Gardens, Heritage & Planning

A red brick bridge over a moat to an old red brick house, with large topiary in the background.

This week’s blog post (bit.ly/4qwRdWV) focuses on the extraordinarily charming gardens at Kentwell Hall, in Suffolk, centred on a C16 house with moat, and featuring lodges, topiary, an ice house, tree sculpture, a camera obscura, a walled garden, a C20 ha-ha, and more….

A yellow National Garden Scheme direction sign on a fence, reading ‘garden open for charity’, with countryside behind.

The latest post on the blog (bit.ly/49j2KCS) looks at the origins of the National Garden Scheme. Set up in 1927, c.600 gardens opened in its first year, 72 of which also opened in 2025; 2 of those have opened every year since 1927, and over three-quarters are registered.

An evergreen shrub with attractive wavy-edged leaves and small purple flowers.

This week’s blog post (bit.ly/4hc5802) looks at plants, specifically the Pittosporum genus. Attractive evergreen shrubs, in a range of forms, they have an interesting history, and may be regarded as stalwarts of the garden.

The latest post on the blog looks at the history and future of the gardens at the wonderful Hestercombe, in Somerset: bit.ly/46MoTYL.

A tree in autumn, with red, yellow and green leaves.

A tai-haku in the sun, neatly working its way through the colours of a traffic light. 🚦 #Autumn

A stone wall and gate, with a deep herbaceous border running alongside, and trees behind.

A bell tower seen through trees, with a lawn in the foreground.

A lake surrounded by trees.

A winding gravel path bordered with grass, trees and shrubs.

This week’s blog post (bit.ly/4mQauj5) explores and compares the botanic gardens of Oxford and Cambridge - whilst they have much in common, they are nevertheless remarkably different in terms of age, area, number of plant species, and their approach to plant taxonomy.

A cluster of pink, white, blue, lilac and purple flowers.

A glorious display of delphiniums at West Dean Gardens this week.

A sinuous brick wall.

A sinuous brick wall, surrounded by trees and shrubs.

A gently sinuous brick wall, with a substantial herbaceous border in front of it, and a lawn, and trees behind.

The latest post on the blog is on the subject of crinkle-crankle walls (bit.ly/4pHVkic), specifically the history, science, frequency and distribution of these delightful structures.

A stone house with a flower-filled garden in front of it.

A yellow house above a series of plant-filled terraces, with woodland behind and to either side.

This week’s blog post (bit.ly/423cRaF) looks at Lawrence Johnston’s two gardens: Hidcote (Gloucestershire), and Serre de la Madone (Côte d’Azur). Despite significant differences - not least in climate and topography - they also have much in common.

Plant expanding dramatically beyond the bounds of the pot it was planted in.

Large plant thriving (origins in a tiny pot not visible).

I was reminded of Jurassic Park recently, having seen this Ficus macrophylla bursting out of a tiny pot and thriving: ‘Life, uh, finds a way’. More specifically:

*Life breaks free. It expands to new territories. It crashes through barriers….*

#GardensAndDinosaurs

A brown tourist sign, to Kelmscott Manor.

The latest post on the blog (bit.ly/47HjuDe) looks at the temptation of the brown tourist sign, as well as its origins and use. There is, of course, one for gardens, though - as in this picture - the gardens are often usurped by their parent houses.

A canal winding through a coastal garden, past flower beds and a thatched hut.

This week’s blog post (bit.ly/4lXcCVt) takes a look at the Venetian Waterways, in Norfolk. Created in the 1920s, they comprise gardens around a boating lake and winding canals, and reopened in 2019 after restoration. #GreatYarmouth

Green fruit emerging amongst green leaves.

The pittosporum is fruiting… not seen that before.

An abandoned brick building surrounded by trees, behind a sign advising of danger from unexploded military debris.

The latest post on the blog (bit.ly/45RQTs3) explores the abandoned village of Imber, in Wiltshire. The villagers were forced to leave in 1943, so the area could be used for military training, and never allowed to return. It’s now only partly intact, and of course empty.

