235 'A SURREY GARDEN'
by E.L. Hampshire (1907-38)

Probably the biggest challenge for everyone admiring this singularly attractive picture, is to identify the brilliant array of flowers. An established garden seems to hold every classical flower for the whole season, indicating that never a week goes by without a surprise in every corner. See if you can tell which part of which month this dreamlike garden was painted? There are two clues but its always best to look at the *large version of the picture to confirm that you are correct.

Apart from continual Summer watering though, the juggling that has to be done is tremendous. And this is from March until September. Clearing one lot of expired blooms to make room for the next is a never ending task which requires more love than sense! From July the small bonfire is an absolute must, to give us both space and a little ash to help break the tougher soils down.

It seems to be that cottage owners have the benefit of the ultimate beauty around them, but barely time to stand back to admire the results. Even more frustrating is finding space for new annuals and bedding plants when there is so little room.

One day, someone is going to invent a garden 'map' that forewarns everyone a month ahead, when and where the next surprises will pop up!. Until then, overcrowding continues, and will we ever admit that accidents occur? Worse still, the uninitiated actually think its all fabulous anyway and why should we get so flustered! Incidentally, referring to the painting again, can you also identify what time of day it is, and which direction we are looking in. You're sure?

But that's a lot easier than planning colour combinations, drainage differences, acid vs. alkali soils and height vs. light conundrums. Perhaps we should all throw our hands up and admit that the thing that really gives us the greatest pleasure is the cup of tea and sit-down in between what is really hard work!
E.L. Hampshire is an unrecorded artist and probably would have been a very talented amateur. What is significant, is that this subject would have been the unlikely choice of a professional. So we have to be grateful to artists like this, who not only provide an insight into real life many generations ago, but are an inspiration of what we can achieve ourselves