This afternoon I went to Wisley and for the first time ever, didn't enjoy myself. I admit I wasn't in a great mood and hadn't eaten any lunch, but I did assume it would just lift me as it always does.
It seemed full of children, because of the school holidays, and by the time I got there they were all getting bored and crotchetty. I do understand why parents want to take children to a place they actually like themselves, and maybe hope they will grow up to enjoy too, but I felt overwhelmed by all the noise. Only places with running or falling water seemed to appeal to me this time.
I was comforted to see that their unwatered bits of grass looks far worse than ours (oooh, catty woman!), and was very taken indeed by a hydrangea paniculata, but - huge, but I wonder if I could keep one smaller with pruning?
The thing is though, I just hate gardens in August - always have. No idea why really. All the plants seem to be flopping and a bit past it - but I'm aware they aren't actually all like that, it's partly my perception. Earlier today I took our dog for a walk along a river bank and it was absolute heaven. I loved the rather orchid-like pink flowering weeds, some deep pink some much paler, over 4 feet high, and the dog enjoyed paddling repeatedly as we went along the bank. So I'm not all glum :)
Here it's drippy and mossy everywhere on the paths... I didn't get all the firewood stacked and it got all wet... Oh roll on summer!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about your firewood, but all the drippy mossiness sounds lovely :)
ReplyDeleteHi Emily, I hope you've managed to unglum yourself a little. I can just imagine how your doggy enjoyed the walk by the river. I haven't been to the garden you talk about but I can imagine how it must have been with all the children around. The thing that irritates me and Vicki is that they very often won't allow dogs who on the whole are usually better behaved, more under control and would be more appreciative of a nice walk around a garden than children who they do allow. Oh well, never mind.
ReplyDeleteKnow what you mean about the chldren. I go the Harlow car a few times a year but stear clear when its school holidays. It the difference between Chelsea and Tatton, there's no childern at chelsea. Iwas dissapointed with Tatton i think its garden designs have taken a nose dive the last couple of years. I like the fact they have an avenue of bedding out designs and the floristry is well surported but year after year of childrens gardens with plastic bags junk and the same scarcrows is getting a bit much. I have taken lots of photo's but my hearts not in it to even write a piece about it. vicki
ReplyDeleteI feel guilty about complaining about kids. I like to think that if they visit gardens when they're small, they'll grow up to love them. But... I was at Wisley the other day, buying plants, and stopped for tea and a scone at the terrace cafe and right next to me was a family of what seemed like eight kids jumping on a poor gingko and using it, and the fence that was supposed to protect it, as a climbing frame. Meanwhile, their mindless parents sat scoffing their cakes and ignoring them. Grrrr!
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