Gardens visit: Bateman's

The National Trust property at Bateman's will soon be saying goodbye to its head gardener who is retiring this year after more than two decades tending and restoring the grounds of Rudyard Kipling's Sussex hideaway.

This year's weather has not been kind to any gardener in England but the gardens at Bateman's are still looking resplendent.

The apple orchard is faring 100% better than the battered trees in my own garden which, this year, have produced absolutely no fruit whatsoever.
The boughs at Bateman's are already heavy with young fruit, the vegetable gardens are stocked with lettuces, courgettes and soft fruit and the borders are filled with with the colour and smell of Sweet Williams, roses, lavender and honeysuckle.

As ever, I took some photos on my visit.

Garden visit: Wakehurst

Here are some long overdue photos of my last visit to Wakehurst.
Every time I go there I see something new - one this trip I discovered a forest of carved tree stumps, some beautiful paths through the woods and some late summer blooms in the walled garden.

Garden visit: Standen House and Gardens

I paid a visit to Standen at the weekend - a house filled with decoration and furnishings from the Arts and Crafts movement.
The garden is beautiful - I especially enjoyed the vegetable gardens - and the house is equally stunning with beautifully crafted fireplaces, hand printed wallpaper by William Morris and a conservatory that lures you into sitting down and enjoying the views across the countryside towards Weirwood Reservoir.
Make sure you read the introduction blurb in the barns near the entrance gate before going into the house - you will get more from your visit if you understand its background.