About Stephen Griffith
I have been the Horticultural manager/Curator for Abbotsbury SubTropical Gardens since taking over after massive storm damage back in 1990. The gardens trustees wanted a fresh new 10 year development plan to revive this historic yet overgrown and neglected garden, to improve the plant content, infrastructure, interpretation and tourism aspects – Prior to Abbotsbury I have been designing and restoring landscapes and gardens in diverse places such as Saudi Arabia, South of France, Sark C.I, Cotswolds and the New Forest. I also lead garden tours world wide, write articles and the odd book. Professional bodies – I am a member of the RHS woody plant committee, M.I Hort, International Camellia Society.
High summer ‘flower power’
I love this time of year when the massed drifts of perennial flowers interspaced with annuals and summer bulbs combine like a painters palette. This year the 'Mediterranean bank' looks stunning with many South African species combining to produce vibrant colour.Deep blue Agapanthus inapertus,shell pink Watsonia hybrids and crimson Crocosmia…
Flaming June!!
It's been an odd sort of season with the weather baking hot in April, hose pipes in early May, and a cool damp start for June. At least there are still some good old standby plants that never let us down. One of my firm favourites and one that is…
Feathered Friends
Abbotsbury gardens can be a real haven for wildlife, especially passing migrant birds. This year a rare Hoopoe was spotted as he came up from the continent and paused to rest a while at the gardens. Talking of exotic birds, when I first started work at Abbotsbury many years ago…
Early Summer update
It's been such a busy time in the garden that the blog page has been on hold. At last we have planted out the summer annuals, Exotic succulent Aloes, Cannas, Dahlias and tender shrubs. Thank goodness we spent time in November lifting some of our half hardy plants to store…