Will Giles

I was very sad to see how Will Giles died on 2nd September. Will was very much an exotic garden extraordinaire and it was his book that has probably inspired me the most on my current exotic gardening course. 

I came across his book when I first started to develop my first garden. Before then I had already been inspired by exotica (I had my first tree fern and hardy banana) but I didn't really know what was possible. His book Exotic Plants for Temperate Climes was (and still is) very inspiring and for a long time was my well thumbed bedtime reading. Together with Christopher Llloyd they have been my favourite gardeners.

Sadly I never met him, but we were lucky to be able to visit his garden in 2011. It was amazing to see and really helped show what was possible.

2015 NGS Garden opening: DONE! pictures of things at their best

 We are done! and exhausted! thank you to everyone who came and HUGE thank you to everyone who helped out In total we had 203 visitors and made over £1500 for charity!

This was our fifth year of opening, and in total we have had 1033 visitors and made over £5790 for the NGS! HURRAH!

 

Thank you!

1 day to go! 1 warm welcome awaits.....

The garden opens tomorrow! hurrah! eh by gum, blimey! COME!

We promise you a warm welcome, and hopefully a garden that surprises and inspired you.

Also on the theme of 1 there is:

1 garden looking at its very best
1 soon to be very stressed out cake baker in our kitchen
1 pair of anxious hosts wondering how many people are coming tomorrow!
1 pair of parents whom are probably exhausted from their last bits of soil turning and tidying
1 sunny day forecasted!
1 honey sale waiting to happen full of the very best honey you will taste!
1 great plant sale with lots of plants (special thanks for Jean for also bringing along her surplus)
1 jam and preserves sale in aid of the Grove Park Tree bases association (who dig out, plant up and look after plants around the bases of our street trees)
1 surprised look on new visitors faces as usually this garden isn't quite what they expect
1 fabulous team of people who are helping run the tea stall (thank you Laurence, Tony, Wendy)
1 large amount of money we hope you will help us to raise for charity
1 happy look when people are full of cake and have had a great day visiting


Full details at http://alternative-planting.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/visit-our-camberwell-exotic-jungle.html

3 experts

We are very lucky to be able to have many fabulous friends who volunteer to help us make our open day happen. From Sue who is a marvellous garden slave, to Wendy who has washed hundreds of cups a big thank you must be made!

On the day you are lucky to be able to call on 3 experts for advice!

Leslie: has helped before and is super clever. He is a volunteer tour guide at Kew, knows lots of things about plants and can tell you a story or two about a Paulownia. Lesley is volunteering on the day to answer any questions about the plants

Leslie taking a well earned break!

Sam: this is Sams first time helping out (at a moment of weakness he let his guard down and said yes to helping!) Sam is also ex-Kew and currently a gardener at the Royal College of Physicians...a great (free) garden that you can visit! Sam is looking after the plant sale

Me..apparently I am also an expert! I have always been into plants and completed my degree in Botany and always happy to chat about plants.

Come meet us to talk plants and gardens!

3 days to go! Open this Sunday 2-5:30pm full details at http://www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/find-a-garden/garden.aspx?id=22791

The big 4

4 days to go, and the 4 big reasons to come!

Beginia luxurians

1) A garden which we hope will surprise and inspire you

2) Plants to buy: Ive been busy potting up lots of different things, come early if you want the full choice!

3) Tea and cake

4) Taste and buy my local honey made from Camberwell and Peckham flowers!

Come! have a trip to Camberwell! see the sights! being neighbours, friends, relatives, anyone with money!