Beth Chatto gardens
When we were planning and designing our previous garden, over 20 years ago, we would read many gardening books for inspiration and advice. There were many garden designers whose ideas and vision helped us along the way and one of these was Beth Chatto.
Her own garden, which has been developed since 1960, contains many different planting conditions including dry, wet, and shady and the manta 'Right plant in right place' helped us to avoid making too many mistakes over the years.
It was therefore a great treat to have the opportunity last week to visit the garden that we have often read about. As you can see by the pictures it was fabulous. Just look at the amazing colour at this time of year and how the colours and contrast in textures look so good together.
Have you been to Beth Chatto Gardens or read any of her books? My favourite ones include The Dry Garden and Dear Friend and Gardener Letters of Life and Gardening the latter one contains letters between Beth Chatto and Christopher Lloyd (gardening at Great Dixter), who share their gardening achievements and failures.
Beth Chatto is now 94 years old, it must be amazing to look out on to this wonderful garden from her home and still be involved in it's development.
My only regret in visiting this fantastic garden was only having limited time to view and enjoy it. Needless to say I didn't leave it empty handed, despite limited space in our garden, I returned home with two plants that hopefully will thrive and remind me of this wonderful garden.
Sarah x
Wow. Stunning pics Sarah! The book on Shade/Woodland Gardening has been my standby and I'm currently re-reading it to decide what else I can plant next year. This is a garden I'd really love to visit. Just a shame it's so far away!
ReplyDeleteThe distance is the reason we have never visited there before and after hours on the M25 we won't be repeating it for a long time to come! Sarah x
DeleteI first met Beth Chattooga when she and Christopher Lloyd came out to Australia for a fabulous garden expo I went to for my 50th birthday, I am now 78. We managed to see her wonderful garden on our last visit to the UK, for my 70th birthday. I have all her books too. Glad to hear she is still alive. Loved both her books and garden, so many plants not available here, but many others are
ReplyDeleteYou were a long way from home but I can see it was worth at least one trip to see it. So much still in bloom along with the beautiful fall colors--I love that photo of the autumn trees.
ReplyDeleteI have been a fan of Beth Chatto for a long time..We visited many years ago when she had just created her dry garden.We were lucky enough to go again in May this year.When we went years ago we bought a Pachysandra Variegata.It still survives and I have taken many cuttings.We live in North Wales but we're meeting up with some old friends in Bury St Edmunds
ReplyDeleteIt is a spectacular garden. Even after 30 years of gardening, I still don't plant things where they want to go. I did find out this summer where the lavender loves to grow.
ReplyDeleteIt is glorious! A celebration of colour and texture. Thanks for sharing, Sarah.
ReplyDeleteDear Sarah,
ReplyDeleteLovely that you were able to go and visit this gorgeous garden. So much inspiration and love the colours and plants. You will be pleased to have the plants you took back home to remind you of your visit and this incredible gardener and still doing it at that wonderful age.
Have a great week
hugs
Carolyn
What gorgeous photos - how I would love to walk through that garden but alas, I'm on the other side of the world practically. It certainly is lovely.
ReplyDeleteWhich plants you have baught? My favorit book is dear friend and gardener, a wonderful book. I love her garden so much, because it is so different from others and without any decoration.
ReplyDeleteSigrun
We bought an unusual oregano and stachys primrose heron. I have always enjoying seeing images and reading about her garden on your blog. Sarah x
DeleteFantastic stuff. What amazing colours for October! Our garden is definitely heading towards sleep time now. Hope all's well with you all. Lots of love xx
ReplyDeleteDearest Sarah, it's always a pleasure to step back to EDEN with you. What a lovely post to wake up to.
ReplyDeleteWow, very nice autumn garden-photos!
ReplyDeleteRegards
Edith from Germany
You've taken some amazing photos of what must be a fabulous garden, Sarah. I've never been, having missed the visit that was organised in my college days, but it's on my bucket list and I love her books. The gravel garden is the most read as I have the 'drought' border to deal with - inspiring stuff! Lovely to have a couple of plants to remember your visit by - I try to find room for a plant or two when I visit a garden. x
ReplyDeleteThe gravel garden was amazing it was the one part I wanted to see above all the others. The photos there weren't as colourful as the rest of the garden. The planting contained many varieties of common plants that weren't familiar to me. Sarah x
DeleteSome people find little labels distracting but I'm the opposite, I like to know what I'm looking at, possibly so that I can find it in the nursery afterwards! I can imagine that the gravel garden comes into its own in the summer months. I really must plan a trip out there! Caro x
DeleteI have been a Beth Chatto fan for a long time and hope to someday go there. I'm going to order the book of letters with Christopher Lloyd. You might enjoy another book of two gardeners' letters: "A Year in Our Gardens" by Nancy Goodwin and Allen Lacy. It is utterly charming and lovely. Nancy lives near me, is about 90 and Allen just died last year and lived up near New York. What fine people.
ReplyDeleteThose asters are stunning and make me so happy I finally planted some last year and this year they are gorgeous!
Thank you for those recommendations I will have to search them out. Sarah x
DeleteBeth Chatto's garden is one that is always lovely throughout most of the year. Love the drifts of soft colours in photo No.10.
ReplyDeleteDid you venture there just for the day? it must have been a long, long journey.
No we visited the garden on the way back from a week's break in Suffolk. The distance had always stopped us visiting before. Sarah x
DeleteI would love to visit Beth Chatto's garden .. So thanks for the tour until we can make it there! When I heard her simple message "right plant right place" .. I realised that was almost always the problem in our garden with plants that weren't flourishing. I saw her on Gardener's World ... She is in her 90s now... Lovely as ever.
ReplyDeleteBeth Chatto is my all time favourite gardener. She is an artist and her garden is all about plants - nothing else - no pretentions or gimmicks. After my first visit I wrote to tell her so and got an unexpected, and charming, hand written reply. Wasn't that lovely? I have all her books. So glad you really enjoyed it too Sarah.
ReplyDeleteThe combinations of color and texture are just stunning. That is my kind of a garden. And your photos do it justice. I am new to perennial gardening and don't know Beth Chatto. Looks like she is about to become a favorite of mine.
ReplyDeleteIt sort of drips with colour.
ReplyDeleteWhat an incredible garden! I don't know Beth Chatto, so I will look her up.
ReplyDeleteA feast for the eyes! Love all the colors and shapes of these plants. It must be a great experience to walk through this garden.
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