No garden visits this week because the rain hasn't stopped, so I've been at home editing photographs and organising my garden reviews so that I can eventually offer you full information on what to see and when's best to go in my Galloping Gardener Directory. I know that some of you use it when planning garden visits and I'd really appreciate your input on what you want to see there, so now's your chance to let me know what you need to know to get the most out of a directory!
All photographs today are taken before, during or after rain and were taken at different times at year in gardens around the world. The only common theme is rain or damp, or sunlight before or after a rainstorm, but it goes to show that even wet or changeable weather makes interesting pictures!
But back to what you'd like to see in a comprehensive (and growing) Garden Directory - is it special features; best time of year to visit; proximity to other gardens; what plants you'll see there; or just general descriptions that interest you? Do the pictures make a difference ... and for those of you who've used the guide, did the garden live up to your expectations?
I also appreciate that many of the gardens on the list are currently in the southern part of England, but the reason for this is simple - it's where I'm based, and it's not that easy for me to spend days away from home visiting gardens further afield. I plan to cover new areas each year, when the weather is good, and this year I managed to get to Gloucestershire and see some of the great Cotswold gardens.
Information on opening times is more difficult, since many gardens change their opening days and times with little notice. That's why I often put a link straight to the garden in question, so you can check for yourself before visiting. However, when two great gardens are close together like Hidcote and Kiftsgate in Gloucestershire, I do flag up opening days wherever possible.
So please let me know what would be helpful for you in terms of reviews - what you'd like to see and what persuades you whether to visit a garden that you've read about. And on that note, I'll leave you because the sun is coming out for the first time in over a week .... so perhaps I will get to review some new gardens over the weekend.
