Journeys Past
We have been many wonderful places and met a variety of fascinating people over the years.For those who went on these trips, this page is a walk down memory lane and for those who are contemplating a future trip with us, it will give you an insight into the care and planning which go into each and every trip we embark on.
These aren't just trips, they are explorations into the cultures of others who share many of the same interests as we do.
Scotland – This part of the United Kingdom is often overlooked or seen as a short extension to a trip to England. It is a land of contrasts, with world-class cities such as Edinburgh and Glasgow to the glorious glens of the north. We spent a week exploring and discovering both. A stay in Edinburgh gave us an opportunity to visit Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood House and do some day trips to some extraordinary gardens.
There is nothing like seeing a garden through the eyes of the owner or head gardener. Whenever possible, that is exactly what we do. At Branklyn Garden in Perth, we were given a guided tour by Steve McNamara, the manager and head gardener.
England - We have made many trip to England and visited several parts of the country. Each is different and beautiful in its own way. There is Kent "the garden of England". The opportunities for visiting gardens in this area are limitless and we have just managed to scratch the surface.
We have also met many fascinating people, some famous in the gardening world such as Adrian and AlanBloom. While we were able to meet and talk to Adrian, he was not able to take us through his garden. That was left to his son-in-law. After that, we met with Alan and he took us on a private tour of his own portion of Bressingham - Foggy Bottom. Here we look out over the landscape he has created standing inside a gazebo his son has built. Shortly after this photo was taken, we met his wife, who was out "tidying up" before the day began for real. As large as this garden is and with the amount of people who come to see it, it is still very much a family operation. We were stopped several times on our way back from the garden by people who recognized and spoke to Alan.
Our next stop that day was at Notcutt's a large nursery operation in the same area. They were busy getting ready for Chelsea, but took us on a tour of their automated operations.
The highlight of one year was, of course, our two hour garden tour with Christopher Lloyd. While he was not in the best of health, he kept us entertained about his life and times at Great Dixter. That was a truly magical day and one everyone who was there is sure to treasure.
We have gone to Wisley on several of our trips and the last time, as was requested, we were able to spend four hours there. After our tour with Bernard Boardman, the Supervisor of the Floral Department, everyone was able to their own favorite parts of the garden. They have one of the best gift shops in England there and it is always a chore to pry people out of there, but they do come away with some fantastic gifts for those back home. One year Mary Kroening, the Missouri Master Gardener Coordinator did her entire Christmas shopping at Wisley.
Many of the gardens we see are still family homes. Such is the case with Squerryes Court Manor, which is the home of the Warde Family. We were able to see this estate on a Friday, the day they are closed, so we had the place to ourselves.