artist, and you can easily see the influence of her art and creativity in the way that she tends to this garden plot today. For other volunteers the gardens are a sanctuary where they can get away, connect with nature, tend to their plot and connect with others - perhaps just a chat with a visitor or fellow volunteer - social interaction that can make a huge difference to their day. It's a wonderful place which continues to give and impact on people and nature. At one time there were many more detached gardens in the UK but most were lost to development. Many of these would have fruit trees which provided fruit, beautiful blossom and a shaded place to sit. Hill Close Gardens are no different and contain over 160 trees made up of 70 varieties. The apples are ready from September time through to November each and comprise many Heritage varieties. Each year Hill Close Gardens holds an Event to celebrate these wonderful trees where you can sample the apples and find out more about the history. I noticed Wyken Pippin an apple variety dating back to the 1700s, Warwickshire Drooper plum tree which is unusual as it can be eaten and cooked as well plus Blenheim Orange apple which also dates back a long time to 1740. These are just a handful of the many varities to see at Hill Close. At the end of the gardens is the stunning greenhouse and plant sales. I treated myself to an eyecatching Symphyotrichum (Aster) which I'd seen in the borders whilst wandering through the different plots. Hill close also has over forty varieties of Chrysanthemum and holds part of the RHS National Dispersed Collection of Chrysanthemum. I thoroughly recommend a visit to Hill Close. There is so much to see and learn about the past, the present as well as the social and architectural history. Guineveres Garden | Garden Writer

From the moment I stepped through the rather unusual entrance gates I knew that this garden was different. I was intrigued and keen to find out more as very little is given away on first impressions. Owned by a renouned designer and his wife, this is a garden of two distinct halves each gardened by a very different personality and each with it's own individual feel and design. Although a garden of two halves there are other parts to this garden, one of which comprises traditional lawn and very tall topiary that surrounds the house itself. In many places this is edged with lavender and there is a large silver sculpture in the centre of the lawn which is a nod to the design background of the owner. The best parts of the garden are hidden away behind this cloud shaped hedging and each reveals itself to you one at a time. You are led through the garden and this journey starts where the cloud topiary ends. At the beginning, the garden leads you, by a gradual narrowing of the lawn, to the end of the topiary garden and the entrance to the designer's garden beyond. The first of the hidden gardens belongs to John Makepeace, the award winning funiture designer, maker and teacher. This garden is very design orientated and quite modern in feel with lots of grasses, a pond and a striking summerhouse which appears to float at the edge of the pond and is accessed by a wooden walk way. The whole feel here is contemporary and minimal. There are many different grasses which give structure and movement to the garden. Much thought and consideration has been made to choose varities which have a range of different heights and colour. The garden has a relaxed, meditative and peaceful feeling to it and gives interest through every season. When we first arrived at the garden John explained a little about his long career in design, wood and furniture making. He showed us his woodstore which was something quite special containing wood from trees that had fallen in a storm at Kew Gardens, London. It's not surprising therefore to find wood features quite dramatically in John's own part of the garden. The wooden walk ways are expertly designed as is the stone and wood summerhouse which is the centrepiece and main focal point of his garden. The summerhouse has full height windows on two sides and beautiful furniture but also a doorway leading on to the other garden which belongs to his wife, Jenny. Just like the topiary garden John's design garden leads you unwittingly from beginning to end. It was easy to imagine yourself spending hours in this beautiful setting. It's the perfect spot for reading or just emptying your mind and relaxing either on a warm summer day with the doors open and the grasses gently swaying in the breeze or in the midst of Winter wrapped up well and watching the garden blanketed in snow. This garden works whatever the season. As I walked through the Summerhouse to Jenny's garden I stopped to take one last look. The back of the summerhouse is curved in stone and surrounded with much taller grasses through which you can just glimpse the curves of the pond and the curved bridge beyond, both mirroring the curve of the summerhouse itself. Straight lines and curves have been used to great effect both in the architecture and the planting of the garden all depending on the angle of observation. The grasses pull everything together and the overall scheme has been cleverly thought out. This isn't just a garden, it's a spectacular example of