Horticultural

Hot Plot or not? Number 10 - The Christmas special, aka Wreath Idol

After having a field day with other people's gardens, I thought it was time to target the horticultural critiques a little closer to home.

Given that my garden is under a blanket of snow right now, and is, anyway, nothing I'd proudly display, I thought I'd go a little off piste (fnar) with this entry for Hot Plot or Not.

Above you can see displayed my efforts at a door wreath for Christmas. Now, rather unfairly I'd like to take a few words to explain myself - I know I don't offer this to the others who put themselves forward for HPON, but hell, it's my baby and I'll do as I please. So anyway, yes - this was made entirely from stuff either from the garden, the play area at the park or a nearby country park. I only cut the ivy where it was in huge abundance so as not to inconvenience the local wildlife, and everything will go on the compost heap once the festivities are over.

My partner's reaction was that it isn't very, er, jolly. My argument is that this is a Christmas wreath for our times - restrained, muted and, above all, cheap - it cost 50p to make which was the price of the metal frame at my local flrist. Call it "credit crunch chic" if you will. Oh, and more practically, I couldn't find any holly, ok?

Thanks to everyone who commented on HPON 9: Anne Wareham's "veg plot" pic garnered 22 "hots" and seven "nots" - a very respectable margin. The random winner of the comment prize was Woody Wilbury, so something garden-related will be winging its way to him in the new year. There's another prize available for a random commenter on this post, so don't be shy - have your say on my wreath below. Just remember to start with "HOT" or "NOT" and write a few words to justify your judgment.

Hot plot or not? Number 9

Anne Wareham is the second brave victim with the guts to expose her garden to the sharp eyes of Horticultural readers. The picture (copyright Anne) is the vegetable plot at her Welsh garden, Veddw. As someone who has argued that gardens should face criticism rather than platitudes of "loveliness", ) is prepared to put her money where her mouth is. Good for you Anne! And what a mouth - Anne was recently awarded the prestigious title of Mouth of the Year in Martyn Cox's OMG awards.

Just add your thoughts below: please start your comment with a "hot" or a "not" so I can tally the votes. If you think you can outdo Anne, do send me a picture of your garden if you want to be subject to the scrutiny of the HPON judges (by which I mean, you readers). Regulars may wish to know that HPON 8 garnered nine "nots" and seven "hots" plus a few lukewarms, which I'm not counting, because it's all about making a judgment call, people! I was a little bit miffed about this because the front garden in question is one of my favourites in the vicinity of my house. I think it's partly down to the time of year, because trust me it looks fantastic in June. What lets it down for me is the fusty nets in the windows, not the plants.

Anyway, let's see what you make of Anne's garden. As an incentive to add your comment I'll be awarding a randomly selected person from each HPON comments list to receive a gardening titbit of some sort (probably a book), so record your vote now!

Hot plot or not? Number 8

Whatever you make of the garden, this house is one to go a little green at the gills over: lovely location right right near the park and the river, big Victorian pad, bet it's lovely inside. Does the front garden do it justice though? Just add your thoughts below: please start your comment with a "hot" or a "not" so I can tally the votes.

Do send me a picture of your garden if you want to be subject to the scrutiny of the HPON judges (by which I mean, you readers). Reg Wickings did, and his garden, which was HPON number 7, got a resounding 15 "hots" to one "not".

Hot plot or not? Number 7

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 p(l)ot or not? Number 6

Ok, this one's a pot rather than a plot, but hey, I make the rules, right?

I spotted this container at Garden Organic at Ryton, near Coventry at the weekend. It's certainly got volume, but what do you make of the planting mix? I didn't manage to catch much of the pot itself, but as I recall it was a fairly plain terracotta or stone job.

Just add your thoughts below: please start with a "hot" or a "not" so I can tally the votes.

HPON? Number five, at Kingston Maurward in Dorset, was the first plot to get the thumbs up from you discerning readers, with 13 "hots" and a couple of "tepids" from those awkward beggars among you.

If you want to look back at all the previous HPONs, go here.

On a slightly different note: the apple and pumpkin day at Ryton (which I mentioned in my piece for Weekend last Saturday on gardens to visit for autumn highlights) was great fun, albeit cut short due to an increasingly poorly child (who was nonetheless mesmerised by the Coventry-based Morris group Elephant Up a Pole, who were performing that day).

