I spent most of my summer traveling. After the difficulties and sadnesses of last year, I felt an urgency to get moving, and boy did I!
Along with the Garden Bloggers’ Fling in Denver, I also journeyed with Bill and some of our friends to Great Britain in East Anglia for another garden tour. Then, Bill, Claire and I went to Philadelphia and Boston to soak up a little Colonial history. I’ll be sharing our stops in East Anglia in the coming weeks, and I hope you’ll come along.
We also received happy news last night. Our daughter, Megan, and her husband, Robert, are going to have another baby! We’re all so grateful and ask for your continued prayers.
In a few weeks, I’m heading to Salt Lake City for GardenComm’s Annual Conference and Expo. If you want to meet other garden communicators and learn more about our craft–plus, visit gorgeous gardens–you should join us! Anyone who is a garden communicator in some fashion is welcome. I’ve never been to Salt Lake City so I’m excited!
Long walk with a circular bed on your way to the greenhouse at one end of the garden. 
Walk inside the open doors and see this fabulously large greenhouse with a place to sit. I do wish my little hobby greenhouse had a place for a chair at least. I have it crammed full of plants. 
One end of the greenhouse at East Ruston. 
A closeup of the pelargonium pots, a gorgeous sedum, and the chair along with one of their cats.
It’s 103° in Oklahoma today, so I’m going back to England, and I’m taking you with me. It was in the 90s on the day we visited East Ruston Old Vicarage, but that didn’t stop me from running around and snapping photos. All of these were taken with my iPhone 10. It has such a great camera. I guess I hadn’t learned how to use the portrait setting yet because I don’t see any portraits in here. The portrait setting makes a nice fuzzy background so your subject pops. I still have my big camera, a Nikon D750, but increasingly, I leave it home when I travel. I’m tired of lugging it around airports and on and off airplanes when the iPhone takes such great photos.
I won’t say East Ruston was my favorite garden. I need to look through all of my photos to decide which was my favorite, but it was extraordinary. Maybe I’ll just have several favorites.
Just look at all of these photos, and you’ll see why. [Click on galleries to open up the photos larger.]
The circle drive in front of the house. Yes, I do believe the two owners still live there. 
Gateway into the garden. 
Another view of the driveway. 
Bill in front of their classic car which was French I believe.
These were taken in the middle of the day in bright, harsh sunlight much like what I’m seeing outside my window this afternoon. As many of you know, that’s among the worst conditions for decent shots.
One of the long walks at East Ruston Old Vicarage. 
Cosmos planted en masse beneath taller plantings. 
Perfect topiary at East Ruston. 
Paper Lady by Bill Cordaroy.
The garden has an interesting layout with a series of rooms that form a long corridor, with each room sporting a different style of garden. Also, there are walks perpendicular to the main long walk.
East Ruston was designed by Alan Gray and Graham Robeson. The garden is quite famous. If you search for it online, you can read many news stories about it. You can also read about it in my friend, Barbara Segall’s, book, Secret Gardens of East Anglia
Bright colors in a garden room don’t shy from the sun. 
Through the keyhole, another borrowed view. 
Brugsmansia in a large pot East Ruston Old Vicarage 
Yellow brugmansia in a large container.
I was thrilled to see a garden built from the ground up by the gardeners themselves. They also maintain it. I hope they have some help as it is very large. There is also a cafe for tea and cakes and a ploughman’s lunch. If you’ve never had one, make sure you do when you visit England. It’s a treat.
Shaded walk and part of the shelterbelts at East Ruston. 
Watering cans marching one-by-one, not like the ants two-by-two. I crack myself up. 
Cool architecture in one of the garden rooms. 
Succulents in containers contrast with a great topiary background. The hedges are part of the shelterbelt around the property. 
Alstroemeria maybe Indian Summer. We saw this plant in gardens all over East Anglia. 
Stunning purple rose.
I hope you’re all well and thriving and see you next time for an update at my own Little Cedar Garden.
Oh yay!! Woo hoo! I’m so excited for you!! Congrats to Megan and Robert, they are absolutely adorable! Oh yes, and the garden is quite lovely too! I know you guys had a fabulous time!
What a beautiful garden. I love those topiaries, so much more interesting than a round box in a pot. With this news of a grandchild in the oven I hope that all goes well and your heart is full of joy in a few short months.
I loved the topiaries too. Lisa, you would have so enjoyed that garden. Thank you for your sweet wishes.
What better news could you have come home to than the ‘new baby’ news. I hope all goes well for them and happy that it happened so quickly.
As to East Ruston. I have visited a couple of times and spent hours there. It is one of the finest gardens to my eyes but then I love a garden with garden rooms. They are always expanding the garden and I see even new things in your photos. It is such a dry and windswept part of the country that I think they have done a marvelous job in managing the climate.
Jenny, I couldn’t have said it better. The garden was splendid. I also love garden rooms. My favorite style. As for having a grandbaby to hold, it doesn’t get any better!
Such lovely news re Megan. I hope all goes well 🙂 This garden has been on my list to see for ages and you beat me to it!
Everything is a-ok thus far. We’re thrileed. I can’t believe I saw it before you. You simply must go next year. It was really something.
Beautiful tour, it is very inspirational and now you got me curious about the Garden expo thing…I’ll have to look that up. Congrats on the baby news that’s great!
Oh Christine, you should come. We’ve been to so many fine gardens over the years, I’ve made wonderful friends with my colleagues.
Thanks for the lovely tour, Dee. And congrats on the baby news!
Thank you!