Beth Chatto


Very sad to hear that Beth Chatto, nurserywoman, author and one of the most influential horticulturists of recent times, has died, aged 94. Her belief in natural planting, working with nature in local environments has been of great significance to modern gardening. I was lucky enough to photograph her a few times in her garden in Essex, and these portraits were taken in 2008. Each meeting started with a cup of tea, and her quiet nature and small stature always hid her great significance in the gardening world. From the series 43 Gardeners Hands, which was part of the International […]

River Thames footpath


Rev Richard Coles, presenter on BBC Radio Four’s Saturday Live, once described the plastic bags suspended along the roadside on his drive home as looking like “Unfortunate wraiths snagged in trees”. Sadly a common feature along the River Thames. More ‘wildling’ trees along the Thames footpath near Mortlake. A ‘wildling’ Plane tree growing out of the cobbled embankment along the River Thames between Chiswick and Kew.  

Plastic bag in tree, Mortlake

Coast of Light, March 2018


Some recent photographs from Andalucia in the Coast of Light series. Playa de Los Bateles, Conil de la Frontera, 11.3.18 Conil de la Frontera from Playa de Los Bateles, 11.3.18 Plastic bags on high tide line, El Puerto de Santa Maria, 10.3.18 Beach café, El Puerto de Santa Maria with cycle path, 10.3.18 Straits of Gibraltar, near Tarifa, 12.3.18 Tarifa, Andalucia. Where two seas meet, taken from the same position – 1. Atlantic Ocean 2. Mediterranean Sea, 12.3.18 Shopping mall, Jerez, 10.3.18 Wildling grass in tree – El Puerto de Santa Maria, 10.3.18 Bougainvillea – El Puerto de Santa Maria, 10.3.18 […]

Straits of Gibraltar

John Brookes


I was sad to hear last week that John Brookes, the renowned garden designer, has died aged 84. For those non-gardeners reading this post, he also wrote many books on the subject and received an MBE for Garden Design and services to horticulture in 2004. A portrait of John from the Gardeners’ Hands project in 2008.