Cottage Garden shades

The rich colours of early summer

Summer is in full effect here at Bowhay House and even by the time I have made first coffee, the light is a bit strong for subtle plant photography. So, it’s up with the lark (and house martins in the case of our place) and out with the camera at VERY early light. It’s always worth it though… Here are some of this morning’s show-offs; My favourite Allium (at the moment) atropurpureum, Astrantia ‘Roma’ (a gift from the excellent Old Court Nurseries in Malvern), Lupins that appeared from nowehere in the garden, and a rather amazing Geranium, (Geranium × magnificum I think?)… It gets very big and flops a bit, but flowers like mad!

I love how the garden changes so quickly at this time of year, and I’m hoping that with the ‘successional planting’ I will have much more to shoot as the month goes on. Hollyhocks are looking like they will be big this year, The roses look like they will be fab (plenty of feed during the spring) and there are plenty of lots of perennials to come (Asters, Helenium, Rudbeckia for example).

I have seen an advanced copy of my book, ‘A New Cottage Garden’ and it looks lovely (thanks to Pimpernel Press)… advance orders are being taken by Amazon (link to the book here)and it will appear in bookshops in early august. And Country Living are doing 4 seasonal extracts over the next year so I am very grateful to them.

Garden Photography april 2024

Bowhay House, Devon.

I am pleased to see my little cottage garden in Devon published this month by The English Garden magazine. I was less pleased to notice that the current issue (May 2024) is number 332… which, if, as I assume is correct, they have had one a month, it means that its now virtually 28 years old. I clearly remember by friend and collaborator, Vanessa Berridge, asking me to go and shoot three or four gardens for the first issues! blimey that’s scary and has set me back a bit ;-). Bowhay House is the subject of a book, ‘A New Cottage Garden’ due to be published in august by the wonderful Pimpernel Press… I wrote and photographed it and it was a real labour of love. Please do take a look when it comes out, or it’s available for pre order here…

Anyway, thanks to them for including my garden, and another I shoot at a garden called Daglingworth House (see below), which is a wonderful Cotswold confection, with pergolas, formal pond, boxing hares and a grotto… truly worth a visit!

I have been out and about this month (at last I managed to find a sunny day or two!), and had a nice morning recently at East Lambrook Manor, and then yesterday I revisited a garden I haven’t been to for MANY years… Marwood Hill in Devon. What a lovely place. So quiet, a valley that was reverberating to the sound of chaffinches, willow warblers and chiffchaffs. The mist was rising from the lakes when I was there and a statue of Dr Jimmy Smart, which is placed perfectly at the head of the valley, was a perfect focal point for this early morning image…

Spring Garden Photography

Whisper it, but spring is around the corner and I am all togged up, camera in hand, waiting for the rain here in Devon to stop. Last year was the same, but I got out there eventually and managed a few nice shoots, two of which are out this month in The English Garden and Country Living magazines… Glorious Mothecombe gardens near me, and Lamorran house, just down the road in Cornwall. Many thanks to them for letting me in…PLEASE let me in again. SOON!

Autumn Garden Photography at Dartington Hall

Dartington Hall, near to where I live in Devon, is a 14th century great hall with elaborate gardens. It’s well-known for its dedication to the arts, education, and sustainability, and hosts festivals, concerts, and exhibitions. In the autumn mists, with all the muted colours and magnificent specimen trees, it’s a beautiful garden to photograph, packed with seasonal interest and atmospheric vignettes. I took my trusty Billingham bag, packed with a Fuji X-T4 with various lenses and had a lovely morning wandering along the paths and terraces.

There’s even a Henry Moore sculpture amongst the trees…

Spring greens

Out in to the woods this morning… Wood Anemone, Greater Stitchwort, Wild Garlic and Wood Rush… feels lovely, and a break from the relentless bad news! nature can really heal…