HISTORY IS OUR FUTURE

August 5, 2024

I’m truly thankful to all of my friends and business acquaintances who have arranged for me to visit so many private gardens. However, I am also known to purchase a divine book with luscious photos and try my best to make all on my list a visit. This is only one garden shared today from Gardens of France by Anita Pereire and Gabrielle Van Zuylen, which are where the first two photos above are from. With the beautiful photos in the book, and the Duchesse not being present, we thought it better to refrain from taking our own photos. 

I believe those who love the garden, whether working it themselves or hiring help, are some of the most kind and generous people. If asked to share their gardens, it is not for showmanship that they welcome you; it is because they enjoy the smile it brings to you. Gardening is not all about the work involved, it’s to do with what comes from the heart, a gift shared.

All the gardens in this book were interesting, some open to the public on certain days but others private. Some were easier to reach but some were a challenge. This particular garden was a challenge to find from the ‘French’ directions, in and out in the quiet village .

Finally being able to find a spot to park the car, I walked up to the garden gate with my book in hand to hopefully get the gardeners attention. When safe, my husband left the car, in which he had stayed in case we had to make a quick getaway! The gardener’s English was very limited, however my French was impossible.

The book was the answer and brought a big smile. He took pride in his workmanship  and walked the whole garden with us, apologizing that the Duchesse was away. We loved every minute with our French gardener, however this generosity in the past is something we can only hope will return as we need to be careful.

Someone asked me why look at these gardens as they have nothing to do with today’s gardens. If you take only one thing away and place the design or planting in your own world it was all worth it. I was not disappointed to see in-person why this garden was a must. They called it a topiary sentry box (I called it a guard house) and now ours is called ‘Finley’s Folly’. This way Mr. Finley, my Scottish terrier, can guard the street from his very real vantage point. 

There, topiary sentry box of clipped Thuya, stands in a cobblestone base, ours the same but planted with Buxus Sempervirins, Graham Blandy.

I learnt and took away something new.

july 31, 2024

The recent shearing of our topiary at Boar House brought a memory of one of the most unique topiary gardens, Haseley Court. 

Haseley Court had been the country home of  Nancy Lancaster of the Colfax and Fowler fame, a London based interior design firm. She had also enjoyed a period owning ‘Ditchely Park,’ ’Kelmarsh Hall,’ and being an American, the family home of ‘Mirador’ in Virginia. 

I had not anticipated the future would bring an opportunity to lunch at Haseley Court with its current owner, Mrs. Desmond Hayward, and a group of like minded guests.

Our arrival took us along a secluded country lane allowing glimpses into the lush surrounding pasture. As usual, the weather was threatening, but it seemed to fit the suspense of the day to come as rounding a curve, unexpected, stood Haseley Court.

Grand in appearance, it sat perfectly to the land. The stability of its chosen stone structure and the softness and scale of its chosen plantings were all quietly welcoming.

The facade was of a Queen Anne house with two bay wings flanking both sides, its terrace running the full length across the front. The generous steps, enclosed by Lioness statues, give a feeling of balance while welcoming you to the entrance. The classic facade is not only overwhelming on its own but breathtaking when looking back across the iconic view of a pair of gate piers framing the magnificent avenue of lime trees. 

We were greeted on the terrace by our hostess (after profuse apologizes for the weather), welcomed into the hall, given a glass of Champagne, then instructed to relax and enjoy the adjacent room while our luncheon was being laid out.

It was an afternoon not to forget, to meet and sit across from our hostess, listen to some select recall of Nancy Lancaster and to the many celebrated guests coming and going.

Shared with us was a remarkable agreement struck when Nancy sold the house to Lord Hereford and honored by its present owners allowing her to live out the rest of her years in the adjacent coach house. It was said that, had she known she would be spending these years in the house she assembled from a series of farm buildings, she would have planned it differently! A brilliant lesson in reality!

With the house, interiors and garden now all stunningly updated to perfection, still nothing could have been more impressive than the gracious manners of Mrs. Hayward, making all present feel like an old family friend.

Having studied as an artist as well as a landscape designer, I have always been smitten by the art of topiary, the mystery and illusion it captures with structure. 

When asked to relax in the drawing room to take in the southern exposure to the garden, I was again smitten, as sprawled in front of us were the Kings and Queens of chess. 

When Nancy Lancaster bought the house the garden was in disarray, but in its mists, was a perfectly clipped topiary chess set. It was said that during the neglect of war the old gardener would cycle over every year to clip “my Kings and Queens”.

Nothing can replace seeing the real thing and nothing can be viewed more than from within.