He is all around us!

I have been working a few days at the Chelsea Flower Show as an external adviser for the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) assisting visitors with their gardening enquires while also promoting the great work of the RHS.

The RHS stand boasts a wonderful display of Royal Autographs surrounded by decorative botanical borders by eminent botanical artists of the time. 

After a day of walking past this display occasional giving a brief overview to visitors. I found myself intrigued by one item in particular, feeling that I had seen it before. As I looked closely at the artist signature, it became clear. I was not familiar with this piece however I am with some of the artist other work. I was instantly excited by the find. Just a few quick images I took on my phone so sorry for the poor quality.

Reproduction of the Royal Autograph of Queen Mary (1867-1953) 

Watercolour and ink on paper by E. A. Bowles (1929)

If you would like to see Mr Bowles work along with other the RHS are displaying them at the RHS Garden Wisley please see below for details and dates.

Royal Connections - Celebrating Two Centuries of Royal Patrons The story of the RHS’s long association with the Royal Family can be traced through the archives, photographs and artworks held by the RHS Lindley Library. These include a unique collection of illuminated Royal Autographs with decorated floral borders, painted by leading botanical artists, as a celebration of this royal connection.

21 May to 19 August 2012,
RHS Lindley Library Wisley, RHS Garden Wisley

A Scary Business

The hanging, unloved CDs have become, it would seem, an essential part of any allotment or vegetable garden to scare the unwanted attention of these 'feathered friends' from eating our seeds and cabbages.

What did we do, however, before the invention of these shiny discs?

In search of an alternative to scarecrows, CDs or bird tape, Nicola discovered references to a Victorian bird-scarer made from feathers and a potato which was hung by string from a pole.

After a successful trial last autumn of scaring birds and entertaining foxes with these new bird deterrents we needed to find an alternative this spring to our heritage variety potatoes, which are valuable and short-lived.

A broken brush handle cut down into 150mm (6") lengths and with small holes made by a wood drill bit down either side to allow for the feather to be pushed in.

James in surgery

To allow the bird to be hung, drill one hole halfway along to allow the bird to balance when hung.

A weekend away

My wonderful wife kindly surprised me with a weekend away following the launch of the glasshouse. 

We travelled north east and only when the brown signs started to direct us to Beth Chatto's garden did I realise our destination. Beth Chatto's garden is a 'Mecca' for gardeners wanting inspiration for drought-tolerant and damp planting. The dry garden, created in place of the old car park, is the first section of the garden you enter though before reaching the main garden. The garden boasts a very good nursery. I will allow my pictures to display the gardens beauty.

http://www.bethchatto.co.uk/

As we left we travelled to The Starr described as 'a restaurant with rooms' in Great Dunmow, Essex. The food was wonderful, leaving me with that feeling of disappointment at the end of each course, that it was over.

Today we travelled to a garden which we tried, unsuccessfully, to visit last year on a similar surprise trip. The Forgotten Gardens of Easton Lodge just on the outskirts of Great Dunmow are only open on selected days of the year. Please see their website for further details.

http://www.eastonlodge.co.uk/