English-style Gardens

Oh dear, there is rather a lot of breast beating going on out West USA over
this subject it would seem. You are selling yourselves short. There is a
perverse attraction with gardening in trying to defy nature to a degree and
getting away with it. At least part of your involvement with the classical
elements of the English-style garden in places like California - even in
the Bay Area -surely springs from this urge ? That was always my impression
when visiting.
 Here in Sussex 10 miles from the sea[Zone 9] we are busy establishing a
Medit-style garden. While we have our share of disasters,  it continually
astonishes us which so-called tender plants manage to hold on and even
thrive in our conditions, albeit with some protection in the winter from
the wet - cold per se is not so much a problem. Our motto is 'Stamp out
Herbaceous borders' only because they are a cliche, even a plague, here -
though they are a tour de force, along with a decent lawn, out West and
beyond. 
Your advocating more planting to reflect your regional flora and conditions
is entirely sensible and safe, if a trifle tame when taken to extremes. Of
course there is the crucial matter of water and I imagine this, more than
any single  factor, will determine the direction you take in the long term,
at least in California.  I imagine the Pacific/Medit-style which eventually
emerges will have elements of  most styles.
 Anyway, the English garden is facing new 'threats' at home - viz. the
explosion of interest in so-called architectural plants and other
interlopers currently underway here and which is so condemned by the
purists. You only have to see the stands at Chelsea these days, many are by
no means inspired by Gertrude Jekyll.
Edward Faridany
East Sussex
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