The heat of the past few days brings dark thunderstorms that travel up from the south over the wooded hills to the west, then switch direction, run up the Vallée de la Tude, and deluge the ground. The humidity immediately drops and the cool, clear air is cleaned of pollen and dust. The fields of cereals and young…
Tag: Garden
Sissinghurst’s Rite of Spring
The gardeners continue to create colour wheel harmonies; bright and gaudy; cool and relaxed; the garden compartments have diverse compositions. The spring bulbs, like brass, shout the loudest with purple and red fanfares everywhere. More muted arrangements in spring greens and whites are often simpler tunes in minor keys. All the many troughs, large and small, have…
Great Comp Garden
Great Comp Garden in late July is a study in green. The spring flowers have long faded and spindly Salvias, for which the garden is renowned, linger but, apart from one hot bed of red hot pokers (Kniphofia sp.) and yellow Dahlias by the old quiet house, this is a world of verdant, restful shades; yellow greens, green…