Conversation, punctuation, strata.

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Monty,



The sculpted figures by www.ospreystudios.org have a conversation on this May morning. This moment in the Coal Tip Cloister Garden with iridescent beetle, blackbirds and a pointy dog is close to perfection to me.
Fresh green in the morning light - it is best seen from the kitchen terrace - and from the pergola in evening light.







So we learnt on GW last night that you have been influenced by Penelope Hobhouse and by Italian gardens. I in turn have been influenced by Italian gardens and the great romantic garden of The Veddw in Monmouthshire. As I have discussed in one of my early letters to you I was also influenced by the long vistas of Versailles which seemed to stick in my formative brain - I had never seen such a garden before, my experience of gardens had been small back gardens, rockeries and municipal parks.

I suppose that is why I feel so privileged to have even this modest space - space enough to create an illusion of an Italianate cloister. This garden is not about individual plants - but about placement and punctuation. A narrative, a conversation.

We are open over the weekend of June 10th-11th with the NGS. Teas and a few cakey things will be available along with the opportunity to purchase some original artwork.

Come on Monty - have a cup of tea.




Paul

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