Amanda Wills Gardens

10/07/2019

Some photos from a recent planting project. It was only planted two weeks ago, and it's already bringing a lot of joy to my clients, as they enjoy the summer relaxing in their new garden.

18/06/2019

I am so pleased to see this initiative from The Beth Chatto Gardens and hope to see more growers and plant nurseries make an effort to reduce our use of plastic.

We’re working to reduce plastic waste. This is just one step and we will be taking more.

The Beth Chatto Gardens Team

21/05/2019

The Independent Plant Nurseries Guide came about following a great conversation on social media pages about how nurseries could be supported by a simple online platform that gives basic information to those who really want to find local growers. Being people who believe in the power of positive acti...

15/05/2019

Great to see a plant producer reusing the plastic pots they grow their plants in :) I'd love to see more effort made within the industry to reduce plastic use.

10/05/2019

Wonderful day at Kingsbury May Festival, selling plants and chatting to people about their gardens. It's always one of my favourite events, and this year was better than ever :)

05/05/2019

Most lawns are biodiversity deserts, but there is a simple way to encourage nature – and you don’t even have to ditch the mower

10/04/2019

Kiftsgate Court Gardens: 100 Years of Women Gardeners is now open!

Our new exhibition tells the tale of three generations of talented plantswomen – Heather Muir, her daughter Diany Binny, and her granddaughter Anne Chambers - who have tended to the historic hillside gardens at Kiftsgate Court in the Cotswolds.

Open till 9 June: https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/exhibitions/kiftsgate-court-gardens-100-years-of-women-gardeners/

Image: Heather Muir with her three daughters, Judy, Betsy and Diany, in the Wide Border in its infancy © Kiftsgate Court Archives

08/03/2019

International Women's Day today, and I love this Italian tradition:

"In Italy, where I am from, it is tradition to donate on the 8th of March a flowering branch of Mimosa (Acacia dealbata) to every woman who is dear to you. I grew up receiving and donating myself this amazing scented, fluffy yellow flower on Women’s Day. Usually, this is a gift that men who are important in your life would give to you as a symbol of appreciation and respect. However, it is also exchanged between women as a symbol of solidarity and friendship."

https://botanicgarden.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2019/03/08/a-symbol-of-international-womens-day/

A symbol of International Women’s Day Posted on March 8, 2019 by andy.winfield With the delicate feathery foliage and flowers of Acacia dealbata on International Women’s DayMy name is Irene Cambi and I have the incredible honour of being Bristol Botanic Garden new trainee. I studied politics and...

26/02/2019

Amazing blue skies over Somerset again today and the early-flowering trees are dazzling in the sunshine, including Salix daphnoides (Violet Willow) and Prunus dulcis (Almond). The first bees to emerge are enjoying every minute of this unseasonably warm weather, but I hope they'll shelter well when it turns cold again. There are lots of bumblebees, and smaller bees too, and it's a joy to listen to them buzzing as they visit each flower.

08/02/2019

And the winner of the International Garden Photographer of the Year Competition 12 is, Jill Welham of North Yorkshire, England, UK.

The winning image entitled, Fireworks, depicts the details of three Allium heads with the wet cyanotype process resulting in intricate circular patterns and beautiful fluid shapes.

Jill said:

"Wet cyanotype is a modified version of the 19th century photographic printing process, introducing moisture, in a variety of ways, onto the treated paper before exposure. The chemical reaction produces interesting fluid patterns and colours not normally present in a traditional cyanotype print. The resulting pieces are unique and present botanical prints in a different and painterly manner. Each piece is created with plants and flowers from my own garden and exposed using only the North Yorkshire sun."

Tyrone McGlinchey, Managing Director of IGPOTY said:

"Jill’s image has proven that even old techniques are still capable of relevance, originality and immense beauty. Her knowledge and passion for the process has resulted in an extraordinary exposure of the Allium, adding complex textures and colour profiles analogous to the pioneering botanical cyanotype prints by English botanist and photographer Anna Atkins in the first half of the 19th century.

The resulting exposure clearly draws from this rich and interesting heritage, but is unmistakably different in its approach and ex*****on, making an image fit for the modern age in both its ability to communicate the beauty and importance of plant life as well as its capacity to represent the empowerment of women in art and science.”

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The exhibition at Kew Gardens will run until March 10.

See all of the winners here: https://igpoty.com/igpoty-competition-13/