The enduring appeal and influence of Bloomsbury interiors has been well charted, along with the group’s originality, and the freedom of expression they espoused. But apart from Sissinghurst, where Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson created one of the greatest gardens of the 20th century, there has been less popular consideration of the space immediately outside their houses — until now, and a new exhibition at the Garden Museum entitled Gardening Bohemia: Bloomsbury Women Outdoors. Using photographs, textiles, manuscripts and correspondence the show explores the gardening connections of four Bloomsbury women: Vanessa Bell at Charleston Farmhouse, Virginia Woolf at Monk’s House, Vita Sackville-West at Sissinghurst, and Lady Ottoline Morrell at Garsington.
Matt Collins, the Head Gardener at the Garden Museum, identifies each of the gardens as ‘artist gardens’; “they have a magic derived from qualities extending beyond aesthetic beauty,” he says. They differ in size and form, but certain themes flow between them, and there is a wealth of ideas that we can adopt and apply to our own patches of land. Happily, if you want to build on the exhibition, three of those gardens are regularly open to the public — Charleston even has a Festival of the Garden in July — while Garsington is occasionally accessible via the National Garden Scheme.
The garden at Charleston
Perhaps one of the most inspiring aspects that links the four gardens is their unlikely beginnings. “Sissinghurst, Charleston, Monk’s House and Garsington Manor alike are gardens that, to one degree or another, were forged out of former agricultural land, or at least, land previously
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With garden openings over for 2024, my ramblings around the garden involve a combination of “this is gorgeous!”, “aren’t we fortunate?”, “thank goodness that’s over” and “how can I improve this?”. Already thoughts have turned to potential ‘tweaks’, nothing major, and ways to improve things I don’t feel have really worked – perhaps I will write a post on them in due course…
If you've already encountered a few or a group of spotted lanternflies in your yard, you may need to take extra steps to protect your yard since this invasive pest can damage the ecosystem around them.
SOME OF THE many unusual fruits that Allyson Levy and Scott Serrano grow in their arboretum in the Hudson Valley of New York, like goji berries or maybe Schisandra (above), are ones you’re more likely to see on ingredient labels of health food store products than for sale in nurseries or growing in gardens. But grow them you can.
Want to grow perennials that have a long blooming period in your garden? Long-lasting perennials add color, height, and texture to the landscape. And equally important, many perennials provide important food sources for beneficial insects and pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, and birds. Perennials can take some time to get established in the garden and the first year, they're typically focused on growing roots. They grow faster in the second and third year and you can enjoy them each year.
In January I visited the world’s largest horticultural show in Essen, Germany, and came away with some great take-aways, but I was especially impressed with the significant trend of pruning, training and grafting certain plants into new and unusual forms.
These brownish-yellow protective layers of rice grains are a natural, toxin-free help in your garden. Our guide will help you uncover their uses and make the most of them.
Hi GPODers! Today we’re in Sharon Holmes’ Dallas garden that faces its fair share of obstacles and challenging conditions. Despite punishing weather, clay soil, and a whole host of wildlife and insects that visit her garden, there are plenty of plants that have survived and even thrived.
NOBODY WANTS to get the IRS notice in the mail that they’re being audited, heaven forbid. But when it comes to gardens, Rodney Eason believes that the occasional audit is a very positive process, and encourages us to perform one on our own landscape.
When one thinks about a production garden designed to yield copious amounts of vegetables and flowers, it’s not often one with perfectly manicured rows overflowing with color and paired with thoughtfully organized spaces for gathering. Practicality and function are usually the focus, not a dedication to stunning surroundings. This is where the team behind Oakland-based Pine House Edible Gardens stands out with their impeccable layout and design philosophies, showcasing the ability to implement important functional garden systems with incredible style.
Growing perennial vegetables can mean longer harvest periods, less maintenance once established, and even improved soil structure. But selecting the best ones for your grow zone and conditions is key.