design. Jenny's garden is a complete contrast to John's but it is also quite separate and so the two work side by side but hidden from one another. As you leave John's summerhouse behind you find yourself on a gravel pathway flanked on one side by a tall wall and framed by huge trees on the skyline. This is a potager, cottage, cutting, fruit and vegetable garden all in one. Wood also features in this garden - there is a beautiful fruit frame, many wooden edges to the planting areas and a stunning glasshouse as well as Jenny's garden studio which also features wood and well thought out design. The garden is full and brimming over with Summer flowering roses, geraniums, foxgloves, lupins and many other cottage garden type plants. Jenny's seating area is a simple metal table with chairs situated in the middle of the garden complete with a contrasting coloured parasol. Rusted metal rebars had been used as plant supports or curved into garden arches and these fitted in perfectly to the artisan feel of her garden. There were rustic design features such as the old beer barrel complete with weathered teracotta pots which doubled as a water butt and sat in front of a wooden framed small pond complete with beautiful pink water lily. This garden had a wild and abandonded feel with plants allowed to spill over into the gravel pathways or self seed whereever they felt happiest. Pots were placed throughout the garden to add colour and interest away from the planting beds themselves. The whole place is a profusion of life and colour which became overwhelming in a beautiful mind numbing way. This was a real working garden and the greenhouse was full of seed trays whilst the cold frames were all full of more tender looking plants. It's clear that Jenny is a plantswoman and not afraid to experiment with propagation, seed sowing and taking cuttings of plants. A glimpse inside the studio showed that Jenny, just like John, had her own contemplative garden space. Here she was working on pottery and there was a very cluttered and artsy feel to her studio - just like her garden, but in total contrast to the grass modernist garden and summerhouse of John's. At the edge of this garden were some weathered oak gates which signalled the end of the garden and the beginning of something else - an old orchard and meadow area. Again the gates drew your attention away from the cottage garden to the expectation of something beyond - so the end an beginning was yet again expertly curated. The meadow area was the last part of the garden and even here there was contrast - a grey wolf sculpture sat in this part of the garden alongside the geese who waddled around oblivious to their sculpted companion. As we wandered in the meadow there was one last treat in store - this beautiful bee orchid, Ophrys apifera , was flowering just beneath one of the old apple trees. A wonderful surprise and a reminder of just how special the Makepeace garden is. Definately a garden to put on your own garden wishlist. Guineveres Garden | Garden Writer

I had very little idea what to expect when I travelled to Dorset earlier this year to visit a handful of gardens, including a Walled and Rose Garden designed by Isabel and Julian Bannerman. This beautiful garden is nestled deep in a valley, enveloped and protected by the rolling hills and countryside beyond. Roses are one of my favourite flowers, and the Bannermans are garden designers whose work I have admired for years. I have most of Isabel's books, and I've seen many images of their spectacular gardens in glossy magazines. To see a romantic themed Bannerman garden in person, filled to the brim with roses and the Bannerman signature oak design features was a special treat. I felt priviledged to have this opportunity, and am very thankful to the owners who opened, and shared, their stunning garden for a few hours with me. Set back from a country lane, a winding gravel driveway leads to the property where the garden is tucked away behind an oak gateway, which leads into a courtyard area packed full of the most beautiful and fragrant roses. There is a feeling of being deep in the English countryside, surrounded by fields, country lanes, bird song and peace. When I visited in June the roses were in full bloom and set off beautifully with clipped topiary, foxgloves, peonies, alliums and geraniums too. There's a timeless and romantic feel throughout the planting in this garden, complemented by the moss and lichen which has been allowed to creep over much of the paving, as well as the teak and rattan furniture, giving the impression everything has been here for many years. It's very cleverly curated and whilst there it felt as if time had temporarily stood still. There are many different parts to the garden, and each flows seamlessly into the next. In the rear garden area, there was a charming side courtyard tucked away close to the house, which mainly comprised of pots containing topiary and cosmos all set off by the stone steps and light coloured pea gravel. Roses were everywhere with many different varieties - shrubs, climbers, ramblers both old and new. They looked so natural, but it was clear that behind the scenes hours of work and planning had gone in to creating this garden. I particularly liked this lovely espallied rose