The Court at Holt

A 1920s arts and crafts garden in Wiltshire with some great structural topiary.  This garden had a magical atmosphere and reminded me of the Red House (William Morris's house).  Small paths in local stone made straight lines through different garden rooms and topiary bordered the paths.  Big organic shapes in Taxus and Ilex were called things like dancing bears and drunken monks and added a witty edge. A temple and stone statues reminded me of Italian gardens and Chiswick house but on a tiny scale. 

 Drunken monks straggering back to church

 Cloud pruned Ilex - ouch!

The temple

Fab trees

Some work in the woods this week at Emmetts, getting the paths ready to open to the public.  95% of the trees were blown down in the Great Storm and 6 huge beech trees blocked the drive.  So the current wood is around 25 years old.  This surprised me as it looks so mature.  Beech, oaks, Alnus and Ash make up the wood now and on a cold day in winter light form some gnarly shapes.

Dixter was cold this week.  A brilliant lecture day with Kemal Mehdri covered form, line and texture.  Check out the dwarf conifer pot displays!

 Gnarly tree forms at Emmetts

 Ascending form anchored by conical form at Dixter

Dwarf conifer pot displays