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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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Out of Hibernation



Michael came out from his sewing room hibernation today! It was a beautiful day - a bit chilly with temperatures in the 50s, partly cloudy with a few sun breaks and just a few very minor sprinkles. The garden is waking up fast. I love this time of year. The trees are just leafing out,  so when the sun does appear, there is a dappled scattering of sunrays dancing throughout the garden. The birds are singing and busy flitting about building their nests. In these crazy times, this is the only place where I feel totally calm and at ease and can filter out life's unpleasantries.

We got a lot done today. Yesterday was even nicer with warmer temps and more sun. I got the tarps off the decks, statues and water features. Today was spent mostly cleaning up, more planting and moving pots around.





Veronica 'Georgia Blue'


Blue-eyed Mary (Omphaloides verna) with Daphne tangutica)


Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum 'Beni Hime')

Beesia

Red Currant (Ribes sanguineum 'King Edward VII')

Twinberry Honeysuckle
(Lonicera involuncrata var. Iedebourii)

Rhododendron 'Loderi King George'


The big pink dogwood is beginning to bloom. The purple flowers on the left are from Rhododendron 'Blue Baron' which is really nice this year.


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. Kris PetersonApril 13, 2025 at 1:14 PM

    The sunshine makes your garden look even more lovely! Enjoy the weather and puttering in the garden.

    ReplyDelete
  2. tz_gardenApril 13, 2025 at 4:09 PM

    Your garden looks fantastic, I love the dappled light. I'm glad it's warming up!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousApril 14, 2025 at 8:04 AM

    It is fantastic when the garden comes alive in spring, full of hope of things to come. I love that first photo of Michael; it could have been of me, fully protected with hat, gloves, and knee padding. I notice a structure in the back of the photo, against the house: stacked decorative bricks... painted black. I wonder where you got those bricks. I love that look.
    Chavli

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    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverApril 14, 2025 at 8:49 PM

      Those came from a local rock place called Mutual Materials. I wanted a pedestal there and could never find one so we came up with that idea.

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