Versailles A couple of years back I enjoyed visiting some of the places in the French department of Yvelines, including the Palace of Versailles. The gardens there are renowned, but personally the grand formal gardens are not my cup of tea. Even Sissinghurst (dare I say it!) leaves me a tad cold.
I read this week that a huge number of front gardens in recent times have been concreted over to make parking space for cars. Many others, following a certain kind of designer-led gardening, have been covered in slate, or the kind of chippings you used to see mostly on graves. Apparently the decline of sparrows is one of the things that’s been linked to the decrease in foliage because of this change.
My own garden is currently somewhat neglected, as our time is diverted to writing activities, but I’m sure the local wildlife is finding it a sanctuary! It is currently boasting the odd bindweed trumpet (drat that bindweed – its roots go to the ends of the earth), but also a rumbustious display of nasturtiums, wild strawberries, white roses, fuschias, love-in-the-mist, rosemary etc. Cheeky cats high-wire along the trellised fences and friendly blackbirds and fat wood-pigeons visit daily.
I am very fond of the homely front gardens of ordinary houses, often very small, where householders lavish love, attention and quite a lot of money on making something of beauty to share with passers-by. I have occasionally heard the odd sniffy comment about such gardens being fussy and vulgar, but I find them infinitely charming and heart-warming, and I am ever grateful for them. Here are a few pictures of some of our Southborough gardens, with a couple thrown in for good measure from further afield. I hope you might enjoy looking at them!
I read this week that a huge number of front gardens in recent times have been concreted over to make parking space for cars. Many others, following a certain kind of designer-led gardening, have been covered in slate, or the kind of chippings you used to see mostly on graves. Apparently the decline of sparrows is one of the things that’s been linked to the decrease in foliage because of this change.
My own garden is currently somewhat neglected, as our time is diverted to writing activities, but I’m sure the local wildlife is finding it a sanctuary! It is currently boasting the odd bindweed trumpet (drat that bindweed – its roots go to the ends of the earth), but also a rumbustious display of nasturtiums, wild strawberries, white roses, fuschias, love-in-the-mist, rosemary etc. Cheeky cats high-wire along the trellised fences and friendly blackbirds and fat wood-pigeons visit daily.
I am very fond of the homely front gardens of ordinary houses, often very small, where householders lavish love, attention and quite a lot of money on making something of beauty to share with passers-by. I have occasionally heard the odd sniffy comment about such gardens being fussy and vulgar, but I find them infinitely charming and heart-warming, and I am ever grateful for them. Here are a few pictures of some of our Southborough gardens, with a couple thrown in for good measure from further afield. I hope you might enjoy looking at them!
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