set off with the purple geranium below, a simple but stunning way to cover the cream coloured wall. Many of the roses had been cut, and put on display, with stylish labels so that it was easy to see the colour and form of the flower very close up. My favourite was this deep maroon Rosa ' Charles de Mills' an old, once flowering rose, dating back to 1790. There were many other roses on display too, including these two tone roses Rosa 'Ferdinand Prichard' a repeat flowering climbing rose and Rosa 'Eyes for You' an eyecatching floribunda. It was lovely to see all the beautiful rose cuttings, and it's rare to see so many rose flowers close up. I made mental notes of the ones which really caught my eye, and there were plenty to choose from, as there are hundreds of roses in this stunning garden. From the courtyard area we wandered around to the front of the house which contains a large lake together with pretty rowing boat. The lawns sweep down to the lake which is set off beautifully against the rolling hills behind. For a moment you could almost forget you were in a garden, as it felt so much part of the hillside, hedges and trees beyond. Before I'd even seen the rest of the garden, I knew this was a very special place, and I'd never seen a garden so well placed within the surrounding landscape. It was stunning. The front of the house has fairly restrained planting as the lake is the feature here. There are a few roses, but the path leads you around to the side of the house, which has also been cleverly designed to sit perfectly within the landscape beyond. This lovely stone seating area is aged with lichen, and it's difficult to see where the garden ends and the field behind actually begins. This sense of the garden sitting within it's landscape was evident throughout, and has been expertly designed. Walking along the side of the house we were led into a narrow area with a rill to the side. This area comprised the fields of the natural landscape, then a pathway with more natural planting beneath trees with a topiary lined water rill to the side, filled with carefully placed and manicured topiary balls of Buxus and Taxus baccata as well. There was a large blue seat with small pond and gravel planting area with the Bannermans signature weathered oak features that perfectly replicate the look of very old stone. The weathered oak features continued throughout the garden and here, in the form of a balustrade, forming a boundary between the garden and field beyond. Every so often there was a bench, recliner or seat enticing you to sit down for a moment and take a while to stop and savour the beauty and nature around you. The borders were filled to overflowing with roses, irises, geraniums, lupins, delphiniums, valerian, allium and all range of typical cottage garden style plants. The colour scheme was pinks, purples, whites, blues and lilacs, which were set off with a pop of dark maroon or scarlet placed strategically through the borders. It was a profusion of colour, plants and romance. The borders appeared as if they had just come together naturally but it was clear that someone with an eye for colour had been involved as the colours complemented each other to perfection. Past all the herbaceous borders was a huge carved oak gate, which was again made to give the impression of stone. Flanked by climbing roses, this gave a tantilising view of the walled garden and greenhouse beyond. This was a cutting, fruit and vegetable garden with beautiful greenhouse and a series of parterre type beds. To give continuity, several of these were planted with similar herbaceous plants as the main garden itself, and so the two areas linked seamlessly together. The planting and standard of the garden was immaculate. The gravel paths were just perfect, and beautifully framed the series of planting beds within the walled garden. It was difficult to take everything in, and so I made copious notes of ideas I could replicate in my own garden. The walled garden is a few steps down from the main garden area and so appears to be almost sunken in style. This is so cleverly thought out because as you cast your eye beyond the boundaries of this garden area your view is drawn to the hills and countryside in the distance, whilst the main garden is hidden from view. As well as vegetables and fruit, the walled garden is packed full of herbaceous plants and annuals, as well as even more roses, many of which are climbing against the walls. Extremely well clipped topiary is scattered about and, in places, under planted with Alchemilla mollis (Garden Ladys Mantle) which spills out on to the gravel and softens up the tightly clipped topiary forms. There are some beautiful terracotta containers placed at strategic points to draw the eye, and all planted with an very beautiful display. All the pots and furniture in the garden are very natural - terracotta, rattan and wood. I think this adds to the timeless appeal and, along with the planting and design gives the impression of a place which has stood still in time. As we left the garden there was a glimpse of a meadow leading into the fields beyond. When we visited it was filled with Leucanthemum vulgare ( Oxeye Daisy) planted around a beautiful orchard, with a grass path expertly mowed and winding through the field. It was a haven for all sorts of insects and polllinators, and a beautiful contrast to the rest of the garden. Guineveres Garden | Garden Writer

