Imperfection
Imperfection
Think of an 'English Garden' - green striped lawns and carefully curated borders will probably be what comes to mind. In every library and bookshop there are innumerable illustrated books with suggestions of what colours to plant together (and what not), the recommended size of drifts of flowers, how to improve and care for the soil, what flowers and shrubs are best at the front or back of a border and so on.
Like many of you I have read a number of books on such subjects. Every year I closely observe the show gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show. It has gradually become clear that “neatness” is not necessarily fashionable any more. These days it is all about wild flowers and natural gardens so that, despite a great deal of effort on behalf of the gardener, nothing looks contrived but all as it might be in the wild.
Ironically perhaps, in order to create a patch of land suitable for wild flowers, any good soil must be removed as they grow best where there are few nutrients. Grass needs to be broken up or preferably eliminated otherwise the flowers will not have a chance. It is a process which takes time.
Every garden at the Chelsea Flower show is of course perfect, even if it showcasing wildness. Each plant is lovingly nurtured and encouraged to the point of obsession. It is probably unlikely that the rest of us can achieve anything similar in the real world and, if we did momentarily achieve perfection, in all honesty it is unlikely to stay so.
It is some eighteen years ago now that Geordie and I first began to create our wildflower meadow which tumbles down the slopes to the south of the Castle. We harrowed the ground and removed all the old vegetation for two years before actually sowing a chalkland mix of wildflower seeds. Despite all that effort and patience, the only plants that came up that first year were ox eye daisies. We had to wait for another few years before we achieved ever more diversity of species.
In order to maintain the meadow, we cut it back in late September, collect the seeds (which we package to sell) and completely remove everything else. It is at this point the gardening team need a week to scarify the entire meadow and it is hard work! Every summer we mow a wide curving path from corner to corner to provide somewhere for visitors to walk whilst the rest is simply a huge area for insects, beetles, birds and other small mammals.
Walking through the meadow and into the traditional garden area which is fenced from deer and rabbits, you enter an alternative gardening world. This is one of careful planting with at this time of year an overflowing of salvias, roses, hydrangeas, penstemons, agastache, lychnis, verbena bonariensis, clematis, gaura, aneamones, hibiciscus... It too has a winding path which makes visitors smile but it is in contrast a closely mown lawn, edged in lavender, pinks, cosmos, ligularia and stachys.
One area is not necessarily better or more right than another. Both offer a haven for butterflies and bees or a peaceful spot for us to sit and contemplate life.
There used to more wild places in the UK largely, in many ways, because there were fewer of us. Like everywhere on earth, the population rise with the consequential needs of us all for housing and amenities, can squeeze nature out.
If the light soils of the chalk downlands were useful in neolithic and bronze age times, with modern farming there are better soils in which to grow essential crops such as wheat. The wild flowers grow naturally in this nutrient poor ground which has an untamed beauty.
Simon the farm manager and Geordie consider the best approach to each area of such varied topography thus these high stony contours are left to welcome stone curlews, lapwings and grey partridge which breed amongst this soft grey and brown stubbly landscape. Down amongst the greensand land, the focus is growing food well and rather than stripy lawns there are organised stripy fields of crops.
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57 Comments
Such beautiful gardens!
We just visited the wildflower meadow and the lovely gardens in July via Viking extension.
All were lovely and a treat to view!
Thank you for the care and attention to High Jere’s outside world!
Such beautiful natural gardens.
One week from today, I will be happy to roam the various gardens of Highclere, arriving from Maine in the US. I too have a love of flowers, managing our gardens on a much, much smaller scale. My hope is that I might bring back a small piece of your lovely landscape through your seeds. Do you think they will germinate this time of year or will they last until Spring?
Thank you for yet another lovely letter.
Lovely picture of lmperfectiion and did you and lord Carnarvon have a wonderful bank holiday weekend and l am fan of Downton Abbey and highcelere castle
A trip down memory lane … lovely
Your Pictures of your garden, and the story's that you tell about your past time, leaves me BREATHLESS!
