Inspired by Environments: Part Two
The Rose Gardens are part of the Regent's Park complex which also has some wonderful plantings along the paths winding through the manicured section of the park.
And near to where I stay in London a construction site has several Living Walls fencing off the site from the public. It has been a real delight watching these Living Walls grow and flourish into a most amazing array of plants.
And speaking of gardens growing in the most unlikely places... while in Ireland this year I explored a vegetable garden growing on the shores of Clonakilty Bay in County Cork. The garden was abundant with scrumptious looking (and tasting) vegetables as this garden belongs to the Dunmore House Hotel where I was staying so I was able to enjoy the garden products first hand!!
But back in London I must share two treasures I came across when on a walk near the Chelsea Barracks in Belgravia where the famous Chelsea Flower Show occurs each year.
I am a great admirer of the artist Dale Chihuly and have been privileged to see the amazing exhibition of his glass sculptures held at the Kew Gardens in 2019.
Here are the bookmark links to this exhibition.
Anne Newman
Anne Newman
This year I found a small display of Dale Chihuly glass sculptures placed strategically in a few streets near the Chelsea Barracks where they were part of the Chelsea Barracks art programme with the inaugural edition of ‘Modern Masters’, a free outdoor programme of contemporary art curated by public art and cultural placemaking agency New Public, in partnership with London Craft Week.1
You can read more about these Dale Chihuly sculptures by clicking on the bookmark link below.
And as if the Dale Chihuly sculptures weren't enough for the day... continuing on my walk I came across the gate to the Chelsea Physic Garden. Needing a toilet stop and a coffee I wandered in... and what a surprise I received!! This garden is a real little gem and a must if you are visiting London for more than a few days.
Who doesn't love glasshouses? So quaint on the outside and so fascinating inside. The Chelsea Physic Garden literally specialises in these...
The Chelsea Physic Garden was established as the Apothecaries' Garden in London, England, in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries to grow plants to be used as medicines. This four acre physic garden, the term here referring to the science of healing, is among the oldest botanical gardens in Britain, after the University of Oxford Botanic Garden. Its rock garden is the oldest in Europe devoted to alpine plants and Mediterranean plants. The garden has high brick walls which trap heat, giving it a warm micro-climate, and it claims the largest fruiting olive tree in Britain and the world's northernmost grapefruit growing outdoors. Jealously guarded during the tenure of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, the garden became a registered charity in 1983 and was opened to the general public for the first time.2
As you can see from the images, Chelsea Physic Garden is comprised of an amazing collection of garden rooms each with its own appeal and enhanced by a current exhibition in partnership with Everard Read London, of playful, larger than life bronze hare sculptures by renowned South African artist, Guy du Toit.
And as I was leaving I came across a wonderful memorial to past Gardeners and Head Gardeners who have helped build and maintain for centuries this national treasure.
Credit
1. chelseabarracks.com/journal/events/modern-masters-dale-chihuly
2.en.wikipedia.org