Linda
@lindacdolan.bsky.social
Worked at RHS Wisley, now retired and a happy and proud volunteer there. Passionate about Wisley, plants and gardens. Also a quilter, embroiderer and beader. Proud to be Woke. 'Woke just means you give a damn about other people’ Jane Fonda 2025
For anyone not lucky enough to be able to visit Wonderful Wisley, this video shows just a tiny part of it. youtu.be/qF453q8jFn8?...
RHS Garden Wisley. The Cottage Garden. 2026.07 #garden #gardenplants #gardendesign #cottagegarden
YouTube video by Enjoy the Garden
youtu.be
🌱 #roseWednesday One of the roses growing in Wisley’s Hilltop Wellbeing Garden, Rosa ‘Reine des Violettes’. The Wisley team are doing an excellent job job of keeping everything alive and looking good but it’s tough! It takes me 3/4 of an hour and 1000 steps to water special plants with a can!
🌱 #thicktrunkTuesday The pruning of this tree in Mayfair, London caught my eye. It looks as though it is “cloud pruned”. There are so many wonderful trees all over London, giving very welcome shade in summer. Slightly cooler today but I shall stay at home and stitch.
🌱 I did some early morning gardening and was joined by a faithful friend who appears every time I am in my tiny garden.
🌱 #magentaMonday Finally I managed to photograph a butterfly on a “Butterfly Bush” (Buddleja). It is a Painted Lady and apparently they fly all the way from Africa to spend summer here. It’s going to be very hot again today so I will be sheltering at home!
🌱 #SundayYellow Another Sunday and another volunteering session at Wisley’s Hilltop. The picture is from last Sunday in the Hilltop World Food Garden. During training we were told that all the flowers were edible but not necessarily palatable! I haven’t tried these but the fly was enjoying it.
#postboxSaturday Spotted in West London and thought it was unusual enough to post. Apparently it is a Penfold design from Victorian times.
🌱 #SixonSaturday from my tiny garden. The heat carries on unrelentingly and the tiny bit of rain forecast has now disappeared from my weather app for the next couple of weeks so I will be using my watering can for special plants. Meanwhile , the pollinators continue enjoying the flowers.
🌱 #flowersonFriday My idea of perfection! I’m waiting and waiting for this season’s Dahlias to flower so this one is a memory. Slightly cooler today and after my annual blood test I hope a friend will come and visit. We had arranged for Wednesday but it was just too hot!
A view from my bathroom window. Sadly, I don’t think they are rain clouds but I am hoping……………
🌱 #insectThursday I spend some of my time at Wisley’s Hilltop looking for critters to photograph but the butterflies are usually too quick for me. This beautiful “Painted Lady” was kind to me and settled for long enough. Slightly less hot today thank goodness.
🌱 #roseWednesday “Roses are Red…………….” It’s set to be the hottest day of the week so if you want me I will be sheltering indoors until about 7pm when I will be in my tiny garden.
🌱 #thicktrunkTuesday London is blessed with many large, mature trees that are providing very welcome shade on these hot, dry days. This one is in Russel Square. I am so grateful to be able to shelter at home on hot days and am lucky to have engaging hobbies to keep me occupied.
🌱 #magentaMonday One of the Amaranths growing in Wisley’s Hilltop World Food World Food garden because the leaves and seeds are edible. It’s the start of another predicted hot and dry week although this morning is cloudy and cool. I shall be sheltering in my cool house gardening early and late.
I love my Wisley volunteer colleagues for many, many reasons but this is just one of them, a gift from Margaret’s allotment. Aren’t I lucky?
🌱 #SundayYellow One of the unusual vegetables growing in Wisley’s Hilltop World Food Garden and labelled “Chayote”, it produces an unusual shaped squash which is pale green and pear shaped. I look forward to seeing them. Off to Hilltop for a morning of volunteering. So far it is cloudy and cool.
🌱 #sixonSaturday from my tiny garden. We are heading into another week of heat and no rain unfortunately. Luckily my diary is fairly empty so I can shelter in my cool house and restrict gardening activities to early morning and evening. I managed to cut my hedge this week so my green bin is full!
On the theme of #I❤️London, I visited an extraordinary exhibition (free!) at the Brunei Gallery at SOAS near Russel Square. I heard about it from @ianvisits.co.uk . If you live in or near London I would thoroughly recommend following him and signing up for newsletters. He finds interesting events!
🌱 At the old entrance to Wisley Garden and growing in the side of the Old Lab building is a magnificent Itea illicifolia. The label tells me it was planted in 1999 and I have never seen it look better! #flowersonFriday
🌱 #insectThursday The days continue to be hot and sunny. I make sure there is water for birds in my tiny garden but also water for pollinators in shallow trays filled with pebbles and shells. It gives me much pleasure when I see them being used.
🌱 #roseWednesday I’m not sure there is room for even one more petal. Growing in Wisley’s Hilltop Wellbeing garden, this is Rosa ‘Reine des Violettes’ Later I will be going to Wisley for a celebration of the horticultural science carried out in the Hilltop building. It should be interesting.
🌱 #thicktrunkTuesday One of Wisley’s mighty oaks on the way to the Hilltop building. It is being worked on by the wonderful Arb team who regularly check all Wisley’s trees to maintain their health and keep visitors safe.
#BlueSkyMonday and a view of Wisley’s canal filled with water lilies and the Waterlily Pavilion. So far the garden team have managed to keep the gardens looking superb in the heat and drought although grass that isn’t watered is brown. It will recover as soon as it rains.
🌱 #SundayYellow Flowering beautifully in one of the lakes in Wisley’s Hilltop Wildlife garden, a yellow waterlily. I shall be there this morning for my volunteering shift and it is wonderfully cool. I am even wondering if I will need my fleece but I expect it will warm up.
🌱 #sixonSaturday from my tiny garden this week, hot colours to reflect the heat we have been experiencing. I had my first day of watering with a watering can after the hosepipe ban came into force and because my garden is tiny it is just about manageable. I only water the desperate plants and pots.
🌱 #flowersonFriday from Wisley’s Exotic garden. They all seem to be enjoying the heat much more than I am. My garden hose is now packed away because we have a hosepipe ban in my area so I will be trying to keep the plants in my tiny garden alive using a watering can. Wish me luck!
🌱 #clematisThursday Clematis vitalba is the wild clematis that can be seen all over the countryside with masses of white flowers and fluffy, long lasting seed heads. One of the many common names is “Old man’s beard” Off for Tour Guide training with Jonathan this morning.
🌱 #roseWednesday Like two friends close together, this is Rosa ‘Cariad’. I am off to Wisley for a staff and volunteer update. I always like to know what is going on and what is planned.
🌱 #thicktrunkTuesday One of Wisley’s huge Hornbeams at the edge of the Hilltop site. I see it every Sunday but don’t often take time to appreciate it. It’s a pleasantly cool morning so I should be able to spend some time in my tiny garden.
