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The New Romantic Garden - a book review

The New Romantic Garden by Jo Thompson Rizzoli, 2025 Jo Thompson is a noted UK garden designer who has won numerous awards at RHS shows. Her style is the epitome of the "romantic English garden" idea - sumptuous borders packed with perennials in pastel colors, arches covered with roses, idyllic meadows and garden rooms. But what is the "new" romantic garden? Described as a fresh perspective of utilizing this lush gardening style into the present-day world, it places an emphasis on organic gardening, biodiversity, plant and soil health.  A scene from the author's own garden... Photo: Rachel Warne In this gorgeous book, Thompson showcases thirty of her gardens, all beautifully described and photographed.  From estate gardens to a London penthouse roof garden, they provide sumptuous eye-candy and inspiration. A peek inside... A London city garden filled with roses and iris (Photo: Jason Ingram) Writer Justine Picardie's garden in Norfolk evokes a feeling of a ...
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Winter Jewels


 


Tsuga canadensis 'MonKinn' Golden Duchess ™ (Eastern Hemlock)



The weather has been a bit wet and gloomy (with predictions of snow for next week) but there are some bright spots in the garden.  One of my favorites at the moment is this little hemlock called 'Golden Duchess'™. Every time I glance out the study window and look out into the front garden, it is the first plant I notice. When we got it at the nursery, it was inside the greenhouse and kind of a drab green, nothing like the photo on the label. After I planted it, in a mostly sunny spot, it brightened up and changed color in no time. The ultimate size is supposed to be around 4 x 4 feet.
Picea orientalis 'Tom Thumb'

 Picea orientalis 'Tom Thumb' is a dwarf spruce that grows very slowly (only about 1 inch per year!), eventually reaching 1 ft. high.


Acer palmatum 'Bihou'

The Japanese Maple 'Bihou' just gets better and better and equals 'Sango Kaku' for its pretty winter bark. I bought this in quart-sized pot and it proves that smaller sized plants grow faster. That little slip of a plant, under 1 ft. tall, was planted in June of 2017 and is now almost 6 ft. tall. It is very narrow and I hope that it continues to grow that way.

 

Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki' (Dappled willow) with the just-mentioned Japanese Maple 'Bihou' in far background

A few more lovlies -

Pheasant's Tail Grass (Anemanthele lessoniana)


Mahonia 'Charity'

Vaccinium M. 'Stevens'


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. Lisa at GreenbowJanuary 11, 2020 at 1:00 PM

    You do have some lovely jewels in your garden. So much color for your winter garden.

    ReplyDelete
  2. chavlinessJanuary 12, 2020 at 9:36 AM

    Bright colors in the winter garden is what keeps us going till spring. Acer palmatum 'Bijou' with it's stunning glowing branches has been on my want list for a while.

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  3. Endah MurniyatiJanuary 13, 2020 at 5:05 PM

    the branches looks so interesting!

    ReplyDelete

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