Hortiventure

Noel Kingsbury's blog is one of the few that I follow and enjoy. He gives interesting thoughts and insights on gardening in terms of where it’s at, where it’s going especially on a more international level, and is really great at giving an overview on a topic and explaining the history of things in laymen terms. Stimulated by his writing I have wanted to write to him on many occasions. In one of his blog posts I read that sick of Brexit he was strongly considering moving to Portugal, where there was so much more flora to be explored and the potential of them to be realised, and if anyone was interested in seeing his garden whilst he was still there they should get in contact with him. I was in the States at the time but upon my return many months later, I saw that he mentioned that he was getting rid of some horticultural books in preparation of moving. So I decided it was now or never. after a little correspondence I asked him if it was still sensible to visit in December and he s

Last year in May I did to an epic trip through the Appalachian Mountains to North Carolina. I haven’t properly documented this anywhere yet, so I thought I would take the opportunity to do so. The Blue Ridge Mountains part of the Appalachian Range My main impetus for going there was to see Plant Delights nursery and a horticultural friend of mine Ben Pick - who had recently bought a house and some land near Asheville and wanted to make something of it; possibly a combination of a garden and nursery with some agricultural activities. These were the seeds of reasons for going and then more and more good reasons converged - Will Hembree a former Interchange Fellow the American equivalent of me (who goes to the UK to work in different gardens for 9 months), was down there doing an interesting graduate programme in plant breeding, a scenic drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a good time of year for wildflowers - Virginia and North Carolina is the heart of the US Piedmont flora that I ha

I was at the Beth Chatto Symposium last week, but before I write anything about that because I want to take a little time to assimilate the many interesting things that have been said, I would like to post some writing I had found about my first experience of visiting this garden in September 2014 and have decided to finish off and publish: We couldn't asked for a more perfect day when we went to Beth Chatto's. As autumn colours now slowly pales into winter, it felt like a long time ago on that September day, when it still felt like late summer. Beth Chatto's Gravel Garden It is a garden that I have wanted to visit for a long time, especially because of Beth's close relationship with Christopher Lloyd, two very different gardens, two very different individuals but one very strong and respectful friendship. It has been an influential garden in the UK, ahead of its time in its approach and changing the outlook of how you can garden and what plants you can use. As w