Anyone aware of my previous rants about lack of refreshments in gardens will be relieved to hear that Garden Organic has a wonderful organic restaurant plus a good cafe. We didn't get much time to see the gardens, but I did ogle and consequently desire an amazing giant Chinese quince (Chaenomeles cathayensis - see below): imagine the jelly you'd get from that fella!

 

Hot plot or not? Number 5

Sheesh, you guys are an ornery lot. The outcome for the begonia-ridden front garden seen in HPON number four was six "hots" to 9 "nots". So far none of the plots has been given a collective thumbs up by Horticultural readers. Let's see what happens for this garden, which is at Kingston Maurward in Dorset.

Just add your thoughts below: please start with a "hot" or a "not" so I can tally the votes. If you want to look back at all the previous HPONs, go here.

Hot Plot or Not? Number 4

I saw this garden last week and thought of you, readers. I'd love to know what you make of it, and that's why it's Hot Plot or Not? Number 4. If you're new to the concept, it's simple: I show you a picture of a garden, and you judge it "hot or not".

Just add your thoughts below: please start with a "hot" or a "not" so I can tally the votes.

For those regulars among you, you may be interested to know that Hot Plot or Not No. 3 garnered 11.5 "nots" and 3.5 "hots" for what New Shoot reminded me was Minterne Gardens in Dorset. Funnily enough I remember liking the white hydrangeas but didn't even notice the bird bath: that may have been while I was raging about the lack of tea room, though ... If you want to look back at all four HPONs, click here.

Hot plot or not? Number 3

And so I arrive majestically, and yet slightly out of breath (my usual mode of arrival), at the third entry in the soon-to-be legendary Horticultural blog feature known as Hot plot or not? The embonpoint front garden of Hot plot or not 2 split opinion, but the "Nots" won out with eight votes to four in the end.

If you're new to the concept, it's simple: I show you a picture of a garden, and you judge it "hot or not". This is a garden in Dorset I visited last summer. Sadly I can't remember the name of it, although I do recall it was close to Cerne Abbas, and that I was disproportionately outraged by the lack of a tearoom at the garden. Perhaps one of you will be able to jog my memory about its name.

Just add your thoughts below: please start with a "hot" or a "not" so I can tally the votes.

Hot plot or not? Number 2

 
So here's the second chance for you to praise, slag off or pontificate about someone else's garden. In case you're new to this fandango, it's simple: I show you a picture of a garden, and you judge it "hot or not". This particular garden's around the corner from where I live, and for some reason it always catches my attention, so I thought I'd see what you make of it.

Just add your thoughts below: please start with a "hot" or a "not" so I can tally the votes with ease. You can be a Simon Cowell or a Cheryl Cole-style judge, but please don't sit on the fence. You rated the first Hot plot or not?, a scene from Butchart gardens on Vancouver Island, a resounding "not", with just two "hot" votes disagreeing. Let's see if this front garden fares any better.

Oh, and if you dare, you can submit a picture of your own garden for judging by the masses by emailing me with details of who you are and where you are, and a pic of the plot to be judged.

Hot plot or not? No. 1

Things have got a lot more inventive since I started blogging about gardening back in 2004. Back then a post about my new bronze trowel seemed just about exciting enough for anyone. But now there’s Emma Cooper podcasting up a storm over  at the Alternative Kitchen Garden, Emma Townshend’s Emsworth Online Show,  Arabella Sock’s celebrity flights of fancy and the inimitable James Alexander-Sinclair being generally very posh, erudite and lovely.

So I thought I’d add something new to Horticultural to keep up with the times: Hot plot or not? The idea’s really simple – I show you a picture of a garden and you get the chance to say if you think it’s any cop. (It’s a riff on the whole “Am I hot or not?” internet phenomenon, in case you were wondering).

Both catty comments and constructive criticism are allowed, but nothing too nasty please: I will be moderating comments. Some of the gardens will be ones I’ve visited, like the one below, others will be ones I spot on my perambulations, but you can also submit a picture of your own garden - if you dare - for judging by the masses by emailing me. And naturally I’ll also be providing pictures of my own garden (once it's revamped)  for you to tear apart at some point.

And so without further ado here’s the first garden. I won't tell you its name other than to say it's in Canada, so extra brownie points if you can identify it. But most importantly, what do you think? I'll save my thoughts until the vote talcountly, to avoid influencing your decision. Oh, and please begin your comment with the word “hot” or “not” so I can tally the votes.