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I’ve always hated giving guided tours of the garden, and in order to thoroughly put people off the idea I charge extra for it. I’m rather shy, so opening the garden and welcoming visitors or doing our introductory talk for coach parties, always unnerves me. Charles is less bothered by it but we do try to share our opening efforts.

And, in my defence, I’m partly uncomfortable about the whole idea of a guided tour. It rather undermines my idea of a garden, as a peaceful place for reflection and pleasure, turning it perhaps into a series of incidents. And, of course, it involves lots of plant naming which I have always found problematic. Altogether it raises the question which Rory Stuart addressed in his book ‘What are Gardens for?’ which I thought was in some ways just a begining of discussing the issue. So – what are you wanting when you visit a garden?

Good book….

Do you want to wander at will and, if you feel like it, sit down in front of an appealing scene for a while? Have a gossip with whoever you came with?

Or have someone talk you through what you’re looking at as you go? (and tell you the plant names).

I confess my dislike of being shown round was confronted once when I visited a National Trust property and enjoyed the guide’s contribution a great deal. I realised I was noticing things which I would otherwise have simply missed, and that I was learning things that I would otherwise have had no idea about.

You might like someone at Veddw to tell you what this is about?

Anyway, hurray, it seems as if this discomfort at Veddw may possibly be resolved for anyone who has a smartphone, tablet or similar. Thanks to a useful new app called Candide:

Candide

There is a tour of Veddw on it, (search on ‘Places’) which consists of me and Charles standing at various points in the garden and discussing them. These points are located by GPS so that they should pop up for you in the garden if you want. (Or you can do the tour, minus pouring rain, at home in bed). Best of both worlds – you can shut it up any time you’d like and switch it on when you fancy. Has anyone used one? What did you think? Any good?

An awful lot is missed out, inevitably, but that is probably true of an ordinary garden tour. And the app also includes a plant identifying bit. Phew! (if it works). I think for all of this you will need to get our WiFi password, since we have not yet been blessed with a mobile signal.

I hope it’s going to give everyone what they have always wanted. Do you think?

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