This has been a busy month for me, more so than usual. I just returned from England, where I visited the world renowned Chelsea Flower Show and several famous English gardens.

England is truly a paradise for gardeners. Its temperate, fairly wet climate is near perfect for growing gorgeous trees, shrubs and perennials. I get serious garden envy when I visit. Our climate in Cleveland is quite a bit more extreme than England’s. Although we can grow many of the same plants here, they have a larger plant palette from which to choose.

Below is a picture of Great Dixter in the county of Kent in southern England. Notice the Taxus in the background that was probably planted in the early to mid-1900’s. Great Dixter, created by the late Christopher Lloyd, is known for its wild and seemingly random combinations of plants that definitely make a statement. He broke from the more formal English design of gardens and created a masterpiece that draws visitors from around the world. If you ever have the opportunity to visit, I highly recommend spending time seeing the great gardens of England.

Posted by Cynthia Druckenbrod

A border at Great Dixter