Aunt Joan's sampler - thoughts from the swimming pool

Conversation with Allison, my cousin, indicated Aunt Joan got a lot of her ideas about gardening by visiting National Trust gardens.  So, when we visited Hidcote, and saw the red border, I discovered she had planted single colour borders in various gardens she cultivated.

A few days ago I went to Red House when I was fed up with university, and did not need to look at project-relevant work.  I sketched some of the plants in the garden - wisteria and sweet pea in a purple border, and rather fell in love with a very attractive white ornamental thistle.  Then I decided to continue with my university course ... and saw my sketched flowers in a very different light.

So as Aunt Joan's sampler will have 4 borders, what about a different colour in each one?  I can't visit any of the gardens Aunt Joan created:  she died 2 years ago, and all her gardens, from her (many) different homes are now owned by other people.  So the next best thing is to "consult the original source" as we are told to do as students.  So I'm going to visit the original inspiring gardens.  And my National Trust ticket is about to go out of date, so tomorrow I am rushing down to Sissinghurst to draw plants in their white border.

Rose border, courtesy of National Trust 

White border, courtesy of greatbritishgardens

Also while swimming up and down the pool, I thought about the integrity of the assessment process.  My supervisor, Linden, was not involved in assessing my work for Developing Project, or Theory modules.  We have 2 assessors:  mine were Simone as module leader, and (I think) both Nick and Danielle, (as retiring and incoming Course Leaders), neither of whom have been involved in my work.  I believe everyone else had the module leader and their supervisor assess their work.  I find this deeply unsatisfactory and will raise it with Lewis, the module leader for the final module.  If Linden is excluded from my final assessment, I will raise it with the Course Verifier.