Vita's Vision

It's impossible to visit Sissinghurst and not be awe struck by the talent and vision of Vita Sackville-West and her husband Sir Harold Nicolson. They bought a rundown property and created a stunning romantic garden.

Their life together was dramatic, passionate and complicated. Looking at the photos, it's easy to imagine their life echoed in the garden's design. The formal hardscape, perfectly defined borders and the walled gardens seem to mirror their aristocratic world of rules and decorum, but,
the life they lived is seen in those exuberant and wild plantings. But, I may be seeing more then is really meant;)

The view into the Yew Walk

One thing is certain, there is nothing like seeing Sissinghurst from above!

It was a lovely spring day~
The view from the Tower where Vita's private study is located is stunning. Her study is exactly as it was when she died. All her belongings are carefully packed up for winter and then placed exactly where they belong the following spring. The gardens are treated much the same~ Plants might die, but, they are replaced with similar ones and if possible the same plants she might have chosen.
Looking down into the Lower Courtyard you can see the Yew Walk and the famous White Garden....

Here's the White Garden~next month the arbor will be covered in white flowers.

I don't recall where this wall is located, but the border is lovely~

When a local friend asked me what I thought of visiting Sissinghurt...I could only think to say, "Wow, was I one lucky gardener!" Sissinghurst is a beautiful and inspiring garden~Filled with marvelous plants, formal hardscapes, antique building, meadows with grasses and wildflowers, long borders with tulips and wallflowers, groomed green walls that made me wonder if Hedge would tolerate a severe haircut. It was stimulating, inspiring and a treat to the senses. I am no expert having only seen it for a few hours~but, I can say that Sissinghurst has it's own style~

Borders surrounded by formal hardscape are filled to capacity with blooming plants and self seeding perennials and annuals.
Exuberant color!

Perennial and bulbs planted en masse~the more the merrier.

Vines and roses were indispensable and encouraged to twine and clamber where they will.

Wildlife was a part of the garden~


Meadows and grasses were left to be just a bit wild.
Contained exuberance, contained wildness and contained chaos are phrases that could be used to describe the garden. It's a naturalistic style of gardening that requires an excellent eye and a great deal of effort for it to work! It's still working! I can't hire garden help~But, I could certainly find a chalk board to hang in the garden!


I may be wrong in assuming that the gardens imitated their life, but I am certain that seeing it with Frances/Fairegarden and Victoria/Victoria's Backyard was an absolute delight!
When you visit a garden like this, you must go in the company of passionate, plant loving gardeners. Spend as much time as you can, take photos of the plants, the plant tags and stop for cream tea and a conversation about what you've seen. That's what we did!

Victoria and Frances at another garden!

Thank you Victoria for opening your home and showing us such a wonderful time! You are the best!

xxgail

Next up~Great Dixter!