Chelsea Flower Show 2011: Having returned late yesterday from traveling in England – a trip that revolved around attendance at the Chelsea Flower Show’s Press Day, I lead off my first report, not with a controversial show garden, but rather, by offering a rare example of a heart-stopping moment: Certain to shine brightly in the constellation of countless garden sojourns. Perhaps it goes without saying: Moments of pure magic are few and far between. Certainly I was totally unprepared for the experience, which took place while roaming The Great Pavilion, hallowed site of much oohing and aahing over horticultural displays put together with impressive finesse in tandem with a keen, even lustful appreciation for plants from every corner of the garden realm. And so, walking along past the Kevock Garden Plants display I stopped in my tracks at the sight of Meconopsis punicea, an alpine species grown in Scotland by Stella and David Rankin.
Continue reading Chelsea Flower Show 2011: Kevock Garden Plants
Rodmell, Lewes, East Sussex – The fortunate residents of National Trust properties experience an aspect of history that I imagine to be rarified and wondrous. As an ardent fan of the Bloomsbury Group – writers, painters, creative forces, free spirits – I envy the tenants living in Monk’s House, the cottage once occupied by the writer Virginia Woolf and her husband Leonard. Last year when I toured the property, I encountered a lush landscape with verdant plantings and an altogether inviting layout that we garden lovers on this side of the pond long to experience. Charleston House is associated with Virginia’s sister, the artist Vanessa Bell, with the painter Duncan Grant, and Clive Bell, and with many well-known Bloomsbury figures who gathered here to nurture friendships, love affairs, and creative urges. When I toured the house, it did not disappoint, as the iconography of the Bloomsbury aesthetic appears in every aspect of the house’s decor, from fabric to ceramics to fabulous patterning on walls and furnishings. And the mesmerizing gardenscape: Look for statuary such as a levitating damsel to form perfect focal points.
Continue reading Revisting Bloomsbury Gardens .. Sussex
Much to do in Brighton! The ornate presence of the Royal Pavilion – constructed at the turn of the 19th century – stands at the very center of the city. Foodie havens, great shopping, and inviting hotels await your visit. Best of all for garden travelers, you’ll want to explore the South Downs, and iconic destinations such as Virginia Woolf’s Monk’s house & garden, and the Bloomsbury Group’s ‘salon’ .. Charleston House. The town of Lewes is a bustling yet charming spot in East Sussex that merits exploring.
Continue reading Brilliant Counterpoints .. Brighton, England
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