It’s a real pleasure when clients invite me back to their garden after a few years to be involved in the evolution of it. Gardens are never static and tweaks to the planting are inevitably required to keep the garden looking it’s best. Last week we visited a garden in Ashtead that we designed 7 …
This variegated pittosporum ‘tree’ has been pruned to reveal the lower branches, which is a great idea. Pittosporums are bought as shrubs, and they tend to grow into rather unshapely lumps….and then keep growing to tree height! Once they get to this height, they look great pruned in this way, especially in a small garden. …
Topiary domes are all the rage! I have to share with you these Yew domes, they look divine dotted alternately along an organic shaped pathway. They are arranged so that the foliage overlaps over the path – it wouldn’t be the same otherwise. The whole effect is just gorgeous! Designed by Adam Frost for Chelsea …
BBC TV’s DIY SOS this week showed Chris Beardshaw’s 2016 Chelsea garden being moved to the Gt Ormond St hospital roof. Amazing feat and a very special garden. I particularly love the gorgeous cut out oak leaf panels for the oak pavilion, and the uplifting piece of sculpture amongst lush planting. The garden has created …
Continue reading “Therapeutic garden for Gt Ormond St hospital”
These boxing hares are a great addition to this country garden. My client chose them herself for the centre of a large herbaceous border benefitting from a focal point. All sorts of animal willow sculptures like these are available now, pigs….horses, elephants! Sculptures or ornaments in the garden can hold special memories or meaning which …
Whenever I plant up a garden it is always rewarding to salvage plants from existing borders if I can. As long as they are not plants my client loathes, they are healthy, they fit in with the scheme, and they are not too big to be moved or split up. Today we decided to salvage …
This Chaenomeles has proved a hit. Planted against a fence in a north-facing border with clay soil, it has established well. It flowered beautifully in Spring, and gave another flush again recently. It produces lime green apple like fruits (not edible). The double white flowers, tinged with yellow stand out in the shade and easily …
One of the most important aspects of a garden is it’s use as a seating/ dining/lounging area. The term ‘Outdoor Room’ is a bit of a cliche, but in good weather the garden really does become the alternative lounge and dining room (and kitchen..!) It’s a great advantage to consider the size, colour and style …
I love this beautiful contemporary garden, designed by Paul Martin and built by Kent based RDC Landscapes www.rdclandscapes.co.uk. It won a gold medal earlier this year at Chelsea. The block theme works so well. It is repeated throughout the garden with the garden building, steps, walls, path and water feature. Using the one type of …
Chelsea Flower show gardens of recent years are a rich seam of inspiration. Luciano Giubbilei is an astonishingly stylish Italian designer and this was part of his Laurent Perrier garden in 2011. Here the pale grey, twisted stems of Parrotia persica multi-stemmed trees stand out against the hornbeam hedge. They do so in a more …