My week: A visit to Haddon Hall.

I have wanted to visit this historic house for some time.

It is the home of the Manners Family. 

Derbyshire is a beautiful County.

Hardwick and Chatsworth are also in this area.

The garden has been redesigned by Arne Maynard. 

Areas of long grass are mixed with flower borders.

The garden is made up of five levels.

The lower ones are just above a dramatic river valley.

Some areas are given over to Herbaceous borders, while others have features such as ponds or  formal planting.

Roses made  colourful focal points.

As I have often said, we all need to visit other great gardens to renew our interest in gardening.

A gift shop and plant stall enabled me to take home some pictures and plants as a “keepsake” of a super day out.

www.annesmithdesigns.co.uk

 

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Chatting about Chatsworth: 2018.

Last year the first Chatsworth show had some problems.

This year things seem to have gone well.

The show gardens included one dedicated to an Oak tree.

Setts were made of oak.

There was an oak pergola with wooden seat and a wooden water feature.

The garden dedicated to Yorkshire was superb.

It is great to see a new interest in Wild Flower Meadows.

Plants that were popular included, Knautia Macedonia ,Grasses and Blue flowered plants.

Chatsworth provides a good setting for people who live in the area to get together.

The backdrop of the garden by Capability Brown is wonderful.

This area needed a good Flower Show.

Let us hope that it will become a welcome addition to the calendar.

www.annesmithdesigns.co.uk

 

My week: enjoying the sun.

I have sown some seeds and they are coming up. These includeNight scented stock, wildflowers, and Nasturtium. 

I spent one and a half hours pruning in  another garden.

Friends have given me plants from their gardens.

I will not get to Norfolk this week and will have to leave it until later.

My Iris plants are in flower.

The geraniums in various colours are super.

June is the month of the rose. www.annesmithdesigns.co.ukMine are just coming out.

Yes everything is happening at once this year.

It is a delight!

Chelsea 2018: Design tips.

Metal still makes the headlines for design.

Sculpture is also a must.

Cottage flowers  are having a revival.

Lupins are back.As are Iris, peonies and geraniums. Purple is very popular.

Make a statement with a dramatic metal bench.

Do not think that you cannot do this in your own garden.

Take a look at the gardens and think how you can adapt them

www.annesmithdesigns.co.uk.

 

 

 

A fresh look at Monet.

Instead of going to the Chelsea Flower Show I visited the Monet Exhibition.

I have looked  at his paintings many times before.

However, I now have the  added interest of trying to paint myself.

What caught my imagination was the use of colour.

The views of the Thames were alive with colourful skies.

Later ,reflections of cliffs in sea water provided another point of interest.

Landscapes showed areas of light and dark.

We often dismiss the familiar without giving it proper attention.

This was true of my view of Monet.

This exhibition showed me that you can continue to learn from a great artist.

You need to look at their work again and again with renewed interest.

www.annesmithdesigns.co.uk

 

My week: The National trust does it again!

Yesterday I had a wonderful surprise when I visited The Walled Garden at Clumber Park Notts.

This is a gem that I had not visited.

They have recently renovated the Victorian Green house, which must be on of the longest in the country.

Displays of old machinery are mixed with a variety of fruit trees along the walls.

Outside the garden has both plant borders and orchards.

A friend was fascinated by the ‘step over” fruit trees.

When you need a break the Gardener’s house will provide good food in a perfect setting.

We all need special days in our lives.

A visit to The Kitchen Garden at Clumber Park is a must for this.

www.annesmithdesigns.co.uk

My week: Here comes the sun.

 

After a delayed Spring  things are growing fast in the garden.

This is matched by my recovery from  illness.

It is a case of starting the day out in the garden.

This may be looking at what is happening  or getting to work.

Tulips have finished.

They can be removed from pots to make way for summer flowering plants.

I leave them in a place to finish off growth.

Later ~I will store the bulbs for next year.

Meanwhile Stocks, Antirrhinums and Wallflowers make a good display.

This year I bought new Hellebores to bring on.

In the borders I have many colours of Geraniums. 

These look super with Aquilegias.

Bluebells add to the display.

The Bird Cherry is full of flowers.

I hope that I have painted a picture of a truly lovely Spring Garden. 

www.annesmithdesigns.co.uk

 

Putting a Spring in your step: My week.

 

The sun is out and it is going to be a good weekend.

Because of the recent bad weather , the jobs in the garden have been piling up.

Now is a chance to get them done.

These include:

Washing down the patio to get rid of grime.

Spraying roses to stop bugs eating them up.

Perhaps renovating patio furniture ready for the good weather.

Bringing in spent tulip plants and replacing them with new plants.

I am going to make a second attempt with Sweet Peas.

Dead heading flowers on the Camillia.

Weeding.

However, as we have waited so long for some sun, do not forget to make time to enjoy it.

www.annesmithdesigns.co.uk

Spring is here!

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It is a long time since i sat here.

Illness has taken a great deal of my energy.

However, back on course now.

The tulips have come out. So has the Epimedium.

Grape hyacinths come in blue and white.

I wonder if there will be a rush of colour as plants catch up.

Temperatures are starting to rise.

Buds are on the apple tree.

We feel happy .

Especially when we can get outdoors again.

I have chosen a colour paint indoors to match that of the honesty!!

Plants can be a great starting point for other activities.

So let your imagination run riot!

www.annesmithdesigns.co.uk