On the Making of Gardens

"Yes, I actually found this in the early 1970s in a book called The Garden Lovers Companion , edited by Peter Hunt. Osbert Sitwell was writing about his father, Sir George Sitwell, who sounds a complete gem of a person because he did his own thing all of the time. Here is a quote from the start of it, which is about what Sir Geroge thinks of other people. He has had this brilliant idea, or so he thinks, of creating an island in the middle of the lake – and he was explaining this to his son Osbert, who is writing down why he did it. Osbert writes, “The island pavilion, he would explain to me … was to be built entirely for my sake. It was a great sacrifice, and he hoped that I would bear it in mind, but it would prove a most valuable asset in entertaining. The great thing was one was never to see guests alone, when one was to talk and tire oneself out, but always to invite a great many of them together, so that they would look after one another.” Sir George went on to get more and more excited about the island he was going to build, and the vegetables he was going to grow there, and how happy his servants would be. I love this, because it shows what a truly eccentric Edwardian gentleman can imagine, if they have the money and time for it. I really would advise people to read it, because it is terribly funny. Yes, he took it terribly seriously. And I quite agree with him about how therapeutic gardening and gardens can be. I think it is the one aspect of gardening which hasn’t been dug up, spat out and redone 55 times. Somebody really ought to write a deep book on how soothing gardens are. I certainly find with myself that it is about the only thing that calms me down at all. And I suspect that a lot of the people who are very keen gardeners are devoted to it for that very reason. It is the only thing that makes you forget everything else. I haven’t visited them properly. I went round with a friend who had a house in Tuscany, so we just did a few. I have never been to Villa Lante, for example, although I have read about it a thousand times. Well, I used to like Monet’s Garden, but I have been told recently it is dreadful. And I used to love Mt Stewart in Northern Ireland. I am trying to make a picture that pleases me, but as the picture moves the whole time – and not only because of the wind and the weather – you can never get to the end of the line. That is the fascination. I do a lot of my trips with the Alpine Garden Society, who are very thorough. When you get to the top of the mountain and you see a primula, you know it is a primula but you don’t know which one. But if you are with the Alpine Garden Society, they will tell you which one it is. Which is good, as you probably won’t be at the top of that mountain ever again. Also in the Andes, you have things called rosulate violas. They are so pretty and grow very high up. They are very difficult to grow in captivity. In fact, I have never seen one in captivity. They have leaves just like a sempervivum, but then there are adorable little jewel-like violas all around it."