Red sky in the morning ....

Red sky in the morning;

Shepherd's warning

(And it's cold here, that's for sure!)

Thoughtful Friday

Terrible British weather, when everything goes grey!

Galloping Gardener's Alphabet Gardens © Best of the "S"s.

Part of the garden created by Hugh Johnson at Saling Hall, Essex

Hurtling through that alphabet now, with the end few letters in sight and already planning those garden visits for 2012. I visited plenty of new gardens last year, although not as many as I would have liked! Essex featured high on my list as I wanted to catch some of the iconic gardens there and see several new ones, starting with Saling Hall, home of renowned British wine writer and critic Hugh Johnson (who I was lucky enough to meet). This garden is certainly interesting - and I really enjoyed the open areas (above) which come complete with Greek-style contemplation temple. But the Johnson's are moving on and when I visited the house was up for sale, so by now it may well have gone, alas for garden visitors.

The garden at Spencers was recently re-designed by Tom Stuart-Smith

Spencers is not too far from Saling Hall, so if you are visiting gardens in the area, you could call in here too next summer, although opening hours are very restricted and you should check on the web before setting out. The owners called in leading garden designer, Tom Stuart-Smith to revamp their plot and you'll find a glorious walled garden here. 

Sarah Raven is famous for her cut-flower courses

Sarah Raven's Cutting Garden is one to put on your list too - nestling in the heart of rolling English countryside. Filled to bursting with flowers that you could put in any arrangement for your home, she also offers flower arranging and cookery courses at her farm in Sussex. When Sarah's not here, you'll find her at Sissinghurst, where she lives with her husband. She'll be opening this garden for the National Gardens Scheme once in 2012, so   check their website for details.

The Rock Garden at Sizergh Castle - stunning in springtime!

Sizergh Castle is one to put on your Wish List if you're going to be in Cumbria visiting some of the other great gardens there. It doesn't get much of a rating in the Good Gardens Guide, but has a charming rock garden and delightful Dutch garden. My verdict is that it's definitely worth stopping for and deserves more than the measly six-line listing it gets in the guide!

Galloping Gardener's Alphabet Gardens © 2011 Best of the "P"s and "R"s

Painshill - an 18th century landscape park in Surrey

More than half way through the month of January and although we've already seen heavy winds, severe frosts and snow here in the UK this month, many plants are way ahead of schedule and the traditional spring flowers are well ahead of themselves. On sunny days it's a great time to explore some of the gardens that remain open throughout the year, including Painshill Park (above). I've visited several times, but never reviewed these wonderful 18th century landscape gardens within a stone's throw of London. So one for my "To Do" list for 2012!

Painswick remained hidden in a valley for years before re-discovery some 30 years ago

Painswick Rococo in Gloucestershire is about to come into bloom again with its fine snowdrop collection, followed in the spring by spectacular tulips. This is the only garden of its kind in Europe and is filled with fine Rococo buildings. Re-discovered only recently, the garden has been restored to its former glory and its six acres are well worth exploring.

Poleden Lacey is famous for its roses

Polesden Lacey is one of the National Trust's most visited properties in Southern England and remains open throughout the year for walks. Much restoration work has been carried out here recently and there's a winter garden which will soon be full of snowdrops. Polesden is famous for its rose garden in the summer, and also offers spectacular tulip displays in springtime.

The garden at Restoration House has been loving restored

Restoration House in Kent is closed during the winter months, but is certainly worth visiting during the summer, when it opens its doors on Thursdays and Fridays from the end of May to September. This is a hidden gem in the middle of Rochester, which has been lovingly restored. Plans are now afoot to restore the land next door, which was recently saved from the jaws of a property developer!

Seriously ... this is what you'll find on a Central London rooftop!

And for a really unusual garden, head for Babylon Restaurant in London's Kensington High Street, where you can have an excellent lunch and enjoy the roof garden, complete with flamingoes! Although there won't be much in bloom in the winter months, there's plenty on the menu inside and the unique location of this property, on a rooftop in Central London, makes it one to put on your Wish List for 2012.

Winter Wonderland at Sussex Prairies

No dialogue ... but a beautiful sunset tonight at Sussex Prairies!

What's the obsession with scarecrows???

