Garden
Swan Sculpture
Yesterday I delivered my swan sculpture to Stratford-upon-Avon, along with two large stone plinths, one for the swan, and another for a bowl-shaped birdbath which is also for the garden. They are for a newly built Tranquility Garden, designed by Spartacus Landscape Gardens for Stratford Town Council. I feel so proud of my sculpture […]
Fox’s Clote
This morning whilst waiting for the sun to come round and thaw some of my icy stone I spent a few moments admiring my Burdock plants with frosted burs. An old English name for the Burdock was Herrif, Aireve, or Airup, from the Anglo-Saxon hoeg (a hedge), and reafe (a robber) – or from […]
Gardens Illustrated Festival – Spring 2017
I’m very pleased to say that the team at Gardens Illustrated have just confirmed that I’ve been chosen to exhibit in their Shopping Marquee at the Gardens Illustrated Festival in March next year. To celebrate I’ve made this little pot – and will be making lots more designs for the Festival and sculpture too, […]
Stone in some form
What a brilliant episode this week’s Gardeners’ World was (did you see it?) and quite a treat when Joe Swift visits Chelsea gold medal winner and stonemason Martin Cook to see how he uses contemporary rock sculpture within his Buckinghamshire garden. So much talk of stone – I watched eagerly – rockeries, incised stone, […]
Shapes of Autumn
There’s a nip in the air this morning, and really for the first time this year I’ve noticed the browning and curling of leaves, ripening nuts and fruits, seedheads and a real turning to Autumn. My little garden area at the workshop has given so much this year with fruit, flowers and vegetables – […]
Blackberry Cup
….. and it runneth over! They’re ripening as fast as I can pick them. My brambles (I have two wayward patches at the workshop) like my weeds have grown huge and unruly – but now make the tangly mess seem a joy as I harvest fullsome, shiny ripe berries. I’ve made a little stone […]
Simple shapes for Semps
I’ve been making stone plant pots for an order this week, and while I was at it thought I would try a new shape in the beautiful pale yellow Tadcaster Limestone, a test pot for my own Sempervivums, which have been flowering and multiplying like mad. Usually I make the little succulent pots in […]
Tall and elegant stone Birdbath
At this time of year I’m always busy making birdbaths, which I love, as I know the joy of watching birds flit to the bowl rim, sip water, or take the plunge for a full, splashy bath. What a joy it is to watch. All my birdbaths are individually made by hand in a […]
Gold Leaf
Stone finials and balls have been effective decoration on buildings and structures for hundreds of years and have gone in and out of fashion in gardens over the centuries too. I’ve always loved them as a styling feature – on top of gateposts, as a finishing touch to a wall, as a support for […]
A reward for not weeding
A nettle patch at my workshop grows gargantuan, along with willow-herb and the thugish Hogweed – they’re all fighting with dock and bramble! My plan was to clear the area, and I even set aside time to do it, but found it so full of insects, crawlies and caterpillers that I left it to […]