Favourite Poems - No Man Is An Island

This famous poem, written by John Dunne in 1624, was read out on stage at Glastonbury by PJ Harvey in June 2016 following the Referendum. How apt and and moving it is. 

No man is an island,

Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thy friend's
Or of thine own were:
Any man's death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind,
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee. 

Chelsea Flower Show 2016

Chelsea Flower Show 2016 was as interesting as ever, both for the superb show gardens (especially the 'Best In Show' Telegraph garden by Any Sprugeon) as well as for the plants that go in an out of fashion. This year no one used Anthriscus 'Ravenswing' when only three years ago it was everywhere, and there was masses of purple. For more photos click here 

Favourite Gardens - West Green

West Green near Hartley Whitney is a beautiful 1720's house with a somewhat scarred past (brutal first owner Gen Henry Hartley and almost demolished by an IRA bomb) that was left to the National Trust by Sir Victor Sassoon in 1957 but has been taken on a long lease by Marylyn Abbott who has completely redesigned the fascinating and beautiful garden. Click here for some more photos.