RHS Wisley

Having decided to give the Chelsea show a miss this year I thought we should pay a visit to Wisley, a walk around the 240+ acres is guaranteed to blow any cobwebs away, keep you fit and hopefully provide some gardening inspiration.

Wisley, like all good gardens whether big or small, has something to keep you interested all year round, although if you want to see flowers in bloom, rather than trees and shrubs, it's best to go between say April and September.

There is something for everyone who has an interest in gardens, ponds, lakes, a canal, grasses of every sort, rose gardens, a Japanese garden, an exotic plants glasshouse, an area where you can see new plants being assessed and miles of walks. If you take your time and allow time to stop for refreshments it's easy to spend five or six hours just walking, talking, sitting and enjoying somebody else's hard work.

I find that gardens, like flower shows, inspire rather than intimidate. Unlike a visit to an art gallery, where I know I can never replicate the work of the old masters, I find inspiration. I know that given the right soil, the right weather and some hard work from me, I can achieve something worthwhile on my small patch of Dorset.

This is a fibre glass replica of a Henry Moore piece

One of the more minimalistic areas is the small Japanese garden. I find Japanese society fascinating, the contrast between the rigid social rules and the somewhat bizarre sexual tastes, the extreme violence of some Manga films, the sexually driven Anime films, a nation that enjoys its women dressing as schoolgirls or sailors seems somewhat out of kilter with the rest of us. Japanese gardens are designed around religious, particularly Zen ideals, gravel is raked a particular way, rocks and boulders arranged just so, the are a complete contrast to some western garden designs.

One of the aspects of Wisley that both surprises and pleases me is the Plant Shop. Now you would think that, given a captive audience, there would be an overwhelming desire to put prices up to a level that whilst people would be prepared to pay because it is an RHS garden you would arrive home feeling somewhat ripped off. Not so at RHS gardens, the pricing is kept below that of other competitors and the quality and choice almost overwhelming. The staff are knowledgeable, that goes without saying I suppose, but they are also incredibly helpful.

In addition to the gardens, the shop and the biggest car park in Surrey, Wisley has a restaurant, coffee shop and library where you can browse books, ask questions or go online to look for something that has taken your fancy. There are also lectures given on Saturday mornings which are free for members and cheap for non-members.

If you enjoying gardening or just a long walk with attractive scenery then RHS Wisley is as good a place as any to spend a few hours.

No idea what this flower is, but close-up it looks like a silk hankie.