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Amy Wight, Capability Brown, Charles Barry, garden visit, Nigel Dunnet, Piet Oudolf, sculpture, Stoke-on-Trent, Tom Stuart-Smith, Trentham Estate
Hello. This week I took a couple of days out to visit the Malvern Show and Trentham Gardens. I wrote a quick post about Malvern Here.
Trentham in Stoke-on-Trent is a magnificent green space with a mile long lake created by Lancelot Capability Brown. There are new meadow schemes by Nigel Dunnet and the original Italian gardens by Charles Barry have had a contemporary makeover by Tom Stuart – Smith. In addition there is a floral labyrinth created by Piet Oudolf.
According to James Alexander Sinclair Trentham is “the garden makeover of the decade” and certainly some of the best names in horticulture and design have been involved.
Highlights of my visit are my Six on Saturday, joining The Propagator .
1.
Balustrades and boats on Trentham lake.
I loved how they had filled the boats with tulips and floated them out. 
2. Bulbs. There were the most magnificent pots of tulips, violas, pansies and muscari, primroses, grasses and heuchera. 
Arrangements on steps and around benches. It surprised me how far behind they were compared to mine which have all finished. 
3.
Scale. The scale of the gardens is very 
impressive. Looking across the Italian gardens towards the lake.
4.
Colour. Stuart-Smiths use of colour is fabulous. Orange, blue and lime. 
The blue is from Camassias.
lime and orange from Euphorbias
5. Columns
I really admired the decision to give the Irish yew columns a flat top cut. This has the effect of stopping the eye from travelling up and up their height. They punctuate the frothy colourful planting rather like columns of a building. 
6. Sculpture
Garden sculpture is a key addition to the gardens. From intricate willow woven into vast floral or animal forms 
This is a dragon of living willow along the riverside walk.
Leaping bronze deer in the stumpery area of the lakeside walk.
My favourite were these fabulous gigantic dandelions by Amy Wight. These were literally blowing in the wind. 
If you have the chance to visit Trentham, just do it. Enjoy your weekend. D.
digwithdorris.com 
Capability Brown as Northumberland as they come.
Is that right, I didn’t know that.
Love the boats of tulips. Looks to be an exciting place to explore and you are so right about the long list of illustrious names. Wow!!
Definitely with a visit. Incredible place. So much has been done.
I like the giant dandelions too. I had read about the floating tulips and it is lovely to see them.
Oh thank you. It is incredible what they have achieved there
My, you are getting about this year, Dorris! I must check the NGS opening days as that ‘perk’ is still available for places like Trentham otherwise the admittance is eye watering – although probably worth it. Having not been since pre–children early 80s I am looking forward to seeing the changes which you and others describe so enthusiastically. I have seen the dandelion on another blog and love it – and those deer are brilliant! Thanks for sharing this too 😊
I am indeed doing lots of visits this year and that is my plan. I think Trentham has entry for RHS and perhaps NGS in winter months. It was worth £12 (or £10 for concessions) as the place is vast and with lovely walks as well as spectacular plantings. I think there should be free entry for locals to encourage wider use of the place but with the names involved and the amount of planting and sculpture etc I guess they have to charge entry. Upkeep and on going planting and clearing must be very expensive. The deer are fab aren’t they. You should go back Cathy, you’ll love it.
Just checked and they have an evening opening on the 12th June for the NGS – we have a group visit the next evening so I will have to decide nearer the time. On second thoughts I think already have something on the Weds anyway. Hey ho…
Busy lady ! You’ll get there I have no doubt
One of these days, yes 🙂
Great suggestion, I’ll visit if I’m ever in the area.
Thanks for reading Christina
This garden is massive! Could you even see everything in a day? They’ve done so much & everything looks really healthy. My fav was the boating tulips, probably because it’s such an unexpected juxtaposition, but I did really like the various sculptures, too. Is that you between the pillars?
It is massive and certainly there’s enough to keep you busy for the day. The plants looked in great condition everywhere yet we saw no gardeners! Floating tulips are fun. Ha no it’s not me between the pillars. Thanks for reading.
Trentham garden is HUGE! That lake is amazing and I love the tulips in the rowing boats! What a clever idea. Lovely 6.
Thank you. The boat idea is fun and so charming, thanks for reading.
Fabulous! thanks for sharing.
Thanks for reading
Love that orange, blue, lime combo. Theres a very similar dandelion sculpture at wisley. Same sculptor perhaps?
I’ve not been to whiskey for about 10 years so I haven’t seen there’s. I guess it could well be by the same artist. Those colours are quite striking, I loved them.
The symmetry is as impressive as the scale it.
Yes it is . Some garden