Open Gardens

I love open gardens. Partly because I'm just a sticky beak, but mostly because I love gardens in general. Going to an open garden is like wandering around a nursery, looking at a myriad of different plants - except you get to see exactly how they're coping given their conditions. None of this 'read the tag and hope it tells you the truth' business. You can see how much sun or shade it's getting. You can ask the owners what their soil is like and how much water they give it. If you go to gardens in places that are similar to your own, you can come home with all sorts of ideas and inspiration on what to add to your garden (or sometimes what you are definitely not going to do!).

The lovely Kerkin Garden which I visited a few weeks ago (and came home with many a new treasure for my place!)

The only downside is you can't actually buy the plant to take it home, although sometimes the big open gardens have plant sales, and then it's a double bonus, you get garden design inspiration AND plants.

A lot of the time, the plants for sale at local open gardens aren't your stock standard nursery variety plants and they're often much cheaper. I've come home with many an old fashioned garden favourite you can't find in nurseries, or common plants that strike easily and are way overpriced in retail, and also a few rare uncommon treasures.

Another shot of Kerkin Garden.

But even if there aren't plants for sale, I still love visiting gardens. Whether it's an official 'open garden' event, or just a chance to take a quick tour of someone's garden who you might be (ahem) buying a plant from through marketplace, I always come away having enjoyed my time and perhaps with a new idea or two!