A flight took me to Dublin, followed by the number 65 into County Wicklow. A kilometre walk from the bus stop and I was there.
A full day course Understanding Plants – Choosing and using for long-term impact with Jimi Blake and Noel Kingsbury at Huntingbrook garden. 
It truly was a great day, it was informative, it was fun, and like Jimi and Noel’s shirts, there was never a dull moment.
We listened, learned and discussed how the long-term planting performance of plants is based on how their different root systems function and grow.
I definitely have a far better understanding of why certain perennials creep through gardens, often swamping others out in their way. Previously I didn’t give much thought as to why. I would get annoyed, dig them out, and then a few years later I was doing the same task again and again – well not any more. As the day progressed it became much clearer as to why this happens. Some plants spread out slowly forming relatively circular clumps, some send out runners in a more random way, and some perennials break into smaller clumps as they grow . If you are intrigued ( and you should be) you really ought to book yourself on Noel’s next course.
One of the books I regularly turn to is “Right Plant Right Place” by Nicola Ferguson. I think there should be a new book on the market, “Right Root Right Place ” it would clear up so many poorly judged long-term planting choices.
The morning lecture, turned into the afternoon which found us in Jimi’s garden, where amongst other things we did check out the plants to identify their root systems.
I felt like a plant hunter, coming across countless cultivars that I was previously unaware of. I was compelled to carry on searching through these extraordinarily beautiful borders for more of the unknown.
Colour blasts out from the Salvias and Dahlias. Then, when focusing on these individual plants your eye finds exquisite combinations of annuals, grasses, and perennials, all seamlessly flowing into the Irish landscape beyond. Not a single shrub or large perennial to mar your view, and if it does Jimi just literally removes it.
The above image from my home helped me to find an analogy. Huntingbrook gardens are like a tapestry in that they are full of rich and sumptuous colour combinations, texturally tactile and stimulating to the senses. It is a truly exciting and unique garden.
Personally, this image sums up Huntingbrook for me, a place where gorgeous plants meld into the landscape beyond (even though it is slightly more out of focus than I would hope for).
This garden is incredible, it is an all-consuming, all colour pumping landscape, it truly was a totally immersive experience.
I definitely will visit in another season, as there are acres left to explore.
Sally Wicks 