If you are wondering where I wandered off to, I’ve been busy noticing all the non-garden things happening in the world. I began to doubt the need for garden stories. Then I had lunch with dear friends in our garden, and they urged me to rethink that idea. Now, maybe more than ever, we all need to be reminded of the beautiful green magic moments in the world. In 2025, I had innumerable such moments. Traveling by air, coach, river boat, ocean ship, ferry, bus, rental car, tram and foot we visited gardens in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Estonia, Serbia, Croatia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Germany, Austria, Belgium, and England. Oh, and I visited gardens in southern Indiana while on a speaking tour. This travel kept us packing and unpacking for four months, and when we arrived home, we were a bit dazed.
Tag: sculpture
Travel Moments in Summer Gardens
Traveling is a major part of my summer this year, and exploring gardens is a big part of these adventures. It isn’t possible to write a story about each one, so I thought I would highlight some notable moments.
Walk with me in Vancouver, BC, Canada
The last week of July, it was 116 degrees (47 Celcius) in my Arizona garden. Luckily, I escaped to Vancouver, Canada, for a few days to enjoy pleasant summer days and temperatures in the low 80s (26 ).
Rainy Day at London’s Chelsea Flower Show
The English seem to be absolutely mad about gardening (which is a good thing). And after visiting The Chelsea Flower Show, I understand why. It is the world’s most famous flower exhibition, and the excitement extends far beyond Great Britain. I’ve always wanted to attend, so we flew in from Arizona. Others are equally enthusiastic, as we shared a coffee with an Australian national living in Poland who had flown in to attend Chelsea.
Holiday Lights Magical Brookgreen Gardens
Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet (near Myrtle Beach), South Carolina, celebrates the holidays with Nights of a Thousand Candles. I was there this December, and I will say I have never seen anything like it in all my holiday garden experiences. There is so much I could say about this incredible garden, but I’m going to let the photos attempt to share the magic.
Broadwoodside, a new garden in an old place
In a land of historic castle gardens, the contemporary Broadwoodside garden offers color, whimsy, and a story all its own.
Robert Dalrymple is a distinguished graphic designer known for his production of fine art books and catalogs. (British Art Museum, Victoria & Albert) His private home garden 25 miles outside Edinburgh is the result of transforming an old farm stead into an exceptional garden that rivals those centuries older.