Hare Hill Garden was left to the National Trust by Charles Brocklehurst in 1977. The Brocklehurst family were involved in the manufacture of Silk in Macclesfield and were very well connected. When Charles inherited the garden, it was in a state of neglect, but he was interested in horticulture, and through his connections he contacted the renowned garden designer James Russell. Together Charles and James restored the walled garden and woodland area planting many trees, rhododendrons and shrubs. The garden sits in what was originally a large country estate, and as you approach, through the iron gates and fields, it's hard to imagine a garden at all in this type of landscape. The walled garden was originally the Victorian kitchen garden for the main house, many years before Charles inherited it. When I first visited, I was a little disappointed that the kitchen garden had completely disappeared but, as I delved into the history, I found there was a lot more to this garden than initially meets the eye, and it has a very poignant story. Instead of a productive kitchen garden, the garden contains three herbaceous borders, a pergola, two horse statues, and a huge expanse of grass. I discovered that Charles Brocklehurst had a wish that all who visited the garden should "gain aesthetic and spiritual refreshment", and he had left the entire estate to the National Trust, at the time of his death, with the condition that the house be sold and the money raised be used to maintain and support the garden. From this clause in his will, it is clear that Charles had far more spiritual connection to the garden, than he ever had to the house. With a little more research, I found that Charles had a twin brother called Patrick, and both brothers spent most of their childhood at Hare Hill. In 1930 Patrick's horse fell during a steeplechase , he was very badly injured and died the following day aged just 26 years old. I think the death of his brother had a profound and lasting effect on Charles, and this is most probably why the garden is designed how it is, even to the present day. The two horse statues in the garden were commissioned by Charles just before his death, which was over forty years later. They represent the separation of the twin brothers and their shared love of horses. With the huge expanse of grass in the garden, the statues are real focal points, and the fact that they were put in place forty years after the event, surely shows how much bereavement played on Charles's mind. So despite the inherent beauty, there is a very sad back story to this very special place. The walled garden sits behind tall brick walls and iron gates, in the midst of a very wooded area. The palette is subdued with predominantly white undertones. It almost feels like a place of memorial and reflection with a true spiritual feeling. Plants are grouped in pairs throughout, possibly representing the two brothers and the tragic loss of one of them at such a young age. It's a lovely area for families to vist and perhaps have a picnic on the lawn, with plenty of room for children to play on the grass, but it's also a place where someone who has suffered their own loss can come to sit quietly, connect to nature, and reflect. There are two wire benches situated on either side of an iron pergola, set back behind the herbaceous planting. Here you can sit very quietly, immerse yourself in the garden and its surroundings, and free up your mind to the nature and sounds of the garden. A very meditative and contemplative place. When I realised this about the garden, I forgot my initial disappointment and realised that I had truly arrived at what Charles himself described as a spiritually refreshing location. It's very fortunate that records exist of the full palette of plants that James Russell chose for Hare Hil, as well as a border plan that described and illustrated the herbaceous borders in detail. As far as I am aware the National Trust are now working towards reinstating everything in line with those plans to ensure the garden appears as close to original as possible. I was particulary impressed with the greenhouse, situated just outside the garden walls, where propagation of plants seemed to be well underway. You really have to grasp and understand the back story of this amazing garden to truly appeciate it. I'm sure that Charles gained much pleasure himself from the garden, and surely felt a spiritual connection to his brother in that place - hence the commissioning of the two statues and leaving the garden to the National Trust, rather than a private buyer, for it's long-term preservation. It's a beautiful legacy that he left to all those visiting both now, and in future, children and adults alike - just as it was for his own family - enjoying the estate in childhood and looking back in contemplation later in life. It's a place of spiritual connection that I feel very lucky to have visited. The pairing of plants is a very noticeable theme within the walled garden itself, but is perhaps even more impressive outside of those walls in the surrounding woodland. Just outside the walled garden are two cedar