Have a GREAT DAY,
Love To ALL,
John Roberts
Tonawanda, N.Y.
USA
Beautiful, no matter formal or wild!
Lady Carnarvon,
Beauty in its natural way comes with wildflowers. Occasionally we in the US are able to see such gardens along our highways where they, too, have been sown by workers. Thank you, Geordi and Simon for enabling your visitors to enjoy the benefits of your hard work and careful planning.
Martha
Lovely the pictures of imperfection and did you and lord Carnarvon have a wonderful bank holiday weekend and l am fan of Downton Abbey and lovely highcelere castle
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
I love your
beautiful gardens, manicured or wild, everything at Highclere is wonderful!
It was 5 years ago to the very day we first visited & I've been besotted ever since -
Thank you so much,
Caroline x
Another lovely story. Thanks for sharing.
Lovely flowers. I have some wildflower seeds from Highclere and I hope that it will grow well in my front lawn.
I'm fortunate that I live in an Upper Wye valley village .... and have only to leave my drive and turn left or right and walk for five minutes to find myself in (the local wildlife trusts) unploughed/untreated meadows which haven't seen a plough for 50 years or more ! The orchids and wild flowers are superb in the spring and early summer, with yellow rattle reducting the strength of the grasses .... BUT, unfortunately the bird life has dwindled in the past 30 or 40 years, and we no longer have curlew, lapwing, nightjars, yellowhammers, greenfinches, skylarks etc, etc, SO sad ! I suspect that surrounding ploughed, fertilised, sprayed farmland is largely responsible. Such a pity .... but I can go and see the wild flowers even if the associated fauna is missing ....
Another beautiful Monday Blog.
Do agree with your Chelsea Garden comments as was beautiful & enjoyable to attend when I lived near by.
Glad you and Lord Carnarvon have gardeners & lawn carers to work with you given your huge acres there!
Remain well.
When I had the fortunate opportunity to visit Highclere, I was truly in awe not just of the magnificence of the castle but of the wonderful grounds that you maintain. Thank you for preserving such a beautiful place to escape.
Truly magnificent, a lovely escape from reality. Thank you for being such a good steward of the land!
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
A beautiful way to begin a Monday! How I loved walking through the wildflower meadow and the formal garden… both havens of beauty. Another favorite was the lavender border, rich with color and scent, and the peaceful hum of the hardworking bees! And the sheep meadows!! Another favorite!
The grounds at Highclere are rich with the best of Mother Nature and your hard work. I look forward to returning to see the new areas, including the vineyard (if it’s available for viewing) when I can make those arrangements.
May you and your family continue to be well and safe. Thank you for all you do.
Best regards,
Charlotte Merriam Cole
I am so happy to say that a week from today I will be visiting (from Maine in the US) your beautiful gardens at Highclere. I have a love of flowers as well and maintain our gardens on a much, much smaller scale. I am hoping to bring back a little piece of your gardens through your seeds. Do you think they will germinate this time of year or will they last until spring for planting? Thank you for another beautiful letter.
There are 4 amazing gardeners!!!
Our lapwing populations is growing and the stone curlews...
There are some packets in the shop
Thank you - I am besotted too .. they keep changing
Simon is an amazing farm manager
Thank you so much - it is fun extension of your cruise!
Very kind
You are right - it is a beautiful world
Such a beautiful, peaceful garden. Thank you.
We all need escapes and are the richer for it
Peace is beyond value...
I was thrilled to visit last week. Laura was so kind in helping me secure tickets and becoming a friend. She kindly left my welcome package at the gate for me. You and your husband are doing incredible work maintaining and preserving such a beautiful place. Thank you for sharing your home and gardens with us! I can’t wait to enjoy all the perks of being a friend.
Joan Donohue Field
New Jersey. USA
What a good read. And what an amazing garden full of love and happiness. You can smell the garden through your blog!
Beautiful garden, I LOVE reading about your gardens and adventures!!
