Alan Titchmarsh is quintessentially English, from his last name to his loves—gardening, dogs, country life and the Queen. Best known to Americans from the imported gardening makeover series, Ground Force, Titchmarsh is a celebrity in Britain. He hosts the BBC’s round the clock coverage of the Chelsea Flower Show every year, has written numerous garden … Read more
GHOSTS OF GARDENS PAST Last week, in need of a minor adventure, I went to Ramapo College in Mahwah, New Jersey. On the face of it, a thirty-eight minute drive to the northern part of the state might not seem like the stuff of which adventures are made. However, I was in search … Read more
This year I acquired a camellia, and not just any camellia, but Camellia japonica, the kind that I have long coveted in greenhouses and other high-toned, enclosed locales. Where does my camellia live? Outdoors in the middle of my back garden—not exactly a “protected place.” Now, in the beginning of December, the camellia has fat … Read more
Popular magazines live and die by lists. Stand for more than two minutes in the supermarket check-out line and you will see at least ten different compilations of life-changing tips announced in screaming headlines. With titles ranging from “Sixteen Fabulous Ways to Transform Your Holiday Dinner” and “Top Twenty Hollywood Divas,” to “Five Easy Ways … Read more
Suddenly the scales have fallen from my eyes and I have seen Japanese maples for the first time. They have surrounded me forever, but now, after the clean-up from Hurricane Sandy, when so much has been swept away, the Japanese maples seem to stand out in an especially stark and beautiful way. Known botanically as … Read more
