Phantom Favourite Front Gardens (8)
Labels: Free Greenwich, gardens, Green Greenwich, topiary
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Labels: Free Greenwich, gardens, Green Greenwich, topiary



Labels: Deer, Green Greenwich, Kids' stuff, Mostly-Accurate History, Royal Greenwich
Benedict also points out a rather fab example in Hyde Vale...
...and this splendid fellow in Park Vista:
More will be added as I find 'em, then I'll arrange them into a walk for wispy wisteria womantics... Suggestions welcomed. And don't restrict yourselves here, folks. I'm no Wisteria fascist. I'll take anything interesting - laburnum, clematis - whatever - if it's lovely, wheel it in...
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Trinity Grove, SE10
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Right. Onto flowers. Some tulips, perhaps, to remind us of the Tulip Staircase at The Queen's House? Or daffodils, for the yellow carpets of them that grow in stiff rows outside the house in spring? My faves are the ones that grow up the hill leading to the Observatory, though I'm also rather fond of the handful of naturalised crocuses that spatter the grass near the Pepys Centre.
Bela Court was originally part of Duke Humphrey's masculine stronghold, but it was made all pretty and girly by Margeurite of Anjou who decorated everything from stained glass windows to tiles with daisies (her flower) and planted bowers of various blooms. She begrudgingly included a few hawthorn buds for her estranged husband.
Henry VIII liked masques. On one occasion, he used a dancefloor which had a cloth lain on it embroidered with gold lilies. Other popular medieval/ Tudor flowers you could consider are gillyflowers, or "Sops-in-wine," used to flavour drinks with their clove-like perfume. They're better known to us as carnations. There exists a charming painting of Elizabeth Woodville surrounded by gillyflowers and the ubiquitous roses.
On the subject of roses - you could always go to Rangers House for inspiration:
or get a variety with a good name. Rosa Christopher Marlowe might be a nice choice if you're more over the Deptford side.
Georgian Greenwich is a bit more difficult. Rococo in small gardens has to be done with care or it starts to look cheap, however much cash you lay out. In the meanwhile, take a peek at the back of the Fan Museum for a very English take on the Oriental style which was also popular. I love the detail which isn't always obvious at first. There's an even more impressive one at the Pagoda in Blackheath which opens for charity occasionally. But by then, it was nudging into the Regency, and everything had softened a bit so you can get away with a lots of flowers too.
If your place is Victorian (and odds-on in Greenwich it will be) you can have great fun. They went absolutely berserk. The fabulous formal beds at the top of Greenwich Park are almost certainly toned-down for the modern eye - nineteenth century fashions were definitely on the gaudy side. They loved bright, acidic colours which to us are frankly a bit much. Bedding's a bit outre these days, but done well it can still be a great look expecially in front gardens which can get neglected. I'm sure the wheelbarrow of fortune will turn soon and formal beds will be back. If you fancied, you could have a fernery, or shrubbery, like the path up the west side of Greenwich Park, or even have a nice greenhouse like Colonel North's Winter Gardens at Eltham.
When it comes down to it, virtually everywhere you go in Greenwich you can be inspired by wonderful greenery. Keep an eye out and visit widely on Open Gardens Days. When you've done your Greenwich garden, do make sure you open it for charity on an occasional basis too, like this one I visited at the top of Crooms Hill last year...
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