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.
Busy times ahead
Well we've just had a run of three dry weeks and the ground has shown signs of drying up, just enough to be able to get the tractor and trailer out and about with loads of lovely well rotted muck !! There are so many old tired borders with ancient shrubs in…
A hint of ‘Spring’ in February
I've known far worse winters, although not quite so wet !! I realize it is only early February but one senses spring is just around the corner. Snow is still predicted up north but us soft southerners are already packing away the spare bags of road salt for another year. On cool…
The Winter Chill
Winter berriesModern art ? or cosy Cycads !! Camellia sasanqua 'Crimson King'Well here we are again, we've finished wrapping up some of our more tenderBananas,Cycads and Palms, with still some more wood chipping mulch to go around the soft fleshy tubers of the Cannas and Hedychium. Winter here…
Late Tantalizers
"Hummingbird Flower" "The autumn leaves are falling fast with every squall that blows, theres lots of work in beds and border keeping gardener's on their toes"and I'm a poet and didn't know it !! The garden takes on its new winter appearance as herbaceous borders fade away and give way…