Posts Tagged ‘England’
Glorious Abundance in a Pint-Sized Garden
I'm sure our giant green coach caused a few raised eyebrows as it pulled into the narrow residential street in Chelmsford, England. But homeowner Sheila Chapman took it all in her stride as she warmly welcomed our tour group to her pint-sized garden with a smile. Sheila is a well-known Royal Horticultural Society gold medal-winning…
Read MoreColor Snapshots from England
I'm just home after hosting a wonderful tour of English gardens for Earthbound Expeditions. So many memories and so many ideas – but I wanted to share just a few images that highlight the use of color restraint and how effective that is as a design tool rather than a wild 'jellybean' approach. Monochromatic Schemes…
Read MoreCelebrate Spring with Candelabra Primroses
I’m not a fan of those brash, grocery store primroses, much preferring the English woodland primrose that is both reliably perennial and a much more pleasing buttermilk yellow. Yet I was totally seduced by the displays of bright candelabra primroses I saw in England last spring. Their bright citrus colors reminded me of a packet…
Read MoreThe Layered Garden: Lessons from England
English gardens are known for their unapologetic "abundant" look, where flowers, vegetables and/or shrubs mingle easily like the very best of friends. This is achieved by "layering" a range of plants with different heights together and is a technique that can be applied from the tiniest garden to the largest estate regardless of aesthetic or…
Read MoreInspiration from RHS Wisley
Earlier this year I had the opportunity to visit the historic home of the Royal Horticultural Society: RHS Garden Wisley. Like its northern counterpart RHS Harlow Carr which I have visited several times, it is jam-packed with inspiration for home gardeners and designers alike. Since I was visiting in May, that helped me narrow my…
Read More