creating an ark

I now know how Noah felt when he began to build his ark. We have had several days of pretty heavy rain in Cumbria and very little sun. I had rashly entered some of my roses in a couple of categories in the Arnside Horticultural Society Show. There had been so little sun I was lucky to get enough to enter. Anyway, not that I am wanting to brag or anything like that! I got first prize for my floribunda so I was well chuffed and just for a little time it brought the sun out - in my mind anyway. I have never entered for a show before so at least it was a bit of encouragement.

I was interested to learn that No.10 Downing Street now has a No 10 in Bloom spot on its website so log on if you want to take a peek at a very lovely garden behind that famous front door. Log onto: http://www.number10.gov.uk and follow the link from there.

Peter Procter and Gillian Cole have a new book out called 'Grasp the Nettle' - making biodynamic farming and gardening work. If you are passionate about gardening organically then you may find this book very interesting and useful. Published by Random House, N.Z., the book outlines how to apply biodynamic methods of farming and gardening to a wide range of conditions.

I have also reviewed Joe Swift's new book Joe's Urban Garden which should be on the website in the book review section shortly. Good book and one with plenty of ideas and suggestions.

The blackspot on the roses has been really terrible this year. I now have some very sick specimens completely devoid of their leaves. This is a real nuisance disease and despite all my attempts with various remedies - yes I've tried the soot - it never really goes away. I was told by one rose grower to rip the lot out as soon as I saw one black spotted leaf, but I feel that is a bit extreme and will continue to get on with it. I still had a wonderful show of roses in the early summer and there are also some nice ones on display now so I will try not to notice the spotted leaves.

The ground is so wet there is little chance of my getting anything done - even cutting back is problematic. Perhaps the autumn will turn out to be one of those Indian Summers - well I can dream on.

Out and about

I am desperately trying to catch up on my blogging as I have been very 'tarry' lately in posting so I apologise. The days just seem to fly by and I cannot believe that it is August already - where did the summer go and is there any left?

This week we visited the lovely Chesters Walled Garden, near the famous Chesters Fort in Northumberland. You will be able to read all about our visit to Susie White's charming garden in Recklessgardener shortly.

Susie is a real expert when it comes to herbs and I was in awe of her knowledge. Her garden is simply devine and very peaceful, there are plenty of little areas in which to seek solice and her colourful drifts of planting are a delight. I was not surprised when she told me that she was influenced early on by Margery Fish but as with every garden Chesters is certainly a product of its creator and Susie is to be congratulated on cultivating and designing such a heavenly space.

On our way back to Cumbria we happened, quite by chance, to come across Lanercost Priory, which turned out to be a perfect end to the day. The Priory was originally founded by the Augustinians and of course we associate their order and those of the Benedictines and Cistercians with the growing of herbs and flowers for medicinal as well as culinary uses. So all in all we learnt a lot about herbs and their uses on our two visits as well as experiencing two very special places.

Tatton Park

Our visit to the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show was thankfully a dry one and we managed to miss the downpours. It was not particularly sunny on press day, in fact quite dull and heavy, but there was just enough sun for a pair of sailor's trousers on occasions and the dull weather did not diminish the brightness of the gardens. Below is a pic of East meets West - This fab garden, designed by Dan Sterry of Urban Vision which was really one of the best I have seen at Tatton in several years and really deserved its Gold one of only two large show gardens to win one, the other being the fab Cheshire O8 Year of the Garden.

I also liked Cheshire Al Fresco which I thought deserved more than a Silver but then I am not an RHS judge so I do not know by what criteria the garden was judged.

We were delighted that Pip Probert managed to get both her gardens finished and we really liked her Acqua Life, designed for the whole family, with activity balanced with quiet space.




There were some really lovely displays in the Floral Marquee as well such as the wonderful Alliums (top of page).

It was a very mixed week weather wise so if you went to Tatton I hope you were lucky enough to have some periods of really nice weather. Tatton in the sun is like nowhere else, it really is a great place for a major flower show and hopefully now the end of the first decade has arrived we can look forward to another ten years of really great shows with our own special northern flavour.