trees planted very closely together. This is very unusual and, although there is no evidence to support it, the age of the trees and their close proxmity to each other could suggest they were planted to commemorate the twins Charles and Patrick Brocklehurst. These trees are Cedrus atlantica glauca or Blue Cedar. A few years ago, the two trees showed signs of terminal fungal disease but, due to their significance and connection to Hare Hill, money has been invested into trying to treat them. I sincerely hope that this is effective. The trees could be deemed to represent the two brothers towering in strength, reaching up into the sky and looking over the garden that formed a part of their childhood, and life, just a short distance beyond. There was a truly magical feeling and magnetism around them. Hare Hill is situated at the top of Alderley Edge on a sandstone escarpment that overlooks the Cheshire Plain. There are many magical connections and legends associated with the area, and Alderley Edge has several myths and historical connections. The soil is very acidic and so Rhododendrons , Hydrangeas and other acid-loving plants, such as Azalea really thrive here. Most of the woodland area around the walled garden comprises this type of shrub, and it is amazing to see in the springtime. However, the woodland area also has herbaceous planting which links with some of the planting within the walled garden, and so connecting the two distinct areas together. Some notable plants in the outer area are Japanese Anenome, Sedum, Fuschia, Dahlias and Roses all in a beautiful colour pallette. The walled garden contains a mainly pastel palette of plants mostly represented in pairs. I really like this spiky Cleome hassleriana, which was repeated throughout the borders and gave an oriental look, which contrasted well with the tall brickwork of the garden walls. Echinacea or coneflower was quite prevalent as well and, again, this is a striking plant which really shone out amongst the rest of the more restrained planting. There were several roses, skimmia and phlox repeated throughout the borders, with cleome too. All the planting was in cool colours, with the occasional contrast colour of yellow or a quite subdued pink, but mainly ethereal in nature. Outside of the garden walls was the woodland area which had a very different vibe. Trees that had fallen were left in this woodland area, slowly decaying and covered in lichen and moss. The upturned and rotting roots were eye catching and drew attention away from the rest of the towering trees beyond. If you started to think too deeply, there was a real connection between life and death in this area of the garden. Similar to the walled garden itself but much more profound. Throughout the woodland area there were places to sit, contemplate and take in the surroundings. Some were rustic style wooden benches and others more ornate iron benches or simple picnic tables for families to enjoy. Several wooden bridges linked two woodland ponds which had attracted a family of ducks. On the surface this was a beautiful natural area with wildlife but, if you started to contemplate and look at the water closely, you could see not only the reflection of the landscape but the reflection of your own soul Hare Hill is multi-faceted. On the surface a beautiful woodland and walled garden for families to enjoy and pass a few hours one afternoon. For others the garden is a place for very deep thought and spiritual connection - not just in relation to their own life and experiences but to Charles Brocklehurst, his own childhood memories growing up at Hare Hil,l and his darker moments and legacy to his brother and generations of others beyond. It is very rare to experience all of this in a garden, and I feel priviledged that the kindness and vision of one person left this legacy for all. Hare Hill Garden is a very special place indeed. Guineveres Garden | Garden Writer

It's not very often that I count off the days for a publisher to release a book but that is exactly what happened with "Outside In", the very first book written by Sean A Pritchard. Excitedly I picked up my copy at the weekend and I haven't been able to put the book down since. Sean Pritchard first came onto my radar via Instagram. That's nothing unusual for me as I often scroll through social media looking for ideas and inspiration, but only a handful of accounts stand out from the crowd. Sean Pritchard's account was one that I began to look out for each time I logged in. At first it was the beautiful flower displays that caught my eye - appearing on his grid week after week. A short while later I started to glimpse the stunning decor and style of the house, tucked away behind the flowers - and then I was hooked. This was someone with talent but low key and relatable. In fact now that I have read the book I realise that everything Sean posts or writes about is actually very achievable indeed. So many floral artists write books and produce displays of flowers which are intricate and require a high level degree of skill and training. That's fine for a trained florist looking to progress their career but, for someone like me, with no florist training and a garden in progress it's out of my league. In contrast Sean's book made me realise that