Dirt Therapy

Trewithen (which means "House in the Trees") is a Palladian architectural style of house and gardens that has been owned by the same family for the past 300 years. The house, still occupied by the family, is not open to the public, but the park-like gardens are. The original house was purchased by MP Philip Hawkins in 1715. He hired London architect Thomas Edwards to rebuild the house and design the landscape. Hawkins died at the young age of 37 without children. He left the estate to his nephew Thomas Hawkins.  Thomas Hawkins, who married the wealthy Anne Heywood, redesigned the house further and began planting specimen trees and creating vistas that founded the framework of the garden today. In 1745, he published a book titled "The Care and Cultivation of Trees". A line of Hawkins successors continued, each making improvements and additions to the gardens. Considerable renovations were made in the early 20th century by owner George Johnstone, who added shrubs to t...

This is a fascinating garden, with a tragic history. Established in the late 1700s by the Reverend Henry Hawkins Tremayne (1741-1829 ) , the 200-acre Heligan estate remained in the Tremayne family for generations, with each successive descendant making significant contributions and expansions to the garden.  In the early 1900s, prior to World War I, the garden was maintained by 22 gardeners. The outbreak of World War I brought about the tragedy as 18 of the 22 gardeners perished in the war. The years that followed and most of the twentieth century saw the gardens go into serious decline. The family owner at the time, Jack Tremayne, moved to Italy after the loss of his crew and leased Heligan . It was also used by the Army during World War II. The house was sold for allotments in the 1970s and the Heligan  gardens eventually became overgrown and lost by 1990.  The devastating Burns' Day Storm in January of 1990 did have one bright spot - it uncovered some of the lost garde...

The Essential Guide to Bulbs by Jenny Rose Carey Timber Press, 2005 This is a good reference to have on hand when you have questions about growing bulbs. Jenny Rose Carey is the former director at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Meadowbrook Farm in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. She has gardened in England and (currently) on the East Coast. Her book is based on her experiences and observations. A brief introduction discusses the history of bulbs, particularly the various "bulb mania" periods. The different types of bulbs are explained (corms, tubers, rhizomes). The major bulk of the book profiles individual bulbs, arranged by "fall planted" and "spring planted" bulbs. For each bulb, information on planting and maintenance, design ideas and species and cultivars is covered.  Other topics covered include: How to use bulbs in the garden Color schemes Planting in containers Using bulbs inside the house during winter How to shop for bulbs Staking Deadhe...

Looking down at The Eden Project, which sits in a recessed area that was once a clay pit, you get the feeling that you have stepped into a futuristic landscape or perhaps a sci-fi movie set. It is dominated by large bubble-like biomes that feature a Mediterranean collection and a rainforest.  My expectations were not high. I had watched a video on YouTube where people were complaining that it was a bit run-down and the plantings were full of weeds. Almost every review you read complains that it is expensive. This makes sense, considering that it cost over 100 million. On a positive note, Eden Project receives over 1 million visitors per year and has contributed over 1 billion to the Cornwall economy.  I was prepared for a highly commercial endeavor and lots of people and kids. But... it turned out differently and I would encourage anyone visiting the area to take a look. I did not see any weeds. In fact, I saw lots of workers busy planting the beds that lead down to the biomes...