It’s “Mad about machines” week at the RHS Wisley botanical gardens. We took the boy down today to see a vintage tractor parade, ride in a trailer pulled by a tractor and we queued for half an hour just so he could sit in the cab of a John Deere. I like tractors as much as the next person, but as someone whose grandfather sold Ford tractors – making any effort to sit in one of those green monstrosities felt just a teeny bit like a betrayal.
Nothing runs like a Deere
Nothing lasts like a Ford
Almost as exciting as the vintage tractors were the vintage lawnmowers. The boy was thrilled to “push” an 1880 model mower and roller around the field. (Just out of frame is the man who’s pulling it along with a rope).
But most of exciting of all, at least for me, is the discovery that Wisley has installed play area! The tractors will only be there til the 30th, but the playground is there to stay – tucked into a less visited area in the arboretum but only just around the corner from the fabulous Piet Oudolf borders and not far from the glass house. And it’s a really good one. All still fairly new, I’m not overly impressed by the planting scheme (so far) – this could be an opportunity to show how horticultural and children’s play CAN be combined successfully. But they may have more in the works and I really can’t grumble about the equipment, including giant logs they’ve half buried in pits – some filled with pine cones. (yes, on reflection that doesn’t sound that good and none of my pictures really came out that well – but it was really fun). There are some great climbing frames and tunnels you can build your own teepees by adding branches to pre-constructed wooden frames.
Horticultural highlights
You might think that we didn’t even look at the flowers, and yes we spent little time this week. But the hydrangeas are lovely, the summer border is just hitting its stride and agapanthus are brilliant throughout the gardens.
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