The HoBB Gardens are being cultured to provide a peaceful place for both thought and action. We are learning about the “Way of Plants” as we go and enjoying seeds, cuttings, clippings and of course, ‘eatings’.
“The wonderful thing about garden design is that everyone can do it. It doesn’t matter how little you know or how ham-fisted you may think you are, once you start, nature will pitch in too and together you can’t fail to create something beautiful.” (The Late Great ‘Geoff Hamilton’)
With Geoff Hamilton’s words spiriting us on, we got to work on the grassland. When we reached a botanical impasse we did web searches for information and lodged our questions on internet forums and yahoo groups like “Crazy Gardeners”.
We followed the straight and narrow and professed to know nothing about gardening until we got to know a lot more than we ever planned. However, we have been told that the real beauty of the HoBB Gardens has not grown up from any ‘how to do it’ book but from the unique ‘how we’ve done it’ method – watching the way plants cope, and ensuring the gardens are set in context with the surrounding hills.
If you are starting to plan a garden, don’t be too seduced by the ‘instant’ results depicted on some television programmes, as their aim is to produce ‘show gardens’ for the camera. It is worth getting to know your soil through four seasons and studying what grows well on your next door neighbours’ land. No planting mistakes are beyond redemption but it is better to save the plant, and your effort, time, dissappointment and money by planning your planting.
“And if you build a garden that delights the eye and brings joy to the hearts of those who visit, there’s absolutely no doubt that you have created a work of art”
Friends visit the HoBB Gardens to see progress but also to visit ‘their plants’. We are a home from home for plants that have out-grown their city habitats and for many that have been rescued from certain death in skips or dumped on tips. Sadly, with the ease of buying potted plant life comes the disease of letting them die and re-buying – maybe we should start the campaign : ‘A plant is for Life, not just for decor’.
‘A plant is for Life, not just for decor’ – Give unwanted plants a ‘new’ lease of life at The HoBB.
Promote the slogan and follow the action : We can receive most plants – by arragement. Please note we are a temporate zone and 850 foot above sea level in the UK!
There should be a Web Site all about the developing HoBB Gardens
Yes, true! We publish a list of the plants we are eager to find and have received many as gifts. and it would be great to have each located on an interactive online plan – then, as the seasons progress, international visitors to the web site, could see pictures of ‘their’ donated plants developing.
HELP PLEASE [Got the plan – need the inter-activity bit! …. Any software writer / seller willing to donate or help in this respect?]
We could even have links to plant donor, date of planting, name etc ….. so the site visitor can have a permanent link to their gift. Everyone cannot be local and visit the actual HoBB Gardens but we could create ‘Garden Trust Members’ and give out tickets to visit the Real Gardens, by arrangement. Ahhhhh, now that’s the problem with having a creative mind, an overwhelming passion to go that extra mile!
I have designed a few gardens for friends that have interesting sites such as ‘rubble yards with no soil’ , gaps between houses leading to shaded small patios, and flash flood plain gardens rich in food but under the wettest weather each year. I always like a challenge and producing a design for a location that needs very special thought is a wonderful way of learning. If you fancy a cave garden, a botanical grotto or something hanging, sunken or suspended on wires, it’s the sort of project I would really enjoy so tell me all about it!
Waves ~~~~~~ <+))))))))>< ~~~ Grant, bringing Art and Nature together
“Grant is turning out diagrams again to bring human thought into universal line”