Celebrating gardens, photography and a creative life
Ever seen a field of yellow sunflowers in an open field in Tuscany, all obediently facing the same way? It’s a beautiful sight, though it always looks a little eerie to me – such clear proof of the irresistible pull of the sun.
If they were humans, we can be sure there’d be a few rebels amongst them. But plants tend to grow to face the sun to a greater or lesser extent. Continue reading “Tips for photographing roses 3: work with nature, not against it”
When you think you’ve got exactly the picture you want, step back and check one last time, as the professionals always do, to see if there’s something small you’ve missed. Continue reading “Tips for photographing roses 2: little details matter”
Gresgarth Hall is home to landscape designer Arabella Lennox-Boyd and her husband Mark. Her private garden, open to visitors ten days each year, has been shaped by her artist’s eye for colour, a scholar’s understanding of structure and a seemingly effortless attention to detail.
A wild boar statue greets visitors: ‘Gresgarth’ is Norse for ‘enclosure of wild boar’. The original building dates from the 14th century – more modern additions have made it elegant as well as imposing. The hillside garden, cut through by Artle Beck, presented challenges that have drawn out all the designer’s ingenuity. Continue reading “Gresgarth Hall Gardens: review and photo gallery”
For many years, I had the luxury of spending the odd, balmy summer’s day in David Austin’s rose garden, working with leading garden photographers who visited to take pictures of roses. I plan to share a few of the techniques I learned in an occasional series. Continue reading “Tips for photographing roses 1: wait for a cloud”
Susan Rushton 