All Things Considered

Mary Delany – ‘Paper Mosaicks’
Posted by Angie Lewin

It wasn’t until Mary Delany was in her 70s that she first picked up a pair of scissors and began cutting intricate shapes from coloured tissue papers which she mounted strikingly onto dense black backgrounds. The hundreds of collages which she created are the most beautifully coloured and botanically accurate plant portraits. Her ‘paper mosaiks’ are the highlight of an exhibition at Sir John Soane’s Museum (which is an inspiring place to visit in itself).

Opens 19th February 2010 and runs until 10th May 2010. Tuesday-Sat from 10am - 5pm. Admission free

Sir John Soane's Museum, 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3BP.Website: www.soane.org

Posted by Angie Lewin on February 6th, 2010

Jerusalem artichokes
Posted by Kate Sullivan

Knobbly, crunchy, nutty and unsociable when eaten (which winter vegetable isn't?).

To me, Jerusalem artichokes (a plant related to the sunflower) are a delicious but often over looked vegetable. Having a similar taste to the spiky summer fruiting globe artichoke but without the arduous preparation (especially when preserving).

The winter choke is fabulous eaten raw with a remoulade salad, comforting when pureed to a soup and topped with scallops or my favourite - sliced then baked in a dish with cream, thyme, garlic, pancetta and parmesan.

Posted by Kate Sullivan on December 20th, 2009

The High Line
Posted by Angie Lewin

Built in the 1930s, the High Line was an elevated railway cutting through New York's Meatpacking and West Chelsea districts. Since the last train ran in 1980 nature has taken over - wild flower seeds have blown in, grasses and trees have naturalised. Friends of the High Line was founded to save it from demolition and a design team working with Piet Oudolf as consultant are transforming the space into a public park high above the streets of Manhattan. Oudolf's bold drifts of herbaceous perennials and grasses will echo the way that nature has reclaimed the disused tracks. More about the High Line.

Posted by Angie Lewin on November 25th, 2009

Itteringham Gardens Open Day
Posted by Simon Lewin

Just a quick post to let you know that on this Sunday (June 7th) a number of gardens in Itteringham will be open to the public between 12-5pm.

We'll be open at the gallery for the most of the afternoon. Should be a great opportunity to take a stroll around the village and view some of the gardens at their best.

Posted by Simon Lewin on June 5th, 2009

Wolterton Hall
Posted by Kate Sullivan

Just a few minutes up the road from our St. Jude's Gallery in Itteringham is Wolterton Hall. A beautiful estate built by Thomas Ripley in the 1720s for Horatio Walpole: politician, diplomat  and younger brother to Britain's first Prime Minister - Sir Robert Walpole.

Last Sunday, Wolterton Hall's walled kitchen garden opened its gates to the public as part of their annual Organic Garden Event. I hadn't visited before and didn't know what to expect but the day was thoroughly enjoyable and insightful for anyone - green fingered or not.

We stumbled across David Barker, the organic farmer at Wolterton talking about the importance of soil, its quality and how we must 'feed' it. He also showed us just how much soil is on our planet using an apple to represent Earth. I found this clip on You Tube which explains what David demonstrated to us. Fascinating stuff.

 

Posted by Kate Sullivan on May 21st, 2009

Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’
Posted by Angie Lewin

When we moved to a red-brick Norfolk cottage it seemed that roses round the door were corny but inevitable - giving me the opportunity I’d been waiting for to plant Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’. In no time at all it has obligingly grown up and curved over our front door. With its clusters of small pale yellow flowers it really looks stunning. Despite its delicate flowers and leaves, it’ll compete with our wisteria which has sadly failed to come up with the goods this year - producing not a single flower (quite an achievement) - though maybe I should study the pruning regulations a bit more closely in future?

