The curved bridge - my gardening icon

23 Jul '07 7:57 am

On Muddywellies' site http://www.winsfordwalledgarden.com I've started contributing a column. Besides the fact that his webpage makes for fascinating reading and looking, it is also an opportunity to get a more structured view of my garden as well as the other local gardens I still intend writing about.

My second article takes a closer look at the curved bridge and I've posted four seasonal pictures together which really give an idea of the varying moods of the reflection! This article is at http://www.winsfordwalledgarden.com/garden_world.aspx?Group=world_garden&Page=Ex_Afrika2 - but take a look at some of the fascinating things he has to say about developing his garden whilst you are there!

24 Jul '07 6:46 am

I just got back from the site with your articles. I enjoyed them very much. The structure of an article which must be complete unto itself is very different than what we have here on the forums. Of course I still enjoy the informality and spontaneity here but, as someone who found the Moosey site sometime after yourself, it has always felt as though I wasn't getting the whole picture. So it was very informative for me to read your articles. I found out more about the origins of the farm and gardens as well as the origin of your signature image, the bridge than I had been able to garner here. I strongly recommend it to everyone.

Here is another tip for readers at Moosey's. I almost missed this post because another post was made hours after this one in the same forum. Very often I just check the most recent posts which appear on the right hand margin on the main forums menu. However in so doing I did at first miss this posting by Jack. From now on when I see there is a new post by scanning the right hand column of the main forums menu I'll open not it but that forum as a whole. That way I'll be able to see any other recent postings that may have been covered up.

So what has it been like to have your garden open. It seems that you are off the 'beaten path' a bit so I wonder how people find out about you. Your open garden structure is different than what we have here where a garden is open for just one day, and I like your system better.

24 Jul '07 7:49 am

Thanks for the nice words. You describe the way I feel about what I'm writing at Winsford Walled Garden. The diary here is the immediacy and the interaction, but that is where I have the opportunity to theorise and philosophise about my garden. I hope I learn as much that way as I have learnt on this forum!

The opening to the public only happens in our spring, late September, when the whole mountain goes into festival mode for ten days. The azaleas and cherries are in bloom (especially on my neighbour's farm, whose aunt started it all back in the sixties. The retirement cottages in our village are known as the Garden Cottages because they were originally funded from her garden being opened and the local ladies serving tea and cakes in her garden!) I remember our first visit in the late 70s. We looked around (it was a magnificent year) and said "The woman's mad. Her whole farm has become a garden!" Today we are not far behind...

Ironically spring is my least favourite time. You asked about our climate on another post. It is not Mediterranian. Although we have some rain on the mountain in winter, SA has, except for a narrow strip a few miles deep around Cape Town, a summer rainfall climate. And sub-zero temps here in winter. My last diary post gives an idea what things look like by late winter. Onto which bleak scene bursts the most extravagent display of colour imaginable - BUT WITHOUT ANY GREEN. Quite frankly, I find it schizophrenic.

And it is into this that I will first be opening my garden... by October the many trees are in lush leaf and the old roses (My speciality around here) are coming into bloom. By November and December - if I can repeat last year's performance - more roses and the Rosemary Borders. By Feb the first hint of autumn and late-summer lushness: the time one is most aware of the bioMASS (being slashed away by frost and brush cutters at the moment and turned into huge compost heaps.) Then comes autumn, the season for which I have been planning these 25 years. Then the clarity of winter. And eventually the bleakness breaking into vivid bud.

24 Jul '07 10:38 pm

Possibly the greatest plus factors for the internet are the information which can be found and the sense of community it can bring. Moosey’s site is a much-loved birthday present that has expanded beyond even her own wildest dreams. It’s great attraction for me is that it comes from the heart. Her site reflects her friendly, chatty and open nature and her forums especially, are *THE* place where people can dip into other people’s lives for a brief moment.

But my site is different. I’m not suggesting I’m not friendly or chatty, simply different and my site reflects this. As you say yourself Mark, despite having read Jack’s delightful and entertaining posts here at Mooseys for several months now, it is only when you read Jack’s own page on my site that you got ‘the whole picture’.

Perhaps others would like to join Jack and Dixie and write in-depth articles about their own gardens and the gardens and gardeners they most admire in their area? My site is certainly open to offers.

The low-down on my own site
I created my first web site in the form of a garden diary back in 2000, Moosey’s diary format was never for me, but writing web pages about my DIY Victorian Greenhouse restoration was something I did enjoy. The internet and Google didn’t care a hoot about my miniscule budget. It still doesn’t to a great extent, and you can tap in ‘Victorian Greenhouse Restoration’ on your PC and after seven years STILL find my efforts on Google’s first page.

My site is brimful of my practical, time-spent, hard-earned gardening experiences. There are many, many big gardening sites on the net, but have you noticed just how many of them are run by web media businesses of one sort or another? Mooseys is the big exception and mine is different again.

Different sites for different sights.
I believe my site is unique. So far as I can tell, it is the ONLY WEB SITE in the world that forms a trilogy with its forums and a real garden. Where else in the world can browsers of the net find informative gardening pages on a web site, discuss topics with each other in various gardening forums. Yet, both web site and forums are part of a real garden that’s open daily to the public (and regularly for charity). The RHS you might sugges? Fair enough. But in the RHS you can not go to either the garden or the web site and speak with the garden designer/builder directly. At my site you can do this and even stay overnight inside the Garden Bed and Breakfast. It is also one of very few gardens that allows visitors inside the restored greenhouses and dogs on lead. THE RHS does not. Throughout their visit, whether to it’s to the gardens themselves or to my site or its forums, visitors will always discover interesting information – just like the whole page of Hanging Basket Tips suggested recently under Gerry’s ‘Two Tips’ post. Now try my Garden Visitor Comments Page and read what others have to say about my garden.
http://www.winsfordwalledgarden.com/content.aspx?Page=Visitor_comments

25 Jul '07 6:54 am

I agree with all of the above.Mooseys has an atmosphere like no-where else,with an intimacy of good friendships-people that truly understand life as well as gardens,and so many things to smile about-mostly from Moosey's inimitable lists,plans, and descriptions which we can truly identify with. Winsfords new forums are still in the early growing stage,but I can see it growing into a similar meeting point.What first attracted me was the details of the amazing transformation of Muddy Wellies'garden-the vision and tenacity to see it through,and the sharing of the technical expertise in his generous and matter-of-fact style.I covet his stone work and atmospheric walls. Also with Garden World,I have been able to write in more detail of gardens of my home region.I have enjoyed the details of how the curved bridge of Jack's came to be.The two sites are not in competition at all,but complement each other.
Dixie(Marion L)

25 Jul '07 7:09 pm

Well I just entered my info to access MW's site so I could take it for a spin. I've got to say it and Moosey's mostly seemed pretty similar to me. Muddy Wells and Jack have written stand-alone articles which give concise information on specific topics, but everything else seemed more conversational like here, but perhaps not as easy going. While I got a more complete picture of Jack's farm in his article at MW's, I think I've gotten a better sense of Jack the man here. Of course, that could just be because I've read so much more from Jack here than there. I look forward to reading more of Muddy Wells' articles in the future.

The curved bridge - my gardening icon

The curved bridge - my gardening icon

Nice work, Jack.

Thanks Mark!

Getting 'the whole picture'

I agree

A trip to Muddy Wells'