The Gardeners' Apprentice

Battersea Park

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Garden restorations never cease to fascinate me and I am especially inspired by the restoration of the Old English Garden in Battersea Park, London, featured recently in The Guardian newspaper (http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gallery/2012/jul/13/transformation-old-English-garden-in-pictures?INTCMP=SRCH#/?picture=393026851&index=0).  The restoration is being done under the auspices of Thrive, an English charity devoted to horticultural therapy, with the actual work completed by gardening trainees … Read more

Beauty for its Own Sake

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The October issue of Fine Gardening magazine features an Editor’s Letter from Editor Steve Aitken, defending his commitment to focus on ornamental rather than edible plants.  It’s high time someone extolled the virtues of creating a garden simply for beauty’s sake.  Growing edible plants is wonderful, if that’s where your interests lie, and most people … Read more

Sword Lilies

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Flower lovers tend to either loathe or adore tall hybrid gladiolas.  Dame Edna Everage, actor Barry Humphries’ diva-esque, lavender-haired alter ego, loves them so much that she dubbed them her “signature flower.”  It’s a perfect fit—both are commanding and flamboyant.  Available in an array of colors, from pastels to some truly screaming shades, gladiolas are … Read more

Privet Pain

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No matter what time it is in my garden, it’s always time to clip the privet.  It bounds the front yard on three sides and thrives on a diet of neglect and neighbors’ complaints.  I trim and trim.  When I am finished with the entire hedge, I start all over again.  If I relax with … Read more

Complaints Department

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An English newspaper recently asked readers about their most frequent garden complaints.  Being a veteran gardener, I could think of a few–the string trimmer running out of string in the middle of a job, an invasion of Japanese beetles, the loss of a favorite pair of clippers, etc.  But when I think about it, the … Read more