In 1997, a friend asked me to go to England with her. I´d been reading British authors and watching British movies most of my life, so going to England felt like going home. We had so much fun that I´ve gone back close to 20 times since then. Naturally, visiting gardens is high on the list of things to do, and I´ve visited dozens of them, from charming London squares, to the amazing Kensington Roof Garden, to the famous white garden at Sissinghurst.

A few years ago I was chosen as the first International Visitor for the Jane Austen Society of North America. I spent the summer working in Jane Austen´s garden at Chawton Cottage. Working with a British gardener was an enlightening experience. Not only did I learn about the way the British people approach gardening, but I also developed a keen interest in English garden history. I also researched my book: A Dream House - Exploring the Literary Homes of England. You can learn more about that at www.adreamhousebook.com

My garden maintenance business, One Garden at a Time, focuses on English garden design. I also teach pruning workshops and lecture to garden clubs and other groups. You can learn more about this at my web site: http://www.onegardenatatime.biz

A few years ago I also started organizing and leading group trips to the greatest flower show on earth: the Chelsea Flower Show.

Now, as editor of the BellaOnline English Garden site, I want to share my knowledge and enthusiasm for English gardens from an American perspective. I´ll be writing on the elements of an English garden, and I´ll include glimpses of English gardens I´ve visited, including advice on how to adapt what you might see at an English garden for your own English garden.

Please join me, and share your own thoughts on English gardens - whether you´ve created your own or have visited fantastic ones I might have missed.



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