Monthly Archives: May 2024

In 1893 Josiah Conder wrote the first book by a European about Japanese gardens, which   has been the single greatest influence on Japanese garden design in the West.  Yet  given that Japanese plants and gardens in the Japanese style … Continue reading →

It’s mid-May and my iris have been in bloom and looking magnificent. Not just a few or even a few dozen but several hundred of them, so as you can probably tell from the sheer number I grow, they’re one … Continue reading →

In this  my third and final post about 17th and 18thc garden statues I’m turning my attention to John Cheere who was probably the most prolific and arguably the greatest sculptor in lead in Georgian Britain.  His work can be … Continue reading →

Following on from last week’s post ….the increasing popularity among the British elite for the Grand Tour from the later 17th century onwards introduced them then to classical statuary and contemporary sculpture  in Italy and France. On their return they … Continue reading →