Yous re very kind thank you
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
Lovely article.
My whole life I have loved wildflower gardens, they are the best for me....I don't really like manicured gardens, although I can sometimes see the beauty in them.
Best wishes
Angela
My dearest lady Fiona,
I love the wild beauty of the the castle meadows but also the english gardens with their mix of colors and shapes.
Villa Alema
Rio Claro - SP
Brazil.
L,ady Carnarvon, if there is flowers all is good. Cheryl
Just breathtaking be on words
I needed to read your wonderful blog today.. thank you for showing us more beauty whether wild or manicured.. I love wild flowers!
We visited Highclere a year ago when the wild meadow was looking superb. It took our breath away to see such diversity within what looked, from afar, as though it was predominantly white wildflowers. Oh and the butterflies and other insects within the meadow were wonderful to see. We know how complex a job it is to achieve this and greatly admired your gardeners skill. A very kind gentleman visitor took a beautiful photo of me and my sister sitting at the edge of the meadow and it remains our favourite photo of the UK holiday. (We in turn returned the favour for he and his wife.)
Thank you for sharing “imperfection” with us. I look forward to each weekly edition - always of great interest.
Thank you so much !
Having walked your fields and admired the secret garden in late May of this year, I applaud your hard work and dedication.
Beautiful perfection!
Sue Henry
USA
Beautifully written, and inspirational as usual Lady Carnarvon. I am continuously amazed at the variety of native bees visiting my garden since I starting planting native wildflowers. At least five different species, including the newest one with a bright yellow belly which she uses to collect pollen. Isn’t Nature extraordinary?
Nature is extraordinary
Absolutely beautiful!
Once again a beautifully written article. You have so many gifts to offer at Highclere. The meadows of imperfection sound glorious.
I long to visit Highclere. My husband has offered a Christmas gift to visit Highclere at the Holidays which would be awesome to see.
However, it’s the gardens I would love to see in bloom and walk the grounds.
Such a hard decision!
Thank you for you weekly contribution. I enjoy your masterful writing and the description of life at Highclere.
Susan Bowling
Ohio, US
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
Thank you for another amazing blog. Your gardens are spectacular, as are the meadows. You, and your gardeners and farm managers are so talented. As for
me, not so much. I am "blessed" with practically no gardening talent, which is a pity since it doesn't stop the attempt.
I hope you enjoy your gardening!
How very kind of him - even in winter I love the bare bones of the gardens
I so enjoy walking round your gardens and wildflower meadow at Highclere Castle! Me and my friend visited a couple of weeks ago and we loved looking at all of the beautiful flowers.
What a wonder! Every time I see your photos and read your stories, it feels like being in a beautiful dream.. Who knows if one day I'll be able to visit you.
Matteo,
Sardinia, Italy.
We visited Highclere last month from America and it was absolutely stunning. The air smelled like fragrant perfume from your beautiful wildflower meadow. It was such a joy visiting the house and all of the gardens. Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece of heaven on earth and thank you to the fantastic team that help you take care of it! We will be back next year.
Good afternoon. I am writing this a bit after your latest blog as we were on holiday in the Bordeaux. Your description of the gardens and meadows has really peaked my interest and although we have no free time in 2025 to come for a visit/tour, we will be coming in 2026 and hope to spend a few days at Highclere or in the village.
I have enjoyed your books and writings and look forward to seeing/reading more.
All the best.
Jayson Lambert-Roszak
Scotia, New York
Thank you so much
I too love wildflower gardens and have seen many in Europe. In Qld we are promoting natural grasses which attract the wildlife and insects, no matter how big or small your garden.
Dear Lady Carnarvon:
Thank you for this Monday's blog.
Also, thank you for to you, Lord Carnarvon, and Highclere's garden team for continually cultivating, maintaining, and planning both a wild meadow and a groomed floral garden. Your efforts show through beautifully in the pictures accompanying this writing.
Perpetua Crawford
LOVELY STORY AND BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS.