Landscape and horticulture expert

Memories of your childhood garden

I don't know about you, but I have fond memories of growing up? I lived on the edge of a military garrison town about 12 miles from Aldershot, the home of the British Army. The garrison was called Bordon and had played a big big part in the defence of the nation over wars dating back to the Boar War.

When do you think that he'll come back?

The opening words of the famous poem by Rudyard Kipling about the fruitless search for his son John (Jack) who was killed by a mortar shell on the front line at Loos, north-eastern France, during the First World War.

Kipling never got over the death of his beloved son and was to go on to found the War Graves Commission, who's aim is to remember, with a headstone, the death of every known Commonwealth soldier that dies in conflict.

The great storm of 1987

'Twas on this day in 1987 that the 'hurricane' that never was roared through southern England and played skittles with 15 million trees.

I felt rather cheated because I slept through it all. The first I remember of this great event was being awoken by my little brother, who cycled the 5 miles to Baldwins Nursery near Liss, saying that there was a tree down and he could not get through and was I able to run him in, otherwise he would be late.

Indeed, trying to navigate the journey was a great fun. We took a detour of nearly ten miles just to get on to the road through Greatham but to no avail. Of course, this was nothing ordinary and the event would quite literally change the landscape.

Post your garden history photo's and theories.

I would like to take the garden history theme bit further.

Has anyone got any old photo's or links to sites that beg questions about changes to gardens or buildings that influenced gardens?

The kind of things I am looking for is old walls with a bricked up door - where did the door lead to and what was behind - did it lead to a secret garden?

Paving that suddenly stops with perhaps a depression in the grass where it once continued - where did the path lead and why was it taken up?

Perhaps an avenue of trees that looks like they were part of an old drive or track - what was their purpose?

Changes in wall brickwork (i.e. the bond might have been changed from rat-trap to flemish for example) - why and what was the addition for?

A mark left on the side of the potting shed wall in the way of an old roof line - what was the addition and why was it removed?