My Trip to England, Part One

We just got back from a wonderful trip to England. We went to London and Chippingham, Wiltshire, which is just outside of Bath. Because there's so much to share about the trip, I thought I would write three blog posts. One on English gardens, one on London highlights, and one on London bookstores. So here goes, number one -- Gardens!

There's nothing like going to England in June if you like gardens. Everything is in bloom and the roses are prolific. English gardens are filled with a poetry that is created by so many iconic features. Sweet peas growing on a trellis, hedged enclosures, old garden gates, weathered benches, burbling fountains, and ancient stone walls. These are storybook gardens. For me there is no more quintessential feature in an English garden than roses climbing on a brick wall. It doesn't hurt if that wall has the patina of age which you can pretty much count on in England. Some of these walls even date from the Elizabethan era! Here are the glorious gardens we saw on our trip.

1. Sissinghurst Castle Garden

Gardeners' cuttings for the day

Sissinghurst Castle Garden is the creation of the English writer Vita Sackville-West and her husband the diplomat Harold Nicolson. In 1930 they bought a dilapidated Elizabethan castle in Kent and set about restoring it. Everyone thought they were crazy but Vita was enchanted by the idea of restoring a castle. They decided to create a garden on the property and it has become one of England's most famous gardens. This was my second visit to Sissinghurst and once again I was struck by its romantic quality. I understood why Vita was so smitten with the old brick structures, fell in love with their romance and history, and dreamt of having a garden there. As they restored the castle they also began to design the garden. She and Harold envisioned a series of garden "rooms" separated by hedging and stone walls. And within this structure they planted a riotous jumble of plants. It was an English country garden in an organized system. The contrast of formality and looseness makes this garden very special. And the roses! By 1953 there were at least 194 different roses growing at Sissinghurst. Vita especially loved the old roses. Their history, their colors, and their evocative names appealed to her imagination. The first rose she and Harold planted was Madame Alfred Carriere and it still survives today. If there is one highlight at Sissinghurst -- the thing that everyone wants to see and searches for -- it is the White Garden which is beautiful and slightly ethereal. This place is a dreamscape!   

The head gardener's notes

Rose-covered walls

Burnished bricks and leaded-glass windows. This place just exudes romance!

The tower with Vita's writing room looms in the distance

We walked through many garden "rooms"

The view of the garden from Vita's tower

And from the other side

It's a steep climb to the top of the tower on a very narrow staircase but well worth it to see the glorious views at the top. You will see Vita's writing room on the second floor. I was touched by the photo of Virginia Woolf on her desk. The room is very cozy with a fireplace and books spilling out of bookshelves. A Persian carpet covers the floor. The spirit of Vita lives on in that room.

The entrance to the White Garden

It has a magical quality

White roses climb on the wall

It is simply enchanting!

And added bonus was lunch at The Three Chimneys Pub at Biddenden, a traditional Kentish pub.

There's nothing like a country pub for coziness. And the food was delicious!

By the way, Sissinghurst was relatively uncrowded on a Thursday afternoon in early June.


2. Lucknam Park

We decided to go to Bath for a couple of days in the middle of our trip and stay at Lucknam Park, a beautiful hotel six miles from Bath in Chippingham, Wiltshire. I was celebrating one of those big birthdays and this seemed like a very special place for a celebration. An18th-century manor house set amid many acres of parkland, this place has it all -- gardens, a spa, cooking classes, tennis courts, an equestrian center, and a great restaurant. Since we were there for just two days, we mostly hung out -- walked, relaxed, read, had afternoon tea, and soaked up the beauty of the place! 

The combination of flowers and ancient buildings was stunning

There are many beautiful green spaces

If you stay outside until 9:30 pm you will be rewarded with a beautiful sunset

The hotel is covered in vines and has many lovely garden details

I couldn't get enough of the beautiful exterior

Including these pots

An expansive lawn

Flower beds

Lovely old buildings

Climbing roses

Intimate green walkways

And a meadow! Staying here was like a dream. I highly recommend it for a special occasion!

3. Bowood House and Garden

Just 30 minutes away from Lucknam Park is Bowood House and Garden

We learned about Bowood while at Lucknam Park and decided to go

It was a great decision as this place is amazing! Over half the house is open to the public with the Shelburne family living in the remainder. It was built in the 18th-century and Capability Brown landscaped the extensive grounds.

Which include a lake, two streams, and a forest of trees. Close to the house are the famous flower-filled terraces and majestic boxwood yews.

The alliums were stunning

And there were roses everywhere!

This is the Lower Terrace steps and fountain with sculpture designed by David Wynne

I loved the gardens at Bowood. They are truly magnificent. As is the house, though we weren't allowed to take photos. If you are in the area, don't miss this very special place!

Next up, London Highlights!

A Garden Book Club

When a friend asked me if I would like to be in a garden book club, my answer was a resounding yes! After all, I have been collecting garden books forever but must admit to not reading any of my most recent finds, such as Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life, Virginia Woolf's Garden, and In the Garden with Jane Austen. Yes, I thumb through and read passages and drool over the photos, but don't read them from beginning to end. Not for lack of desire. In fact, I used to read a lot of garden books, especially when we were designing our garden. In recent years it seems that I read mostly novels and don't always make the time for a good garden book. But if I am reading it for a book club, I will get it done.

I don't mean garden how-to books. These books are obviously a must for anyone who gardens. The genre that has always interested me is garden literature -- the stories of people who create a garden -- who they were and why they did it. (Go here to read more) The story of the garden will often tell a bigger story since the creation of the garden yields so many personal rewards. First, there is the finished product -- a garden to experience and enjoy; second, the therapy of tending to it -- having the sun on one's back and being outside in nature; and third, often finding the answers to life -- "Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow."  

