OVER THE YEARS I have visited many “estate gardens” in the United States and abroad. I have always been intrigued with the concept of a garden where the owner can act on any whim and proceed to collect, study, cultivate, hybridize or propagate whatever interests him or her, be it roses, tulips, orchids or apple trees. Usually these owners are well heeled, sometimes even deriving income from a royal allowance that can allow for the dimensions of their estates to be measured in acres, if not miles.
Some French estate gardens (think Versailles) are exceptionally symmetrical and manicured, with trees and shrubs trimmed and shaped to perfection. There are English floral gardens with elements designed to be viewed from the upper levels of a grand manor. Italian gardens may contain classical statuary and water features, as well as some topiary and charming paths. Spanish gardens can incorporate an assortment of components borrowed from Greco-Roman, Moorish or Persian designs, such as grottoes, scaled-down temples or carved stone columns, the latter sometimes purposely made to look ravaged by time.
Unsurprisingly, many of these formal gardens were designed specifically to impress visitors. Often they required legions of gardeners, helpers or even enslaved people to plant, grow, prune, sculpt and generally look after some very demanding specimens.
Around the World With Herbs
Looking beyond familiar mediterranean favorites, we can find flavor in the tropics
RIBWORT PLANTAIN
Before you call it a weed, consider its many talents
JARED BARNES - Propagating gardeners
JARED BARNES is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He also hosts The Plantastic Podcast and publishes a weekly e-newsletter called plant ed, both of which can be found at his website, https://www.meristemhorticulture.com. At home, he gardens with wife Karen and daughter Magnolia.
FILMS WITH FLOWERS
Relax with an uplifting garden-themed movie
TOTAL TOMATO GROWING GUIDE
Niki Jabbour's advice for making the most of this grow-at-home favorite
HANGDOG NO MORE
I'M A CURIOUS and impetuous guy. Good at thinking but terrible at remembering. And dammit if I'm not impatient.
LOOKING AHEAD
A colorful, fruitful summer follows winter's well-used days
NEW PLANTS
Pollinator Favorites
PLANTS from PIECES
ALL ABOUT PROPAGATION BY STEM, LEAF & ROOT CUTTINGS
FULL SUN FOLIAGE
IT'S A BIT MORE CHALLENGING THAN IN THE SHADE, BUT WE CAN FIND DELIGHTFUL LEAVES TO EMBELLISH SUNNY SPACES