Snapshots from Hampton Court Festival

I now understand why many visitors say they prefer the Hampton Court Flower Festival over the Chelsea Flower Show: it seems more familiar, more attainable, more like a community event than a Grand Show. Yet it still offers an abundance of gardening ideas, shopping opportunities, and unlike Chelsea includes a number of educational workshops and…

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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…

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Gateway Wildlife Garden – Chelsea 2023

It's a balance. I want to create habitat for wildlife – but that doesn't mean I want to live in an overgrown 5-acre field. I therefore designed the gardens closest to our home to be more ornamental, featuring some of my favorite deer-resistant trees, shrubs and perennials, with a mid-point transition area consisting of a…

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Inspiration 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…

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Outside Style: Book Review & Giveaway

I'm not even waiting until this one is available for sale before I tell you about it – I'm that excited!  But let me start at the beginning… I met the author, Ryan McEnaney several years ago over a glass of wine – sauvignon blanc to be specific. We were at a conference for garden…

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