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To this end, 'The English Garden' has fueled my thoughts and my ambitions, plant-wise. I am particularly pleased with one of their more recent series in the latest issues, for they had a series entitled' How to create an English Garden', something that, while I have striven for aspects ... Read review
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Advantages: Great articles, great photography Disadvantages: None
...London to a house in the midwestern United States with a plot of land that would command millions were it in the centre of London, I had visions of majestic hedgerows and beds of flowers and vines and garden paths. Indeed, I have such (at a friend's house!). I have a few plots that are irregularly tended, but, over the course of the past decade, they have grown bit by bit each summer into more interesting plots. Part of what has given me inspiration ... ...their more recent series in the latest issues, for they had a series entitled' How to create an English Garden', something that, while I have striven for aspects to match, has alluded me these past many years. With the help of this series, at the very least I shall know what I have been missing, and what is possible.
Articles in each issue are classified under the following categories: 'Glorious Gardens', a section that seeks out particular, ... more
When I moved from my house with a small, elaborate and alas poorly-maintained garden in London to a house in the midwestern United States with a plot of land that would command millions were it in the centre of London, I had visions of majestic hedgerows and beds of flowers and vines and garden paths. Indeed, I have such (at a friend's house!). I have a few plots that are irregularly tended, but, over the course of the past decade, they have grown bit by bit each summer into more interesting plots. Part of what has given me inspiration is the idea of the ideal English Garden, perhaps the quintessential gardening goal.
To this end, 'The English Garden' has fueled my thoughts and my ambitions, plant-wise. I am particularly pleased with one of their more recent series in the latest issues, for they had a series entitled' How to create an English Garden', something that, while I have striven for aspects to match, has alluded me these past many years. With the help of this series, at the very least I shall know what I have been missing, and what is possible.
Articles in each issue are classified under the following categories: 'Glorious Gardens', a section that seeks out particular, interesting gardens around England, small and large, that conform to the English Garden ideal, as well as the occasional garden from abroad; 'Gardening Matters', in which the mechanics of gardening are explained, including design, planning, acquisition, seasonal transitions, and problems; 'Out and About', which looks for travel opportunities, gardening events worldwide, and product information; and 'Regulars', which includes letters, question and answer section (both very informative), book reviews, and a column entitled 'Kitchen Garden' which talks about food-gardening as well as well as small, indoor garden plants. Regular contributors include master gardeners David Manson, Rory Mower, Susan Chivers, and Helen Gunn.
The past issues have included articles entitled 'In Town: An Artist's London Garden', which shows that the tradition of painting in one's garden didn't stop with Monet, and requires talent in both painting and gardening for most; 'Historical Perspectives: The Queen's Secret Walled Garden' which has recently been opened to the public, and 'Opening Out: Restoration in the Wye Valley', a story on the resurrection of a garden in the west, near one of my favourite parts of Britain.
Despite the small size of the island of Britain, there are in fact a wide range of climates, making for a wide range of garden types. The English nobles who tried to transport their gardens into holdings in Scotland, Ireland and Wales often found difficulty maintaining the 'English' ideal; this is doubly true of those who left for colonial destinations. And yet the ideal lives on. My particular difficulty is that there are few climates in Britain that match the range of the Midwestern North America, so I have to pick and choose which flowers and plants to mix and cultivate that will stand up to the climate here. English Garden gives tips for those living outside of England proper who still hope for a bit of St. George's influence in their front and back yards.
I always turn green with envy upon seeing the wonderful gardens, and it makes me wish I had a green thumb and much more time and energy to devote to cultivation of beauty. Alas, 'tis not to be in my life for the foreseeable future, but I do learn quite a bit by reading English Gardens, and it helps me maintain my sense of England.
Advantages: TV's Gardening God presides Disadvantages: Who's got the time to learn in one summer what Alan's learned in a lifetime?
the Queen's english in his typical Northern manner in a way that a two year old would gurgle their understanding and if they could, would toddle into a garden, identify if not say 'Rhododendron' and go and plant one in soil that the plant would love.
Aswell as showing how a garden can be aesthetically pleasing to the eye, you are also shown how practical a garden can be with vegetables and herbs, and how these also enhance your horticultural experiences!
Anyone, and I mean absolutely anyone, would understand the message coming across from their goggle box.
SOUNDS A GREAT PROGRAMME
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It is and it should, in my opinion occupy a better slot than the backwater of BBC2.
The first series really deals with the basics to gardening, whilst the second series shows example of various plots and various ...
Advantages: Stunning gardens, lovingly presented by Monty Don Disadvantages: Not much information on specific plants
on the lake mud for their fertility.
Next up were three gardens designed by Luis Barragan, a Mexican architect. They were very modern and didn't meet my criteria for a garden because there weren't many plants!
The Ethnobotanical Garden at Oaxaca was much more beautiful. A botanical garden of desert plants, it was designed by a painter is laid out for beauty rather than just to display the plants. Tall columns of cacti are used as avenues, rather than trees, and the whole garden is beautiful. It's attached to an old monastery, and this design was chosen to replace the original monastery garden which had been destroyed.
The last garden in Mexico was Las Pozas in Xilitla, designed by an eccentric English millionnaire in the Mexican jungle. The garden is surrealist - huge concrete statues and walkways in improbably shapes dot the landscape ...
Advantages: great ways to see gardens transform Disadvantages: alan tit . .chmarsh
Ground Force is perhaps the only program I watch that really grates my very soul. Having said that, it does have many good points. The reason I detest this show so much is because of the sheer annoyance value of Alan "smilie" Titchmarsh. As a gardening show, it is certainly entertaining, well informed and enjoyable. It is just a shame that they have chosen to give the smuggest, self deluded member of the three person team the top spot.
Ground Force is based on the basic concept that, as a nation, the Brits are awful at keeping their garden nice, in order, presentable and most of all green. We all like to look at gardens, are world renowned for our "english country" varieties but when it comes to our own, most of us would rather sit back with a Mars Bar and watch Kilroy than get our fingers dirty with the lawn borders and chrysanths ...
