46 years ago I started summer vocational work at RHS Wisley on Battlestone Hill. One of the first things I did was help in planting trees to provide shade for the Rhododendrons and Azaleas. As I had an Australian father I was given 6 Gum saplings to plant. Every time I visit I see how “my” trees are doing.

Our first port of call is usually the glasshouse, not the original ones I worked in, but a more modern multi environment one. This has a corner for orchids, rather than a seperate growing house when I worked there. Some of the orchids still had my “labels” on them.

The range of climates provide a wide diversity of plants

Outside the glasshouse is landscaped into a lake with grasses and dancing hares !

We then walked up to the old glasshouse site, passing numerous small gardens, transplanted from previous Chelsea Flower Shows, and borders of shrubs, bulbs and annuals

The glasshouse site has been transformed into RHS Hilltop, an educational and research building dedicated to gardening. It provides a glimpse into the future horticulture will provide, and shows how backward we are in Australia ! Always trying to simplify and dumb things down rather than extending our learning and understanding.

At the back of Hilltop was a glorious bog/wetlands/wild garden area. It’s given us an idea for our back garden in Tassie. It’s about time I had another gardening challenge, and I’ve got a pre formed pond already.

We then walked thru to Battlestone Hill, passing a giant horses head. It hasn’t changed much from my days, and provided a calming retreat to sit and contemplate, far from the numerous Sunday visitors.

We finished our stroll wandering thru the Alpine House and Rock Garden, which had a colourful display of carnivorous plants.

We greatly enjoyed our time at Wisley, finished off with lunch including a honey crunch biscuit, which I loved when working there. A lot of special memories today, and thoughts about people who love these gardens and those who worked in them whilst I was there, at least one is still there !