The first brave soul to volunteer a picture of their garden for your appraisal is Reg Wickings of Sydenham, South London. He writes:
I have a small garden, divided into two areas. I am interested in the Mediterranean and Japanese style of gardening and the gardens reflect these interests. I also a Buddhist and the garden has busts and statues of the Buddha and wood carvings from Buddhist temples.
He sent a panoramic shot of his garden, which I've had to crop somewhat, but I hope it'll give you a flavour. But what do you think of Reg's efforts? (Do bear in mind this is a domestic garden, not a big place with a team of gardeners...) Just add your thoughts below: please start with a "hot" or a "not" so I
can tally the votes.
HPON? Number six, a container of plants on display at Garden Organic Ryton, gardenered six "hots" and nine "nots".
While I'm about it, I must say how encouraging it's been to see you embrace HPON. We've had many illustrious commenters, from the indomitable garden critic Anne Wareham of Thinking Gardens to the Scarlet Pimpernel of the garden blogging world, The Garden Monkey and all points in between. Keep up the good work!
HOT
Posted by: Chris Knight | October 12, 2009 at 10:48 PM
hot - lush and mysterious.
Posted by: Jane in Edmonton | October 13, 2009 at 05:16 AM
HOT - I like it, it has character :)
Posted by: Emma | October 13, 2009 at 06:08 AM
Hot: Love it! Looks very zen and secret. Lookforward to any other brave souls who send in pics of their plots. Lovin' the HPON
Posted by: Bartango007 | October 13, 2009 at 09:38 AM
Absolutely hot! It feels like a location in the far east!
Posted by: Ed | October 13, 2009 at 01:19 PM
Hot, a lovely garden that reflects the personality of its gardener, always of the good in my book.
Posted by: Yolanda Elizabet | October 13, 2009 at 04:19 PM
Hot. Nice lush planting and I think the ornamentation has given it a stamp of his own life and personality.
Posted by: Arabella Sock | October 13, 2009 at 04:36 PM
Hot; definitely hot. Love it.
Posted by: Woody Wilbury | October 13, 2009 at 09:03 PM
hot... super blending
Posted by: Helen | October 13, 2009 at 09:43 PM
Hot - it's lush and mysterious
Posted by: VP | October 13, 2009 at 10:35 PM
Sort of hot, i think. i do love the lushness of the planting, but there is a teensy bit too much going on in there for me. Personally i would prefer a mere whiff of the east, rather than quite so much 'stuff'. But that's just me. And it's not my garden.
Good on Reg for putting himself forward though x
Posted by: Lia Leendertz | October 14, 2009 at 04:22 PM
Hot - would like to be there right now...
Posted by: Anna Bee | October 14, 2009 at 10:08 PM
hot, though a little less clutter would be better
Posted by: Gwenhwyfar | October 15, 2009 at 09:54 PM
Hot. Love it.
Posted by: Deb@carrotsandkids | October 16, 2009 at 05:32 PM
Hot - like the planting but not so keen on the things!
Posted by: Liz | October 20, 2009 at 12:05 PM
hot planting, but scared by the windchimes...
Posted by: Isabel@fennelandfern | October 20, 2009 at 10:59 PM
Not.
We've seen far too many Buddhas, random pots and windchimes. Both Mediterranean and Japanese deserve more respect for their traditions than this kind of parody. Some welcome restraint in the plantings but isn't it time we developed our own, 21st century European style,instead of ripping everyone else off and embarrassing them?
We haven't moved on since the Japanese ambassador confronted by a British 'Japanese garden politely offered 'We have nothing like it in Japan'.
Posted by: Anne Wareham | October 20, 2009 at 11:27 PM
Interesting responses: Thank you all: Just a point about the Buddha ,It is not there to represent any gardening "style" ,there is a separate and very small Japanese "style" garden to the side of the house and oh dear it has a lantern ,rocks and lots of Bamboo. The Buddha represents nothing but my own religious beliefs and as such is an object of veneration and not it is often used an object of interior or exterior decoration . Oh and wind chimes "scary" get a life, you'll be complaining about garden gnomes next !!
Reg
Posted by: Reg Wickings | October 24, 2009 at 12:30 PM