RIP - My husband and "Galloping" soulmate - Vivian Foster Raven

Dear Friends and Followers,

Thank you all for reading my garden travels over the last eight years.

It is with very deep regret that I write today to tell you that my husband and "Galloping" soulmate, died on 18 October. His funeral was yesterday.

Those of you who know me personally; worked with me; and travelled to foreign places at my side, know that I have cared for him for the last 10 years and found great solace in my travels to beautiful gardens all over the world, since he became unable to join me a few years back.

I will never forget Vivian and nor will any of you who were lucky enough to meet him personally. He was a remarkable soul - brave and upright, despite his prolonged battle with Huntington's Disease.

But there is a God somewhere, because in the last few weeks of his life, I was sent a strange and difficult gift from a higher plane. I was travelling in Italy with Victoria Summerley and Marty Wingate, when I fell and shattered my heel. 

That accident prevented me from travelling on to a contract in Australia and, as a result, I was here with my husband at the end of his life.

Our "Galloping Gardener" travels were a wonderful way of dealing with his increasing ill health. Gardens are a great source of joy ... especially in the sunshine ... and we visited many gardens across the globe together during our marriage.

I hope to visit more gardens when I find the strength to do so and am released from the plaster cast that has already been part of my life for five weeks.

And I hope that for all of you who have followed me for the last eight years, you will find the great joy that I found with my beloved husband on our travels.

Gardens and green spaces are a wonderful tonic, whatever you face in life. Enjoy them whenever you can.

And thank you all for following me.

Charlotte aka The Galloping Gardener.