These books also contain practical information for gardeners: discoveries and knowledge, what worked and what didn't, the trials and tribulations of that particular garden. It's always interesting to learn about gardening in another part of the world. These are often garden tips we can apply to our own gardens. There is so much for the reader to learn. Our book group is starting with one of the most famous gardens in the world and its fascinating creator: Sissinghurst and Vita Sackville-West. The book is Vita Sackville-West's Sissinghurst, The Creation of a Garden by Vita Sackville-West and Sarah Raven. It contains many quotes from Vita's garden column that appeared in the Observer from 1946 to 1957.

Vita Sackville-West bought a dilapidated castle in the English county of Kent in the 1930's and set about restoring it. Everyone thought she was crazy. She was the only one who could see the promise in the ruins. The idea of restoring a castle appealed to her romantic imagination and was impossible for her to resist. She was enchanted by its Elizabethan history. As she set about restoring it, she also began creating her famous garden. I can imagine that the process calmed and grounded her while she lead her very tempestuous personal life.

An only child from an aristocratic family, she was disinherited from her childhood home Knole because she was a woman. The estate went instead to her uncle. She spent many years searching for a replacement. After her marriage to the politician Harold Nicolson, she found that replacement in Sissinghurst Castle. Their marriage was an unconventional one as they both had avant-garde attitudes towards marriage and monogamy. They had numerous extramarital affairs and yet remained devoted to each other and never divorced. Vita's most famous affair was with the writer Virginia Woolf. Portrait of a Marriage by Nigel Nicolson tells the fascinating story of his parents' marriage.

The rose garden at Sissinghurst Castle

Vita was a gifted writer of poetry, novels, essays, travel books and, not surprisingly, a gardening column for the Observer. Many of her books were published by Virginia and Leonard Woolf at the Hogarth Press. But her most famous legacy is the garden she created at Sissinghurst. I suggested that we also read one of her novels for our meeting and we chose All Passion Spent. I can't wait for our discussion in September. In the meantime I am enjoying Sarah Raven's book about Vita's garden.

My favorite passage so far is from the chapter called "Cram, Cram, Cram"

"In her planting, the filling and flowering up of her spaces, Vita had a clear and individual style. It is 'Cram, cram, cram, every chink and cranny,' she wrote on 15 May, 1955. You have plants popping up in the paths; you have plants trained over almost every square inch of wall; and where there's a gap, Vita encourages plants to grow in the walls. As she says of herself, 'My liking for gardens to be lavish is an inherent part of my garden philosophy. I like generosity wherever I find it, whether in gardens or elsewhere. I hate to see things scrimp and scrubby. Even the smallest garden can be prodigal within its own limitations...Always exaggerate rather than stint. Masses are more effective than mingies."

A garden tip I would like to apply to my own garden! 

Have you ever thought of starting a book club with a theme? I would love to hear about it.

Fall Happenings...

Garden roses from Hollyflora

I have been working on the second installment of my English countryside trip, but going through my photos is taking longer than I thought. I promise to finish it soon! In the meantime, fall is here and there are so many sweet moments to enjoy. Here are a few that are happening around my house. 

COOKING

Rustic Autumn Vegetable Tart
Photo via Fine Cooking

This is my favorite time of the year for cooking. The markets are fairly bursting with fabulous fall produce. I love the apples, butternut squash, carrots, and parsnips available now. I look in food magazines such as Fine Cooking or Food and Wine for recipes that use the best available fall produce. I recently found a recipe that has become a new favorite: Rustic Autumn Vegetable Tart. Celebrate fall with this delicious seasonal main course. I served Tomato and Fennel Soup from Melissa Clark to start and then followed with a generous slice of the vegetable tart and a green salad on the side. It was a perfect recipe for a cozy weekend dinner. Make this one and I promise you will be adding it to your fall favorites. A warm slice of pumpkin bread topped with vanilla ice cream would be the perfect dessert. 

My version turned out great! (via Instagram)

FLOWERS

LA-based florists Holly Vesecky and Rebecca Uchtman are the creative and talented co-owners of Hollyflora and have just opened up their first boutique: the Hollyflora Market and Courtyard. They sell everything you might need for holiday entertaining -- ceramics, vases, linens, candles, lanterns, garden ornaments, and buckets and buckets of gorgeous flowers. I went to the grand opening last weekend and it was absolutely stunning. There were beautiful fall vignettes wherever I looked. If you live in Los Angeles, or are visiting, be sure to stop by. You will find so much inspiration for your home and garden. Go here to learn more.

I brought home pink garden roses and orange marigolds

BOOKS

My books have started arriving from England and it feels as if Christmas has come early. It was thrilling to find some of these books in England since so many are not available here. And I love the English editions of my favorite books.

This is a very special garden book that has just been published. I found it at John Sandoe Books in London. Written by Sarah Raven who is married to Vita's grandson, Vita Sackville-West's Sissinghurst showcases Vita's own writing about gardening and includes sumptuous vintage and new photographs of what has to be one of the prettiest gardens in the world. 

AND ONE NEW CHAIR

It looks like this is where I will be doing some of that reading. The new chair in the guest bedroom will be the perfect spot to while away some hours on a fall afternoon. I ordered it a long time ago and when it arrived I had to smile since it reminded me of our trip to the English countryside.

Next up, English Countryside, Part Two -- Devon and the Cotswolds!