100 YEARS OF DECREPITUDE

I just realised that I missed the fact that I had got to 100 posts! I send you all a fairy cake to celebrate. In more statistical record-breaking (possibly influenced by the Olympics although I would never admit it) I worked out today whilst doing a complete photo hard drive backup that I have visited 40 gardens so far this year. 

I am allowing myself to count repeat visits to the same garden, as I definitely see different things each time. I've also counted a couple of parks where I took a guidebook and went specifically to see a landscape. 

(I haven't counted anything worky at Kew because I am there at least once a week doing volunteer guided tour stuff.) 

BEFORE EASTER
Wisley
Stourhead

Hmm, pretty lazy huh? But factor in the weekly three mile hike round the RBG. 

APRIL
Pashley Manor Tulip Festival

Great Dixter, East Sussex
Greenwich Park
Ham House

MAY
Oxford Botanic Garden for Euphorbias
Coombe House, Devon
Killerton, Devon
Chiswick House, W4
Beth Chatto Gardens Essex
Hampton Court
Hyde Park

OBG again
Kew Green Gardens open for NGS

JUNE
Brize Norton Open Gardens for NGS
Canary Wharf Millenium Park
Thames Barrier Park
Oxford Botanic Garden
Wisley again
City Gardens tour including New Street Square,
Postmans’ Park
Arabella Lennox-Boyd’s roof garden for no 1 Poultry for a sunset drink
Selbourne, Hants
Blackpitts, Worcs

JULY
Hampton Court (again)
Oxford Botanic Garden (again, 4th time)
Broughton Grange, Oxon
Hampton Court (for a third time)
National Botanic Garden of Wales
Architectural Plants, Horsham
Denmans, Sussex
Petworth
Magdalen College, Oxford
Rousham, Oxon
Stowe, Bucks

AUGUST
Hyde Hall, Essex
Kew (for fun, not work, so that counts)
Wisley

It's fairly interesting to me how many of these are repeat visits. I would have thought looking back that I'd been to quite a few new ones, but an awful lot seem to be old favourites. 

My Top Ten (seeing as we're doing medal-podium-type thinking)

in no order, except that GD probably does come top:

Great Dixter

Rousham

Hyde Hall

Oxford Botanic Garden

Blackpitts

Architectural Plants (little valley garden)

Thames Barrier Park

No1 Poultry (quality of the experience probably swaying me here) 

Beth Chatto 

Lovely, lovely Kew 

Upcoming highlights: 

Victoria's Garden, the 31st. Yum Yum. Maybe Chatsworth, middle of next week. Savill Garden Plant Fair on the 30th, possibly. Jekka's herb farm, the 29th, again possibly. 7th September, Meon Orchard, Hampshire. 24th September Bury Court Plant Day. 

Dream Date: 

Northern Yorkshire - I have never been to Fountains Abbey, Duncombe, Castle Howard, or Scampston, in fact, you name it, I've never been there. That's the next really big thing I want to go and do. 

The picture is the big herbaceous border in one of my most visited gardens this year, Oxford Botanic.