Love your new border and reading about the plants you chose. I'm going to buy erigeron. Over 30 years gardening and never had erigeron!! But is it me? I find it heartbreaking that someone would go to a garden centre buy a glorious pot, heaps of gorgeous plants and then let someone else plant them up? Yikes!! I'm disabled now but hands in compost, teasing out roots, fluffing up the foliage to shake off the soil which I clumsily spill, is instant healing, therapy and meditation all in one!! By the time a pot/border is filled, I've become friends with the plants and feel fully committed to cosseting them too!! What a lost opportunity! Still, each to their own of course. And bravo to Petersham for serving their customers well.
I am very much with you on making friends with your plants by touching them but I'm also partial to the idea of someone else getting dirty for me! I guess the footnote here is that you still have to water the thing...probably daily and that involves quite a bit of faffing with the foliage!
Petersham was always on my wish list , finally got to go but that’s pre covid … I now need to revisit but living in Yorkshire needs planning - not good at that, but Petersham was why I wanted to work in a nursery, that and my idol Carol Kleine ,I have the best job running the nursery at York Gate Garden where we get to propagate the plants from the garden for sale . Love your new border planting it’s always good to make changes , enjoy your bank holiday and thank you for another lovely post X
Ah York Gate. My garden-crazy Mum took us there for one of our many yellow book garden visits when I was about 10 (I’m 50 now). Still remember how lovely it was.
I love that last pot so much I have made a note of the plants so hopefully I can replicate it as close as possible from my local garden centre! Thank you for the inspiration!
Love your new border. I don't have any heuchera in my garden and wondering if they would tolerate a North facing border🤔. I also don't have any Erigeron but not from want of trying! I thought it was supposed to self-seed with abandon but apparently not in my garden!
I think Erigeron is very much the type of plant that refuses to grow where you initially plant it but then it suddenly appears elsewhere. And heuchera…I mean I don’t want to be one of those gardening snobs but I never ever thought I’d plant one in my garden….and yet…here we are….such is the Petersham magic xxx
Your writing makes the pleasure of assembling pot combinations palpable! Heading into a well-stocked garden center with horti-therapy aforethought is a hormonal rush. Whee!
I love this! And you mentioned Erigeron which is one of my favourites - such a friendly, resilient flower - and foxgloves so putting them together…
Petersham is utterly inspiring and I love the potting up idea. I have a habit of going to the Swiss Cafe in Ham and walking along the river to the nursery (walking to limit buying) but have often had to drive back again to pick up too numerous to carry purchases.
I love the sheer exuberance Letitia. I haven't been to Petersham for AGES! Want to go again immediately now of course - not so easy from here, takes planning, and very doable. Thank you for inspiring me. Love your new border!
Fascinating! I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining industry line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes (mostly NYC and L.A.) for easy home cooking.
When I lived in London, Petersham was one of my favourite haunts and the pots always made me swoon. (It was a surprisingly good place to take small people: good cake, outside, opposite a park.) Now I long for a return trip…. xx
Love your new border and reading about the plants you chose. I'm going to buy erigeron. Over 30 years gardening and never had erigeron!! But is it me? I find it heartbreaking that someone would go to a garden centre buy a glorious pot, heaps of gorgeous plants and then let someone else plant them up? Yikes!! I'm disabled now but hands in compost, teasing out roots, fluffing up the foliage to shake off the soil which I clumsily spill, is instant healing, therapy and meditation all in one!! By the time a pot/border is filled, I've become friends with the plants and feel fully committed to cosseting them too!! What a lost opportunity! Still, each to their own of course. And bravo to Petersham for serving their customers well.
Great read as usual, thank you!
I am very much with you on making friends with your plants by touching them but I'm also partial to the idea of someone else getting dirty for me! I guess the footnote here is that you still have to water the thing...probably daily and that involves quite a bit of faffing with the foliage!
Petersham was always on my wish list , finally got to go but that’s pre covid … I now need to revisit but living in Yorkshire needs planning - not good at that, but Petersham was why I wanted to work in a nursery, that and my idol Carol Kleine ,I have the best job running the nursery at York Gate Garden where we get to propagate the plants from the garden for sale . Love your new border planting it’s always good to make changes , enjoy your bank holiday and thank you for another lovely post X
I think Petersham has inspired many people to change course and work with plants. Your job sounds like a joy.
Ah York Gate. My garden-crazy Mum took us there for one of our many yellow book garden visits when I was about 10 (I’m 50 now). Still remember how lovely it was.
Clearly I need to visit! x
You must, don’t think you’ll be disappointed. So much packed into a small garden lots of inspiration x
You must come and visit again, it’s a very special garden It’s a real privilege to work in it, never thought I would have such a job in my 50s!! X
I love that last pot so much I have made a note of the plants so hopefully I can replicate it as close as possible from my local garden centre! Thank you for the inspiration!
Fabulous! I too love a plant recipe that I can repeat verbatim x
A foxglove is a biennial I thought
Yes, it is.
Love this post and I am going to go and introduce myself to Thomas next week when we go to Mull x Thank you x
Please send him a gigantic hug!
I love the hexagon quilt people the best too. And I LOVE this pot maths. Thank you on all the fronts.
Useful formulae ftw
🤓
Loved this . Thank you. Glorious
Thank YOU for being here!
Love your new border. I don't have any heuchera in my garden and wondering if they would tolerate a North facing border🤔. I also don't have any Erigeron but not from want of trying! I thought it was supposed to self-seed with abandon but apparently not in my garden!
I think Erigeron is very much the type of plant that refuses to grow where you initially plant it but then it suddenly appears elsewhere. And heuchera…I mean I don’t want to be one of those gardening snobs but I never ever thought I’d plant one in my garden….and yet…here we are….such is the Petersham magic xxx
Hehe I love that, Petersham magic!! Well I will try planting Erigeron in all four corners of the garden and hopefully it will take somewhere 🤞
L.,
Your writing makes the pleasure of assembling pot combinations palpable! Heading into a well-stocked garden center with horti-therapy aforethought is a hormonal rush. Whee!
Excellent
I love this! And you mentioned Erigeron which is one of my favourites - such a friendly, resilient flower - and foxgloves so putting them together…
Petersham is utterly inspiring and I love the potting up idea. I have a habit of going to the Swiss Cafe in Ham and walking along the river to the nursery (walking to limit buying) but have often had to drive back again to pick up too numerous to carry purchases.
Also, I realise I wasn’t subscribed to your Substack! Now corrected!
I used to do this too. Have now capitulated to the inevitable fact that I will need a car! And yes HURRAH for Erigeron
I love the sheer exuberance Letitia. I haven't been to Petersham for AGES! Want to go again immediately now of course - not so easy from here, takes planning, and very doable. Thank you for inspiring me. Love your new border!
Worth all the planning hassle I think - it's an absolute destination. So happy you love the new border as much as I do!
Fascinating! I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining industry line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes (mostly NYC and L.A.) for easy home cooking.
check us out:
https://thesecretingredient.substack.com
When I lived in London, Petersham was one of my favourite haunts and the pots always made me swoon. (It was a surprisingly good place to take small people: good cake, outside, opposite a park.) Now I long for a return trip…. xx