Posted by Angie Lewin on May 6th, 2009

Witch Hazel
Posted by Angie Lewin

On the way across the garden to my studio each day I pass our witch hazel which is in flower at the moment. I love its papery twisted petals that form the spidery yellow flowers dotted along its bare winter branches Set off by the black weather-boarded shed it is eye catching. There are lots of cultivars - ours is ‘Pallida’ (Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’ Witch Hazel) which has a beautiful scent -  even though I suppose it might bring back memories, for those of us old enough, of witch hazel being dabbed by a burly dinner lady onto any minor playground scrape or graze.

Posted by Angie Lewin on January 28th, 2009

Allotment Gardens
Posted by Kate Sullivan

Allotments have a magical lure. As I drive about Norfolk, I always slow down and stare at my favourite communal gardens where the tenants grow a wonderful array of seasonal fruit, vegetables and flowers. It's the rambling sheds that also grab my attention, quiet hideaways to ponder and cultivate.

Community gardens have been around since the 18th century and were set up as a place for factory workers who had been forced off the land, to still grow fresh produce. In the 1960's, food became cheaper and allotments became less favourable, offering local authorities the chance to sell off the land for development.

The popularity of 'growing your own' has really taken off in recent years, coinciding with our ecological stance on the food we consume and the effect food miles have on the environment. Having an allotment has so many advantages, it brings together a
cultural mix of communities who share tips on recycling, improvising, organic methods as well as it being a garden space many don't have. It's the sense of pride, wonder and achievement of planting a tiny seed, watering it and watching it grow to then eating it that never fails to disappoint even the most dismissive green fingered people amongst us.

This coming Monday sees the start of National Allotment Week which is aimed to promote the awareness and availability of allotments both locally and nationally. Many allotments are being earmarked for development as is Manor Gardens in the London district of Hackney Wick. This much loved  plot is being bulldozed for the Olympic games at the end next month despite fierce campaigning to stop it happening. Check out Jane Perrone's blog and her allotment predicament.

Posted by Kate Sullivan on August 9th, 2007

Iris
Posted by Angie Lewin

Both in my work and in my garden, I find myself drawn to austere plants with structural seedheeds and understated shades. But there are certain plants whose opulent colours and exuberant flowers are irresistible. Paeonies are one example. Bearded irises another. From 24th May to 10th June the iris fields at Woottens are again open to the public.

Walk between the rows of flowering plants, stretching into the distance, shading from pale ointment pink to chocolate brown and the deepest darkest purple black.

You can't resist stroking the velvety petals of  'Dutch Chocolate', 'Interpol' and 'Oregon Skies', just three of the countless varieties. Due to the warm weather the irises are flowering early so visit sooner rather than later to see them at their best. You can order your favourites whilst you’re there.

Photos of the irises and details of opening times can be found on the  website www.woottensplants.co.uk. The painting displayed here is by Sir Cedric Morris.

Posted by Angie Lewin on May 25th, 2007

Spread a little happiness
Posted by Angie Lewin

An article in the Observer recently featured an altruistic gardening technique that could change our urban and rural environment for the better (if global warming allows).

Richard Reynolds, living in that well-known haven of horticulture - South London's Elephant and Castle - decided to realise the potential of municipal flowerbeds. Instead of litter they could be filled with lavenders and tulips. Seeds of native wild flowers could be scattered secretly onto grass verges, neglected sites stealthily planted up under cover of darkness.

The Guerrilla Gardening (a term coined over thirty years ago by New York's Green Guerrillas) website catalogues the before and after of many of these transformations - with tips on how you might embark on your own mission and links to various worldwide projects.

Reading about this illicit cultivation brought to mind train travellers from the days when train windows could still be opened - 'accidental' guerrilla gardeners who would throw apples cores or plum stones onto the railway embankments, sometimes germinating to create a welcome break from the endless banks of rosebay willow herb and brambles.

For useful tips and to see what' guerrilla gardeners have planted from Leeds to Milan go to:

www.guerrillagardening.org

Posted by Angie Lewin on April 18th, 2007