Videos

Chatsworth rock garden, Tom Stuart-Smith

By Michael

Oct 3, 2024

Check out the amazing replanting of the rock garden at Chatsworth by Tom Stuart-Smith. It is fabulous to see herbaceous perennials used en masse in such a theatrical, and dramatically vertical, setting. We’re used to seeing them in an undulating plateau, in emulation of their (largely) meadow, prairie or steppe setting-of-origin. But it turns out ...

Beth Chatto's gravel garden, 30 years on

By Michael

Oct 3, 2024

I revisit a moment – thirty years ago – that totally reframed my thinking, and continues to influence virtually every design decision I make.

Great Dixter Revisited

By Michael

Mar 13, 2020

(RE-POST) It’s exactly half my life since I lived and worked with Christopher Lloyd at Great Dixter. I returned yesterday – a rich, life-giving and pretty emotional moment.

Beth Chatto's gravel garden, 30 years on

By Michael

Oct 3, 2024

I revisit a moment – thirty years ago – that totally reframed my thinking, and continues to influence virtually every design decision I make. ...

Great Dixter Revisited

By Michael

Mar 13, 2020

(RE-POST) It’s exactly half my life since I lived and worked with Christopher Lloyd at Great Dixter. I returned yesterday – a rich, life-giving and pretty emotional moment. ...

Great Dixter - the unbearable build-up

By Michael

May 15, 2019

Great Dixter is one of my favourite places in the world. Has been for nearly 30 years. I’ve been deliriously happy there and horribly stressed. In that house and garden, I’ve experienced hig ...

A New Contender For My Favourite Garden?

By Michael

Sep 8, 2018

Gravetye Manor is a floral explosion of gardening at its highest difficulty level. Tom Coward, as head gardener, manages this stupendous feat of carefully timed planting in such a way as to inspire yo ...

An evening at Beth's

By Michael

Sep 3, 2018

The Beth Chatto Symposium, organised to celebrate Beth’s 95th year, and the 40th anniversary of the publication of Beth’s first book The Dry Garden included a garden party which, as if channelling ...

One Thing - Sissinghurst

By Michael

Mar 29, 2016

...