I've galloped around the world for the last three years looking at gardens! And to be perfectly frank, I knew nothing about them when I first started. Lack of experience meant that I simply didn't know the difference between a good and a bad garden; certainly couldn't understand the basic principles of planting and what makes a border work; and as for naming a plant ... you might just as well have asked me to give the Latin names for butterflies!! 

Wet-suited scarecrow at Knightshayes, Devon

But that's about to change, thanks to Anne Wareham of ThinkinGardens and other gardening gurus, who have made me realise that it's not helpful writing exclusively about good gardens. The time has come to write about the bad ones too so that visitors don't waste their time looking at pathetic planting or bad design. Worse too are the gardens that trade on their history! 

I've certainly seen bad gardens in my time, but have always chosen to ignore them. So my New Year's resolution is to get real and start saying what I think!  And, for my first rant of 2012 I'm picking on the National Trust's apparent obsession with scarecrows. 

Scarecrows at Standen, West Sussex

I've seen them all over the country in the last 12 months and am wondering why so many of their properties feature these creatures - I very much doubt they scare off the birds and, if they are designed to improve the way the garden looks, I hope my readers will let me know what they think.

Aquaman scarecrow at Trengwainton, Cornwall

What has become clear in my travels this last year is that kitchen and walled gardens are all the rage. But I suspect that in days gone by when those gardens were fine examples of "you are what you can grow", the scarecrows were intended to scare the birds, rather than acting as decorative garden objects.

War-ravaged scarecrow at Hughenden Manor, Bucks

So onwards and upwards for 2012 - the year when I'm going to tell the truth about what I see, with the help of my viewfinder! 

Capital "N" for the National Gardens Scheme

Dean House opens on six days for the NGS this year - described as "one of Hampshire's best-kept secrets"

It's that time of year again and the National Gardens Scheme (NGS) is gearing up to offer another gourmet menu of public and private gardens around the country. Every year there are more properties on offer as owners dip their toe in the water and agree to show their gardens to the public, in a unanimous effort to raise funds for some of the most valuable and needed charities in the United Kingdom. Plots range in size from small front and rear gardens, to huge estates and public gardens, but all entrance fees go directly to the NGS, which disperses them to its chosen charities.

Brandy Mount House - snowdrop lovers heaven, which opens for the NGS for just one day this year

The number of properties open under the NGS banner grows every year, and although some gardens are entirely seasonal, like Brandy Mount House in Hampshire (above), which has always attracted huge crowds because of its snowdrop collection, although it only opens for one day this year (Saturday, 11th February) there are other stalwart owners who open every week for charity, during the summer months. But what's encouraging for all of us who love gardens is the commitment by owners to the NGS and the good work it does in terms of supporting charities that have become household names, including Macmillan, Marie Curie and Crossroads - who all provide valuable support to cancer patients.

Feeringbury Manor in Essex, opens its doors every Thursday and Friday from 5 April to 27 July

This year sees many interesting and innovative improvements on the NGS website, which will enable garden enthusiasts to pick and choose the gardens they visit. The "Garden Finder" search facilities are geared to allow gardeners to choose by opening dates, region or interest and the postcode search enables a quick method of finding gardens near home at the last minute, if you suddenly fancy a day out. You can also search by garden name, or use key words. But the good news is that the search engine is a lot faster and more efficient than ever before.

Old Buckhurst, Kent - a real jewel in the NGS crown, which opens regularly throughout the season

And then there's the infamous "Yellow Book" which provides full listings of all the thousands of properties on offer around the country, which you may just want to keep in your glove compartment in case you're suffering with garden withdrawal symptoms, as I regularly do during the summer months. Properties are divided by county and if you suddenly find yourself at a loose end and with no access to the internet, you can dip into your Yellow Book and see if there's a garden open locally.

Vann is home to a Gertrude Jekyll water garden and opens regularly from March to June

Properties like Vann come up immediately if you use the keyword "Gertrude Jekyll", and you can also search for gardens with accommodation if you're planning to tour the UK looking at greenery, which will give you the chance to stay on site at gardens on your wish list that you might not be able to access on an open day. My new year's resolution is to stay at NGS gardens whenever possible so I can review them for readers and have the added bonus of seeing them in the early morning light, without crowds obscuring the view finder!

Sussex Prairies opens regularly for the NGS and is also a gourmet bed and breakfast choice