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Although I designed the overall structure of this garden, it is evident that the personality of the owner has shone through during its 20 year evolution. The love of statuary, the colour, and the topiary reflect the creativity of its 90 year old owner.
Just a short drive from Bath, you can find yourself in the most wonderful places. Here the Arts and Crafts garden meets a medieval manor house. It was the tulip vases and wooden bulb stand that most impressed and excited me during the house tour!
"You can take the boy out of the prairie, but you can't take the prairie out of the boy."
The influence of the vast spaces where sky meet land can not be underestimated. I will never tire of these views. The changing sky is phenomenal and never disappoints.
Left: In the heart of Fort Lauderdale sits Bonnet House. Preserved as was agreed upon by the late owner who visited every winter until near her death at age 109. The unmistakable influence of both Europe and the Caribbean.
Right: Vegetation on the inland waterways. The bamboo in my Budapest garden was a gift from a friend many years ago. I have controlled it and it has behaved itself for the most part. It arrived at 2 meters in height, but over the years it attained 8 meters, with new shoots growing an average of 10 cm a day in June. I was able to select the culms that I wanted to keep and cut others. I shredded them to about 2 meters so that they could be lit from below and looked less heavy. The play of light of the stalks was beautiful. However, this year, they showed a change and dropped many leaves in spring. To my surprise, I found them in full flower by mid June. I had given a clump to another friend who lives 10 km away and his was also in flower.
After researching online and calling both the UK and US for advice, I decided that they would die by the end of the season so cut 2 clumps down but left one for experimentation purposes. I found the phenomenon of the death of a bamboo forest intriguing. According to one blog, a forest in India is doing the same this year. Could it be that this forest is related to my bamboo? Did the Raj who hunted here in the late 19th century bring it as a gift? According to what I found, the death of any given variety happens worldwide on the same year, and the lifespan varies according to the species. Lifespans range from 30 to 125 years. Time will tell what happens, but a few new shoots have come up between the remaining clump and one that I cut down. We will have to wait and see.
 Wildflowers vary from week to week in some cases. The rhythm of the seasons is set by them.
Candelabra Primula, Pulsatilla vulgaris, Viola ordorata, Muscari racemosum, Pulmonaria officinalis, and Adonis vernalis are common hallmarks of the march of spring. Set in the dry, bright, fringes of the forest, they stir the senses.
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DouglasHas lived in Budapest for many years. He loves the climate and the gardens that flourish there. He has travelled extensively in North America, Europe and Asia in search for gardens of inspiration. Archives
February 2018
Garden Design |
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