English Garden Delights

In searching and reading about Terrain, I stumbled across the most magnificent place - Petersham Nurseries in Richmond, England. It is magnificent - and what's more, probably the source of inspiration for a place like Terrain. It is 'the real thing' - a place that has, for generations (although it had a brief hiatus and was bought & re-opened in 2004), brought gardens, gardening and all things related, to aficionados and novices alike. Petersham functions much like any other nursery, but they go beyond - investing money in their community, working for fundraising to help local artists, local building preservation and restoration, and helping their local constituents learn about gardening, growing their own food and integrating it into their diet.

And of course, I can't just write about how beautiful a place like Petersham's is without mentioning its importance in helping us maintain our connection with nature. Gardening is something that not only helps to beautify your home and uplift your spirit, but it is also a means to learn about nature, be productive and perhaps grow some of your own food, and also to learn about how fragile and intricate an eco-system is - and what it really means - the effort, time, money, patience and knowledge all necessary to obtain food from seeds, water, sun and earth. Perhaps if more people

knew how they got the food in their grocery stores, they'd waste less and be willing to pay for safer, less toxic, less commercial methods of growing. What's more, plants can help to purify our air, fertilize our soil, clean our water, and keep all the insects and animals living their happy lives too. Stores like Petersham's offer us an opportunity to enjoy all of this in our modern, convenience filled, luxury way - with a cafe and natural soaps, lotions and beautiful accessories and antiques. If we can find this balance of contentious and ethical consumption, then why not promote it, and perhaps replicate it as Terrain has done? But if you do have a chance to go to the source - I think you won't be disappointed. From the images below, it looks like a little slice of garden heaven.

Below are a mix of the products you can find - from plant life to gorgeous antiques.

And once you're tired from all the sight seeing and shopping - enjoy some delicious, garden fresh and seasonal delights in the Petersham Cafe.

And below are various images of the nursery taken by different photographers and showcased on Petersham's sight under the Gallery link. I have featured photos from three different people, mixed up, and in no particular order - Keiko Oikawa, Lisa Barber, and Suzie Gibbons. Aside from having an incredible subject matter, their photographs are truly beautiful.

What a wondrous world...