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Agatha Christie's Greenway (Devon, England) - The House

I can think of two places that we visited where I enjoyed the house more than the gardens. The first was Greenway, not for the house itself, which was surprisingly small and cramped, but for the history behind it and the fascinating mementos on display. Agatha Christie and her husband Max Mallowan were enthusiastic collectors. You can see their collections on display throughout the house - European and Oriental ceramics, pottery, African tribal masks, Egyptian artifacts, Tunbridge ware, china, trinkets, and books. The Morning Room has a portrait of Agatha Christie as a child and her doll Rosie, sitting in a chair - The Drawing Room was where the family would gather in the evenings. Christie would entertain guests by reading chapters from manuscripts of her latest books.  Agatha Christie's bedroom. Max always slept on a smaller portable traveling cot (you can see part of it in the foreground). It was his favorite bed and he carried it with him on all of his archaeological travels. N...
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Revisiting Thomas Vetter's Garden


Back in the day when I gazed longingly at photos of gardens in the Pacific Northwest, I would bet that I came across some of Thomas Vetter's gorgeous garden in Portland. I got the chance to see his garden in person three years ago and stopped by again last Sunday for another visit. It continues to inspire me and is one of my favorite gardens.


It was hot and the sun was bright on Sunday but there is a calming and cooling factor the minute you enter. 

At the driveway entrance, a large collection of potted plants greet you.


A pathway leads through the small front garden. His garden is jam-packed with plants, all artfully arranged with lovely combinations and contrasting textures.








 A narrow side garden leads to the back -



The back garden is a dream. 








Underneath a porch are more potted plants and a collection of succulents -



And, back in the corner, a towering locust (Robinia) . A big crow sat in it almost the entire time of my visit.


Thank you again for opening your garden to us Thomas. It is an artistic gem!

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

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  1. danger gardenJune 25, 2021 at 9:37 AM

    Thanks for the photos! I haven't managed to visit Thomas' garden for years, its still looking as wonderful as ever.

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  2. Kris PetersonJune 25, 2021 at 12:02 PM

    Beautiful indeed. The photos provide a sense of an enclave cloistered from the world around it. I'm glad you got a chance to tour it again before the heat descends on Portland.

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  3. Lisa at GreenbowJune 26, 2021 at 3:51 AM

    And thank you for sharing this artistic gem. I can see where you would get a lot of inspiration from this garden. It is beautiful.

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  4. chavlinessJune 27, 2021 at 5:54 AM

    Gorgeous garden! Thomas is masterful in layering plants perfectly for hight, texture and color. The covers porch is a jewel. Is it a climbing hydrangea in photo #5?

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