I could pick flowers from my garden and display them with relative ease. I've already started picking and displaying tulips from my garden and, with my new found "Sean Pritchard" style knowledge, I actually feel confident that in time I can reproduce some of Sean's own displays as shown on his social media and in the book. That is something special as it gives me hope, something to plan towards and look forward to. I am constantly referring back to the book and delving straight back in. Sean has a background in brands plus fine art and then trained in Garden Design so he has a head start on many of us. However, I get the impression everything changed for him when he got the keys to his own beautiful cottage with garden, in the Mendip Hills. An added bonus for Sean was an old English Orchard not far away from him. Sean likes to display and stage things - in his house and garden as well as his belongings. Having his own place gave him the space and opportunity to do just that. He traces his love of display back to childhood visits to museums to see tray upon tray of butterfly or beetle all carefully cataloged and set out purposely to "display", attract interest and encourage one to learn more. The staging in shop fronts and windows, or a collection of books carefully curated in a library were also early memories for him - again piquing interest and drawing one in. This is all in Sean's DNA and is how he first introduces his book. Very cleverly the book itself achieves exactly this - on the face of it a "coffee table book" with the most stunning pictures and displays of flowers that make you want to turn the pages to find out more. Once you are drawn in the book educates and explains encouraging you to go away and find out more. Exactly like a museum which Sean admits, even now, is one of his favourite places to be. This book isn't just another gardening book - this is something really quite different. The book is Sean A Pritchard - it's one of the very few books I've read that totally reflects the person within. It is very cleverly put together. After the introduction the chapters go on to look at Sean's favourite flowers by season, focusing on just a few important ones, and starting in the Spring. He shares his love of daffodils and recommends many different varieties some of which he grows in containers and others just in the ground - all finding their way into his house at some stage in a stunning arrangement or display. There are simple notes on what works for him, with favourite varieties, or how he plants and cares for these plants and what to do with them once their time is over and they move back into dormancy. He shares a glimpse into his studio and explains how he chooses the varieties to grow by cutting out images and mounting them onto display boards. So he opens your eyes to opportunities whilst at the same time spelling out the varieties for you so that you can just go out and grow. After Spring the book moves on to summer and flowers such as foxgloves, nasturtiums and one of Sean's favourites the pelagonium. Again many suggestions are made on colour, form and style of plant and display. There is also information on the vessel to use and it doesn't have to be complex as Sean often chooses a simple bowl or mug to arrange his flowers and explains how to use chicken wire or a floral "frog" to help get the flowers to fall into shape. Many floral arrangement books give a list of ten to twenty items which are "essentials" to achieve the look. Sean's book encourages you to use what you have and so indirectly encourages the creativeness within. There are chapters on annual plants and how to grow these plus Sean freely shares all his own trialed and tested tips to get the best out of your seedlings. He goes on to talk about Roses and suggestions for other Summer flowering plants both for planting in the garden but also in containers. There are tips on how and when to feed, when to cut back and how to get the best out of a plant display. After the abundance of Summer the chapters move on to Winter and then in to Spring. At this time of year there is not as much happening in the garden. Sean will often cut branches from shrubs and trees such as Catkins to which he devotes a whole chapter. There is information on indoor forced bulbs which keep things going through the Winter and right through to Spring. Although there is not as much going on at this time of year Sean explains that in some ways this is an easier time to have plants close to you inside as many bulbs are well suited to this. By the end of the book my imagination and enthusiasm were fired up and my mind was racing with the opportunities and ideas. Sean is extremely talented and his flower displays are some of the most followed on the internet. Yet, at the end of the book, he shares his own vulnerabilities. Nothing ever seems finished to him or quite good enough despite all his talent. There is always something he feels he could have done better or differently and seemingly so much more to do in order to make things perfect. He then reflects that he is learning more and more to live in the moment and I suppose, although he does not directly say this - appreciate what you have got. I thought this was a wonderful way to reflect back and to end the book.