I have been pencilling a visit to Trentham for a few years, but being a few hours away for us it’s always fallen off the calendar in favour of days out with less petrol. I have tried to avoid creating any expectations, I hate superfluous reviews and being influenced by someone else’s agenda, so knowing that I was going and how to get there was about as much research as we did. The entrance is well disguised amongst the mini shopping village. Big, much bigger than I expected and the plants were impressive. I saw virtually my whole plant portfolio assembled before me and not just used singularly but how they should be planted, en masse. Stipa gigantea were back lit by the sun and created golden explosions in the Italian garden. It was a stunning effect. The garden, at least the planted areas, is divided into two main areas, the Italian, geometric beds and the “flower maze” of irregular beds. This area worked better for me. The planting was on a more human scale and the perennials more varied. There were great combinations and rhythms of colour (there were also very jarring arrangements of colour/ form, or are they intentional juxtapositions?) Definitely the right time to visit, I would like to return in winter and on an overcast day, the strong sunlight did not help my pictures.