Category: Uncategorized
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Gold Medal for the prettiest churchyard ever
If there was such an award, I feel it should go St Giles on The Hill in Norwich. Even from the street, I was entranced. The wisteria falling over the wall, the smell, the colour of it all… and later a story – that it was planted more than one hundred years ago for the…
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Allotment Notes 1
Hello Blossom! Looking at all the fruit trees in blossom on the allotments made my heart sing… BLOSSOM! But then I started to look more closely – at how different each one was. So now this is my mission for sometime in the future – to be able to tell the fruit by its particular…
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A Festival in ‘our’ Garden – The Wealden Literary Festival
Get creative and win tickets to the first Wealden Literary Festival Kent photographers and writers of all ages are invited to share their images and words about the places in the county they find inspirational in a competition being organised as part of the first Wealden Literary Festival. The festival, at Boldshaves Gardens, Woodchurch,…
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Tulips and Tortoises
It’s joyful tulip time, tumbling over each other as they draw every little bit of attention in the room to themselves and no wonder they do what they want. These are the kings of spring flowers, and once they would have sucked up a bank balance as easily as they drink every drop of…
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An ode to Allotmenteers
Hello allotment, it feels like it’s been a long time… What’s that? Oh right, yes it has. But hurrah, it’s gardening time again. And look at these potatoes in the allotment shop waving at us. Pick me, pick me… So here’s a poem to all of us, peering at our allotments at this time of…
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How to be Capable (ity Brown)
I’ve been thinking about Lancelot (Capability) Brown for probably far too long. Here’s a post I wrote about visiting his birthplace, Kirkharle in Northumberland. So it’s lovely to join in the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of his birth, with a series of poems coming out in the commemorative copy of the magazine for the Follies…
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Chatto-ing to myself in the rain… at Beth Chatto’s Garden
It was never going to be possible for me to visit Colchester and not fit in a trip to Beth Chatto’s garden, but to be honest the constant rain finally pushed my patient husband a little too far. Never mind, there was a cafe for him, and I trudged round happily – even if I did…
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Eel Art in the Public Garden
This is probably one of the best known views in Britain, the Octagon tower at Ely Cathedral. It’s got special resonance for me, to be honest, because I was at boarding school here and we used the cathedral as a playground, short cut, an everyday part of our lives. It is only now that I’m…
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Wearing the garden
Of course dressing yourself in the garden isn’t new. Chelsea Flower Show hairdo anyone? But I’ve fallen in love with two designers recently, who are doing more than just putting beautiful flowers on garments. Both Carol Lake and Travail en Famille are really digging deep to harvest their seeds of garden inspiration (I know, I know, I’m sorry…). I came across…
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How a garden led to a family Christmas…
I’m lucky enough to be involved with the charity, Blackthorn Trust, in Maidstone. It’s a garden, a cafe, a bakery, a crafts studio – and all backed by a Trust Doctor, medical centre and talented massage therapists. I know I’m biased but it’s a magical place. Visit it yourself, and I swear you won’t just…
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Hidden in central London, a garden for peace and reconciliation
Although I was looking out for the St Ethelburga’s Garden for Peace and Reconcialition, even so, walking down busy Bishopsgate, I missed this tiny passageway to the garden first time round… Doesn’t look very promising, does it?! But luckily I retraced my steps, and entered into a beautiful little corner that let me time travel ……