I had always longed to see the marvels of the famous Ladew Topiary Gardens in Maryland and finally got my chance when I was invited to speak there on April 17. Above you can see me standing in front of one of Ladew’s famous topiary creations. Since Ladew is situated in what is still beautiful, rolling fox-hunting country, it is fitting that this is the figure of a rider on horseback leaping over a fence chasing a pack of hounds, but they are all creatures of carved greenery. Perfect for a talk about Rosemary Verey who was a passionate hunter herself, and had been to Ladew more than once during her lifetime.
But Ladew is more than extraordinary topiary. It is a beautiful garden with wonderful garden features, reflecting pools, fountains and more. How nice to learn that the creator, Harvey S. Ladew was himself a painter as you see in the picture of him below.
My wonderful friend and a Trustee at Ladew, Bartie Cole, is here with me as I sign books. And Sheryl Pedrick, the Education Director, organized everything to perfection, shown with me in front of a mammoth bird house. It was sized to house doves. We had a sold out event, as you can see from the crowd. Before my talk I had the pleasure of touring the gardens on a lovely sunny morning, in the good company of Phil Krach, Senior Gardener who remembered taking Rosemary around himself years before. Fran Scully, a member of the gardening team led me through the many areas, justifiably proud of the high standards set by both the design and the ongoing maintenance. After the talk, i enjoyed lunch there in the good company of Bartie, several friends, and Tyler Diehl, the Head of Gardens, shown here with me and Emily Emerick, the Executive Director. The entire visit remains a happy memory.
