It worked for him - shelter, privacy, reminders of home and presumably he just ignores any tall buildings around his garden cos he has so many plants to admire, care for and enjoy.
Open and not a lot of privacy here but then there's no-one overlooking either and any nosy passers-by get a loud telling off from the dogs running along the fence and barking at them from behind the gates.
Nollie - I loved all the colourful flowers in that "prairie" but not the grasses.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
No not just you, I for one have had enough of prairie gardens, been there, done that... and it doesn't look much like an American prairie to me, not that there's much left there to see but it's a short term phenomenon of early summer.. after that it's bone dry and full of prickly pear cactus and dried up grasses... plus rattlers...
Very much a northern German/Dutch landscape concept, and suited to flat country like that... I found it high maintenance, all that cutting down, lifting and dividing, as they increase in girth so quickly... awful hard work... not to mention all those buff coloured canes flying around your garden during winter gales...
I thought the London garden looked lovely but it's not my kind of thing.
I liked the look of the prairie planting too, but I wouldn't want it myself unless I had a huge amount of space to fill, out of sight of the house where it could be ignored when not at its best (not going to happen!).
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Agree. I'd much rather have a traditional mixed border. Gertrude Jekyll was amazing at making those interesting and with a long season and Mien Ruys, a Dutch disciple of hers did some lovely gardens too. This is one of hers at Oostkerke - http://s211.photobucket.com/user/Obelixx_be/library/200606 Oostkerke?sort=2&page=1 The first few pics are in Damme nearby. I've loved blue wellies ever since.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Nollie, it was not just you. That prairie garden was not to my taste either. What a clash. I didn't agree with what Mark Lane had to say about that style of gardening either. Space is a premium, and I understand the priorities of plants over a greenhouse/etc. I used to keep my lawn mower and one bucket of everything including pruning saws underneath the stair cupboard.
Posts
Open and not a lot of privacy here but then there's no-one overlooking either and any nosy passers-by get a loud telling off from the dogs running along the fence and barking at them from behind the gates.
Nollie - I loved all the colourful flowers in that "prairie" but not the grasses.
Very much a northern German/Dutch landscape concept, and suited to flat country like that... I found it high maintenance, all that cutting down, lifting and dividing, as they increase in girth so quickly... awful hard work... not to mention all those buff coloured canes flying around your garden during winter gales...
I thought the London garden looked lovely but it's not my kind of thing.
I liked the look of the prairie planting too, but I wouldn't want it myself unless I had a huge amount of space to fill, out of sight of the house where it could be ignored when not at its best (not going to happen!).