Posts by Karen Chapman
Telling Your Story: The Garden Entry Sequence
Designing a garden is rather like telling a story; there needs to be an introduction that draws you in, an understanding of the key characters as they weave through each chapter and a satisfying conclusion. The garden introduction begins when you get the first glimpse of the home and how it is settled into the…
Read MoreBarewood: A True Romantic Garden
When you purchase an internationally-acclaimed garden with your new home (itself a historic 100-year old homestead), it's a formidable responsibility. Yet the new owners of Barewood have not only risen to that challenge they have excelled and their enthusiasm is infectious. This four-acre garden, in the Marlborough district of New Zealand, has matured over the…
Read MoreFisherman's Bay Garden – a treasure trove of ideas
Tucked away down a steep, winding lane near the charming French whaling village of Akaroa, South Island, New Zealand is Fishermans' Bay Garden, home to Jill and Richard Simpson. Accessing this gem is not for the faint of heart as the homeowners discovered in December 2021 after extreme rain caused the gravel access road to…
Read MoreSpringtime in England
Fewer crowds, pleasant weather (usually), and generous garlands of fragrant wisteria draped across sturdy arbors and weathered stone walls all make spring one of the best seasons to visit England. My own childhood memories of English springtimes include strolling through beech woods, thickly carpeted with wild garlic and bluebells, picking posies of wild primroses (frowned…
Read MoreMosaic Magic New Zealand Style
Just when you think you've seen it all….you discover the magical Giant's House, perched high on a hill in Akaroa, so-named by a small child who declared that the imposing home must belong to a giant since it was so big. Yet the size of the home is modest compared to the imagination of its…
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