My Favourite Fountain, by Rosemary Verey OBE, Garden Advisor to Prince Charles
Rosemary Verey (Author, Garden Designer And Gardening Guru To Prince
Charles) At Her Internationaly Famous Garden At Barnsley House In
Gloucestershire Talks to Peter J May About Her Life In Relation To
Water Gardens.
Rosemary Verey was a famous British garden designer and writer (born Dec. 21, 1918, Chatham, Kent, England and died May 31, 2001, London, England)
Peter's Introduction ...
During the early part of spring of 2000 Mrs Rosemary Verey was recuperating at home after several days in hospital having had a broken hip reset and a replacement hip operation. She nevertheless took time and great pleasure in talking to me.
MY FAVOURITE FOUNTAIN BY ROSEMARY VEREY
I first came here (ie Barnsley House) in August 1939 and spent my honeymoon here with my husband David that same year, and I have lived here all that time except for a few months during the war. As when you have lived in a house, this house - Barnsley House and Garden - as long as I have, obviously they would become two of the most important features in my life.
Barnsley House
When you are young you go through different stages. First of all I was busy having children, looking after horses and caring for dogs. Then the time came in the late 1950s when I had lots more time and could concentrate on the garden,[and I wondered] how we could make it more exciting and also making it look good throughout the year.
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I used to ride a great deal and was always amazed at how the hedgerows looked good all through the winter with all the Old Mans Beard, wild roses and things. So I thought if nature can look wonderful in winter so should our garden.
That was the beginning of giving the garden interest for as many months as possible. Starting in the spring; really at the beginning of the year- January is the most difficult time - then gradually the Snowdrops came out, then the Aconites and the Crocuses and then there is a great flurry of all things that are coming through the soil - because remember when you look onto a border that looks quite empty except for a few shoots coming through, do remember the roots of the plants are working away, getting ready for the summer- and then all this wonderfulness happens as they come through.
I think gardens are important to all of us in our way of life, because if you are feeling frustrated or too busy or you need exercise, the thing to do is get up from your desk or your cooking or mending or whatever it is, go out into the garden and immediately you can listen to the birds and relax. You feel much the better for it. People shouldnt worry too much about it being untidy. They shouldnt say, You mustnt come and look at my garden, it is so untidy, Ive got weeds in it!