Last summer, my son and I scored tickets in the Debenture section of Centre Court at Wimbledon. Sports fanatics that we are, to say that we were overwhelmed and thrilled is an understatement. The serenity of the venue, the amazing decorum of the spectators, the pristine tennis whites all combined to create an unforgettable experience. And then there are the gardens…
The grounds at Wimbledon are spellbinding. Curated and cultivated in the signature purple and green of the tournament, the gardens feature ivy, hydrangeas, phlox and lavender. The groundskeepers source most of the landscape from England, using carpet bedding from Cornwall and geraniums from West Sussex, and bring in elements from outside of England as well. The Loire Valley in France provides the gorgeous hydrangeas. Ivy arrives from Holland. Houseplants from Italy. According to an interview in The Telegraph, Roger Denny, whose family landscaping business has tended the gardens at the All England Lawn Tennis Club since 1946, “The aim is to create a setting of tennis in an English country garden.”
So, we threw our names in the hat for the overseas ballot this year–no luck yet, but we will be back for sure. For the sporting action on the grass courts and the horticultural spectacle on the grounds.
