The English Garden

The English garden is admired around the world and anybody who wishes to gain an insight and understanding of these gardens will be well served by reading this updated edition of Ursula Buchan’s, The English Garden. It is possibly the most comprehensive, yet concise, treatment of the topic that I have read. Perhaps the defining …

Though There was Dough There…

There was love there too though! The gardens of the rich and famous are always an attraction to us; there is a curiosity value to them – we are curious! We want to see what money can do and, perhaps, imagine what we would do if we had the money! The Irish temperament would, of …

Thinking Small is Sometimes Best

England is a great destination for garden lovers with a richness of gardens which guarantees enjoyment for the visitor. It is a very convenient destination for gardening enthusiasts in Ireland – a short ferry journey and the comfort of your own car to travel from garden to garden. Our preparation for these visits generally begins …

Winter Gardens

The winter garden is an opportunity for imagination, surprise and great beauty and Cedric Pollet’s book, Winter Gardens - Reinventing the Season,  will certainly open your eyes to the possibilities, inspire you and move you to no longer think of winter as the closed season but as another vibrant time in the garden.     …

What does one say, Mr. Shakespeare?

Over one million people visit Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-on-Avon each year despite the not too often mentioned fact that the house was demolished in the mid-nineteenth century by the then owner as he was tired of the people who called to see it. They continue to come, especially on the 400th anniversary of his death, …

Gardens of the Italian Lakes

Gardens of the Italian Lakes by Steven Desmond with photographs by Marianne Majerus. The gardens of Lake Como and Lake Maggiore in the north of Italy are among the most dramatic and beautiful one could visit. With this new book to hand the visitor’s experience will be all the more enjoyable. Thanks to today’s transport …

First Ladies of Gardening: Pioneer, Designers and Dreamers by Heidi Howcroft with Photographs by Marianne Majerus – A Review.

This has been one of the most delightful and enjoyable books I have read in quite a while. Marianne Majerus’ photographs are immediately captivating and this lead to my having to wait until my wife had read the book before I could have the pleasure. It was worth the wait and if you too wish …