My Garden

It's official, it doesn't matter who you are or how much you know about gardening, there's bound to be something to inspire you at this year's Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. As head of Horticultural Advice at the RHS you'd think there wasn't much that would impress Guy Barter... Read more..

I was born and grew up in Siena where my family still live. I came to England 15 years ago to study garden design and I have been designing gardens for the last 12 years. Last year I was offered the opportunity by Champagne Laurent-Perrier to design their garden for the Chelsea Flower Show in 2009... Read more..

I think we are pretty much in control of everything and I am travelling to Verona in Italy next week to check on the production of the stone. I’m using an unfilled Travertine which is a calcareous stone, and for those who are not familiar with this type of stone, it’s a stone with a beautiful character... Read more..

It seemed like a good idea at the time … a phrase I find myself using with increasing regularity since taking on the task of designing three show gardens for Quilted Velvet. Chelsea alone would be a challenge but to take on Hampton Court and Tatton Park is bordering on the insane. That said, after exhibiting... Read more..

I'm Bob Sweet, and this is my first blog. As Head of Shows Development at the RHS, it's my job to make sure my team fills the RHS shows with fabulous gardens and nurseries. It can be a tough job at times, with many long days walking round fields, but when the shows are open and the visitors are... Read more..

This week I paid a visit to Crocus, with Catherine MacDonald - my project manager for the Chelsea garden, to inpsect the Carpinus Boxhead trees and hedging plants, and to take a look at the growth of the perennials plants I’ve selected. The trees were set out in a lines reminiscent of their arrangement... Read more..

If you see humanity as a broad spectrum, with malevolent monsters (can’t think of any off hand!) at one extreme and saint like figures at the other, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and Sir Bob spring to mind, then what we deal with every day are the many shades of grey in between. You don’t expect to be... Read more..

Next week I will be travelling back to Verona. The Travertine blocks, for the water features, have been cut and I will be choosing their best face into which the bronze outlets will be cut. Also the brown sandstone pieces for the interior of the water features are currently in production so I will get... Read more..

Myself and one or two colleagues were mooching around the Royal Hospital recently admiring the smart, new black tarmac just laid around the Ranelagh Gardens, until we were struck by the challenge of retaining the smart, new look until the show opens on 19 May. Suffice to say, the new black paint is already... Read more..

Myself and one or two colleagues were mooching around the Royal Hospital recently admiring the smart, new black tarmac just laid around the Ranelagh Gardens, until we were struck by the challenge of retaining the smart, new look until the show opens on 19 May. Suffice to say, the new black paint is already... Read more..