Simply..in homage....

16/5/2018

Sunlight on poppy buds.

to gardener, plantswoman and writer Beth Chatto who died a few days ago aged 94.

She was an artist with plants and I loved her garden. After my first visit there many years ago I wrote to her to say how much I liked it and was surprised and delighted to receive a charming hand written reply to my letter.

She was successful on the micro level - her detailed descriptions of plants and flowers made you want to really look closely at every one, and on the macro level - her extensive garden is a brilliant composition and all about the plants. In between in scale I saw one of her gold medal winning stands at Chelsea - a masterly arrangement of form and colour (a skill she cleverly describes well in terms of asymmetric triangles).

I've read all her books and trust them completely.

She has inspired so many people. Have you visited her garden or read her books?

14 Comments

Mary

16/5/2018 04:57:35 pm

Thank you for making this known at a time when the news is clogged with a U.S actress marrying into the royal family,.I have the same set of Beth Chatto books and utter admiration for her gardening talent. A source of inspiration and delightful information on plants.

Freda

17/5/2018 12:07:06 am

How nice that you have these books too Mary. Delightful is a good word for this lovely person.

Sheena

16/5/2018 11:24:27 pm

Sad news and she exemplified a long life well lived. I visited her garden and it was very beautiful even on a damp October day. There is a lovely photo where she is peering over her glasses at a flower in The Green Tapestry and that is how I always picture her. Her love of plants and plants well-placed was inspiring

Freda

17/5/2018 12:09:06 am

I know that photograph! And it somehow exemplifies her total commitment and fascination. A long life well lived indeed.

rusty duck link

16/5/2018 11:46:42 pm

I’d missed this news and it makes me very sad. I’ve still not visited the garden (quite a round trip) but it will be top of my list if I’m over that way. I have read and re-read The Woodland Garden. It was the first book I bought when we moved here.

Freda

17/5/2018 12:13:07 am

Her books are the kind you do re-read Jessica. I would urge you to visit her garden before too long because it will change....
I loved that there were no features/gimmicks/distractions/agendas/ it was all about the plants. (This was before the tearooms too - nice, and I do enjoy my tea, but I am glad I saw it before it got so busy.)

Linda

17/5/2018 01:02:32 am

I'm sorry to hear that she had died, but a life well lived indeed. I've not read any of her books, assuming that they all referred to dry gardens, but will look for the Woodland Garden. Like Rusty Duck, in West Wales we have high rainfall, and our garden would revert to woodland if allowed - ferns etc thrive here.
Wouldn't it be nice if the BBC were to dig out/compile a programme about her.

Melanie

17/5/2018 03:18:47 am

If you live in a high rainfall area, I would highly recommend The Damp Garden!

Linda

17/5/2018 07:47:34 am

I looked at this, but it's about gardening around a pond or stream, or boggy areas. Our garden is quite well drained. It's just that a lot of water comes from above!

Freda

17/5/2018 02:22:07 pm

It's the only one I don't have. I bought her books when I gardened in Oxford and York.

Freda

17/5/2018 02:21:05 pm

I do hope they make a programme about her.

Lotta

17/5/2018 07:07:56 am

I'm not very familiar with Beth Chatto's work, but I'm inspired to see if I can get one of her books at the library tomorrow. It sounds like all that passion and time spent in nature gave her a long and happy life.

Freda

17/5/2018 02:22:57 pm

I hope you enjoy her writing Lotta.

Lucille link

18/5/2018 02:19:41 am

I missed this news too. We managed to go to her garden last year because I really wanted to make the effort while she was still the custodian. I loved it. Possibly even better than Great Dixter. I have Dear Friend and Gardener, her correspondence with Christopher Lloyd. I wonder what will happen to it now.

Simply..in homage....

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