I wish I could have known Gertrude...........

or at least have a chance to know someone like her..............

This is Gertrude Jekyll...........and yes, the family name was borrowed from their friend...........

Her brother, Walter, was a friend of the author, Robert Louis Stevenson; who wrote Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

But the reason I would have loved to have known her is because..........

Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932), created over 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and America; her influence on garden design has been pervasive to this day. She spent most of her life in Surrey, England, latterly at Munstead Wood, Godalming. She ran a garden centre there and bred many new plants. Some of her gardens have been faithfully restored, wholly or partly, and can be visited. Godalming Museum has many of her notebooks and copies of all her garden drawings, (compiled and sorted by members of the Surrey Gardens Trust); the original drawings are in the University of California.

Her own books about gardening are widely read in modern editions; much has been written about her by others. She contributed over 1,000 articles to Country Life, The Garden and other magazines.
Jekyll was an artist, craftswoman, writer and gardener. As a girl, Gertrude Jekyll lived at Bramley House, near Guildford. Her own house was built nearby, at Munstead Wood. Edwin Lutyens was the architect. Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens later worked together on other gardens and had perhaps the most famous partnership in English garden history. Many commentators state that Lutyens designed the garden and Jekyll designed the planting. Given their respective ages, and Jekyll's natural authority, it seems more likely that Gertrude Jekyll conceived the garden design and her young assistant worked up the details
She was much influenced by Arts & Crafts principles.

Munstead Wood Garden

To historians, this is one of the most famous gardens in England. It belonged to Gertrude Jekyll and she employed Edwin Lutyens to design the house. Construction began in 1895. The house is in excellent condition and the garden, though greatly changed is being restored. One of the problems is that for her 'small garden' of 15 acres, Jekyll employed 14 gardeners

I live on 13 acres..............if I could get 14 people to help me..............I would do it!!

Hestercombe Gardens

Just look at her all dressed up........

You do not want to see what I look like out in my garden................

I promise!!

Upton Grey Garden

Heywood Gardens

Look at this pond she designed.................

and I thought I was so clever to get my husband to make my pond out of an old satelite dish..........

what would she have thought???

Any lady that loves cats in her garden is a kindered spirit for me!!

Upton Grey

The Manor House, Upton Grey

The 15th century Manor House was altered by Ernest Newton in 1903-1905 for Charles Holme, founder of the leading Arts and Crafts magazine The Studio. The garden was designed and planted in 1908 and 1909 by Gertrude Jekyll. This is the most accurately and fully restored of her gardens. The garden consists of a Wild garden where grass paths run amongst rambling roses, shrubs and trees to a planted pond. The Formal garden holds herbaceous borders with colours running from cool colours at either end to hot in the centre, a rose lawn, planted drystone walls, bowing and tennis lawns. This is surrounded by a nuttery, kitchen garden, and orchard with pergolas and arbours

If Gertrude were here, I would lead her through all of this prickly and thorny woods, pointing out the crooked mesquite trees with their rough bark, the red berries on the juniper bush, and the wild , weird creatures that inhabit this land...........all of the things that you, dear readers, have seen............do you think she would throw up her hands and run away as quick as she could jump the barbed wire fence??

What would she think of this dry, parched and prickly piece of earth, that I think is heaven??

I can tell you now, she would not make it in that long, heavy dress, out in this hot Texas heat..........

it was 110 here the other day.

No, I think if Gertrude were here, she and I would be sitting here in the shade.............

dreaming about the garden I could create.................once it cooled down enough..........

How about you?

Have you heard of Gertrude?

Or maybe you are inspired by another great gardener.............

perhaps someone in your own family?

I would love to hear.

The country's birthday is almost here........

If you are looking for a wonderful festive, rich and creamy desset for your guests this holiday,

visit my cooking blog for the recipe!

Just click onto this link........

My Country Kitchen

Have a safe and happy celebration!