A wide concrete barge, on a canal in front of a brick warehouse.

This week’s blog post (bit.ly/45Hg6W3) looks at the phenomenon of concrete boats. There are more of them than you might expect, and they do indeed float.

Entire church begins two-day journey across Swedish city of Kiruna The landmark 113-year-old wooden building is at risk from subsidence and will be moved 5km on giant rolling platforms.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

On the left, the wild pear tree at the Cambridge Botanic Garden; on the right, the trunk filled with bricks.

The hollow trunk of the wild pear at the Cambridge Botanic Garden was also filled in the 1960s, and that filling (bricks) then covered in tar. The tree continues to grow, and is slowly swallowing the bricks. [3 of 3]

On the left, the mulberry tree at Down House; on the right, the trunk filled with concrete.

The Down House mulberry is around 250 years old, and is still producing fruit. Used by Charles Darwin’s children to climb from their bedrooms to the garden, its hollow trunk was filled with concrete in the 1960s; a number of its branches are supported by props. [2 of 3]

On the left, a tree trunk filled with concrete, and on the right, one filled with bricks.

It used to be believed that filling the trunks of hollow trees would keep out infection and help the tree to heal. No longer recommended, happily it doesn’t appear to have done too much harm to the mulberry at Down House and wild pear at the Cambridge Botanic Garden. [1 of 3]

Great weather - and great company - at Ascott today (a Grade II* Rothschild garden, in Buckinghamshire).

A house with a columned portico, facing a lawn and a river.

The latest post on the blog (bit.ly/3Ji7WvV) explores the garden at Villa Foscari, a Palladian villa in the Veneto. Largely reflecting a design from the 1920s, it is an elegant and tranquil space.

An Arts & Crafts family home made of red brick, with a lawn in front and trees to the sides.

This week’s blog post (bit.ly/45r4kPw) explores the garden at Shaw’s Corner, the Hertfordshire home where George Bernard Shaw and his wife, Charlotte, spent four decades. A charming and tranquil space, it comes complete with a rotating writing hut. As should all gardens.

This is interesting. Not just in relation to the garden-related uprising, but also due to the fact that it was prompted in part by ‘the antient persons’ not being able to ‘walke for their pleasures’ in the common fields. Given that I too like a nice walke, I’m feeling rather antient myself, now….

A country house with a lake and bridge in front, surrounded by a golf course instead of a garden.

The latest post on the blog (bit.ly/3U7SO6D) looks at the issues raised by the insertion of golf courses into historic parks and gardens. At least 1 in 12 registered sites include a golf course: what impact does this have on the conservation of designed landscapes?

Grapes on a vine.

Just enjoying the five minutes between the grapes ripening and the blackbirds snaffling ‘em.

A lake surrounded by trees.

This week’s blog post (bit.ly/4lQ4WFx) explores Corporation Park, Blackburn, with reference to some lovely old postcards. Registered at Grade II*, the park opened in 1857, and remains largely intact. It has a host of interesting features: charming and well worth a visit.

Pink flowers backlit by the sun, with large trees behind.

Sweet peas in the evening sun.

Two large bridges, running in parallel over the sea.

The latest post on the blog (bit.ly/44OOU7n) looks at the engineering & heritage combo that is the Seven Mile Bridge, in the Florida Keys (actually two bridges, dating from 1912 & 1982). Striking, and scenically located, they are the subject of various designations.

Kew Garden: Palm House set for major renovation The 175-year-old glass house will begin a £50m renovation in 2027.

The Grade I Palm House at Kew is to close for five years from 2027, for renovation.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Local Heritage Lists: The National Perspective | Historic England Research Report for Local Heritage Lists: The National Perspective

Historic England’s new research report on local heritage lists is well worth a read: bit.ly/46A5n1J. It suggests that 71% of LPAs in England now have such lists (up from 50% c. 2019). NB local lists aren’t limited to buildings, but can identify parks & gardens as non-designated heritage assets, too.