Spade Work : From Plot to Plate

Grounds For Sculpture

You never know what you'll come across next in Grounds For Sculpture, the brainchild of artist J.Seward Johnson in Hamilton, New Jersey (www.groundsforsculpture.org).

Bluebells

These were taken last weekend and we're planning another bike ride in two weeks to see if the bluebells have come on even more.  

Tulip Mania

We were in Brussels over the weekend with my niece who is studying there and in between copious amounts of moules, steak frites and Leffe, we took a train (well four as it turned out) across the border into Holland to visit the Keukenhof Gardens near Leiden.

What should have been a two and half hour trip took us six hours thanks to a one day strike on the Belgian rail network. But we got there and enjoyed it hugely.

It's got to be said that the Keukenhof is not a place of understatement but if you want bulb displays this is the place to go to. We had hoped to bicylce by some of the bulb fields in the area around Lisse but because of the delays getting there we could only photograph those neighbouring the gardens.

And here are some of the displays in the Keukenhof itself - not just tulips. Don't go there if you're looking for subtle play of design and delicate colours - this is a Disney of the plant world and enjoyable for that.

Using Gardening To Change Lives

Fancy getting some experience of gardening on a big scale or keen to get your hands dirty while helping others then why not become a Thrive volunteer?

Just drop in for a day's gardening 11am-4pm at the Herb Garden, Battersea Park, near Albert Bridge Gate on any of the following Sundays

- 1 April

- 10 June

- 12 August

- 14 October

I know it seems ages away but mark your diaries now as the year will fly past when the gardening season gets under way.

Lunch is provided and families are very welcome.

Call John or Sue at Thrive Battersea Garden Project on 020 7720 2212 or email battersea@thrive.org.uk

To find out how horticultural therapy can really help people, read some of Thrive's success stories here and here.

Volunteer Gardeners Wanted

If you have some spare time and would like to help others why not enjoy a Sunday gardening in Battersea Park?

You'll get a good feeling that comes from helping others and contribute to the worthwhile work of the gardening charity Thrive as you help them maintain The Herb Garden this coming Sunday 11 February 11am - 4pm. It's more than herbs; perennials, annuals, bulbs, all the kitchen garden vegetable crops.

Meet at The Herb Garden, Battersea Park, entrance Albert Bridge Gate. Even in Winter it's looking good.

Enjoy a shared lunch usually pizza and salad with a vegetarian option.

Families welcome. Interested? Call 020 7720 2212 ; battersea@thrive.org.uk

Garden Art

On the way home from the Mulan's garden in Princeton I passed another front garden with these whimsical touches. Good for them. They've even decorated the telegraph pole.

Generous Gardeners

I came across this interesting and unconventional front garden on an early morning jet-lag induced walk around Princeton, New Jersey, where I was last week celebrating an early Thanksgiving.

There's a mix of decorative plants, shrubs, vegetables and herbs.  The gardener, Dorothy Mulan (I know this from the notice in the tomato and fruit cage) encourages people to "pick a reasonable amount of flowers and vegetables." There's even a scissors provided to snip the tougher herbs.

That's generous.

At the end of November the garden was producing lettuce, kales and other brassicas, mint, several sages and chives for picking.

If you happen to be in the area, go take a look. You'll find the Mulan's garden on the corner of Patton Ave and Wilton St, Princeton, NJ.

So English

This was taken on a walk through Friday Street on ...er...Saturday.

Very autumn English I think with the red post box at the end of the lane (inscribed GRV - dating from 1910 and the reign of King George V), the cottage and a table outside with plum jam, damson jelly and apple chutney for sale and just the faintest hint that the leaves are turning - autumn is a long time coming this year and there's been no hint of a frost at least in this part of the South East.

A View From the Hills

I'm just back from a bike trip to Tuscany and trying to remember the wonderful food, sublime landscapes and grand gardens in between coping with the worst stomach bug I've had since I was laid out for 72 hours in India a few years ago.

I've no idea what it was - too much excercise maybe, those hill towns are a long way up; too rich food, that cucina povera is anything but bland;  or was it that fountain I drank from.........?Who knows.

Anyway, before I'm forced to leave the keyboard here are a few more photographs. For an area overwritten, overfilmed and overrun by Brits, Americans and general tourism (and I plead guilty on several counts ), there are still some fine places. Just don't expect to be on your own.

The first two are from the Botanic Gardens in Siena - a calm retreat for a few hours in a town that seems to have a flag waving party for any reason - like it's Tuesday or Wednesday or we won the Palio.

And these are from La Foce, the estate of the late Iris Origo in the Val d'Orcia - she's written an excellent account of her WW II years here hiding POWs, rescuing displaced children and generally turning around land holding and agricultural practice in what is a barren and harsh landscape.

And one from Horti Leoninni in San Quirico d'Orcia, a 16th century Italinate garden right in the centre of town.

Eden

I've tried to visit the Eden Project several times but never made it as it was too crowded to bear the queues for parking and entry so popular is the site.

But visiting friends in Cornwall over the weekend I tried again. With the holiday season over and the children back at school, it was, by its visitor numbers, almost deserted.

Physically the biomes or giant plant conservatories are impressive and it's  brilliant what the project did in reviving an old china clay pit to create a place  that explores human dependance on plants and the natural world. Its impact on the the local economy - in 1998 when building first got underway the area was one of Cornwall's poorest - has been huge.

But and there is often a but; for a fairly experienced gardener with an interest in the environment, and I think most gardeners share this, it was a bit like preaching to the converted - although with a sense of humour. Like the project guide  says "Yes, we want to live lightly on the planet, but with champagne in our veins, not denial and hair shirts."

Not surprisingly vegetables are prominent and there is a fabulous display by the cafe, at once practical and decorative.

But don't expect it to be purest in any sense -  one of  the tomato varities growing was Golden Sweet, a 'doer', tastes good, but an F1 commercial variety which seed savers know is not likely to come true.

I'm spoiled as I've visited the humid tropics, I live in a temperate climate and I've been to large scale conservatory created climates before - although not on this scale.

Would I visit again - yes if I'm on a Cornish garden tour or visiting friends in the area but I wouldn't make the 300mile trip from London specially to do so.

Instead take a virtual tour on the web and experience Tim Smit's enthusiasm for yourself.