It struck me walking around Hopton Hall's Snowdrop walk today that of all the reality TV gardening shows, which 'expert' is really correct? I mean, there are rules for what plants thrive where, how to prepare soil etc - the basics, but what makes a good garden? Surely its in the eye of the beholder?

If there's something to please everyone, then is the owner missing out on all the pleasure?

My ideal garden design? - shady walks, warm sunlit lawns, large woods to lose yourself in and delightful views to stop and gaze at the wonder of the earth.

Lots of colour too - from formal areas to wild flowers in meadows and copses.

Too much to ask for it all? Ah well thats where we envy the rich and the stately home owners.

I wonder though whether they appreciate it or have time to enjoy it even? If I owned such a garden - I'd be in it every day - I'd start with a fast invigorating bike ride around the perimeter, followed by leisurely strolls - a bit of photography perhaps, even a dabble in paints.....

Whats you ideal garden (apart from the one where we 'Smell the flowers')?

Hi Purple,

Welcome to the forum (early days yet so we're giving it a GO!) and love the Avatar - any clues behind the picture- we thought it was a flower at first!

Garden - how we miss them in Dubai and your description has got us thinking. To build on your wonderful image we'd also have a couple of sunken fire pits, a Thai style gazebo type area, complete with a sunken table protected by climbing plants, a river running through (stream trickling through in the summer) and a kissing gate at the end of an overgrown hedge leading us to endless country walks & adventures.

Ginger beer anyone?

As for the garden here - tis shaping up nicely.

Ah, I wrote a lot about gardens at one point a few years ago. It really had me itching for a space of my own to grow things in. Of course, we're apartment dwellers so we can't anything so grand. If we did have the space, I'd make a decent sized and practical garden with lots of veggies and even a couple of fruit trees.

But, in reality I'll have to grow in my little portable pots. Just this week, I planted my seeds in rows upon rows of styrofoam cups. Wish me luck in a good crop of seedlings.

Well keep the garden posts GO!ng Funkygirl....
Keep it going...some great metaphors to draw on here at flowers!

Hi Jim - sorry - forgotton i'd posted this trying it out!

The avatar (why does it grab it from that other blog site and not use my own avatar?) is Mandy's (she of the now famous personalised photo gifts business) prize winning piece of abstract digital photo art called 'Eve's Apple' (and available to buy at http://www.purple13.co.uk).

It originally started life as a bleeding heart flower, the kids bought home for her which she placed in a jam jar and then took a picture at the kids pestering requests.

Bizarre then that it won a major art prize in 2005 (presentation in London at the Royal Society). You can read more at http://www.purple13.co.uk and follow the Novartis Visions of Science links.

You see - we are true flower smellers!

Jonathan.