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Primary colours are used boldly at the Madoo Conservancy.

Madoo Conservancy: A Garden Review

The Madoo Conservancy is a garden created over a period of almost forty years by the artist Robert Dash. Located in Sagaponack, New York, at the eastern end of Long Island, it is a destination garden, described as a magical oasis that evokes delight. It is a garden praised by many, including Rosemary Verey, the…

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Spruce trees are particularly appealing after a winter snowstorm.

Winter Wonderland

Winter arrived a few days ago. It was later than usual but it came with impressive intensity. Winds blew, snow fell. And now, all around us, are winter’s wonders.   I’m not sure how much snow has fallen, but judging from the snow peaked on top of the Chinese pot, 10 inches/25.5 cms would be…

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The future is as misty as the piece of land partly hidden by the tree branches.

Looking Ahead to 2016

Two weeks ago I looked back at Glen Villa to see what I accomplished in 2015. Last week I reviewed the gardens I visited during the year. So as we approach the new year, the topic of today’s post is almost inevitable: my garden plans for 2016. Announcing goals has positive and negative aspects. Seeing something that is…

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The contours of the terracing are visible when looking up the hill.

A Year of Visiting Gardens

2015 was a bumper year for garden visits. I’m almost overwhelmed when I realize how many gardens I visited — well over 100 by a quick count. Some days, I found the experience exhausting; every day it was fun. My year of visiting gardens started in February when I saw two outstanding gardens in South Carolina. Middleton Place…

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Copper tubing outlines a

A Year in Review

Last December, on a grey and gloomy day much like today, I wrote out my goals for the garden for 2015.  Re-reading that blog post a year later, I’m amazed to see how much of what I set out to do I actually accomplished. Discovering this was a big surprise, but after only a few minutes of thought…

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