This small garden was in a lot of trouble, with bad soil and drainage, poor quality turf and inaccessible planting. The client needed easy access to all parts of the garden and a low maintenance planting solution so that she could enjoy her outdoor space. The wet turf was replaced with artficial turf, whilst the…
This tranquil water feature and seating area replaced an overgrown planting bed. The Cor-Ten screens are bespoke, set behind a circle of Porphyry setts. A centre water bowl provides some soft movement and sounds as the water overspills gently. The planting, when mature will be soft and billowing with grasses, verbena, rogersia, salvias, hostas, ferns…
Still to be finished with some soft herbaceous planting, this classic courtyard garden was created from a damp patch of grass. The whole space has been lifted by the natural stone paving and the property complimented by the formal shapes of the buxus balls and topiarised holly trees
If you think there is nothing to do in the garden in November apart from tidying up leaves – think again! Now is the time to think about next year. Where are the gaps you need to fill? What worked and didn’t work? What is doing well in the garden? Filling gaps with existing perennials…
This is the time of year to gather your leaves and make the best soil improver you can find – Leafmould. It is by far the most efficient way to deal with leaves and it means you can re-use them in the garden, saving your petrol on the dump-run or the cost of someone else…
I have been visiting Le Garden Champêtre in Caunes-Minervois over the last two years. It has been lovingly created by Imogen Checketts and Kate Dumbleton on a normally very dry site near to the river L’Argent Double and specialises in perennials, ornamental grasses, bulbs, ground covers and herbs. These drought-resistant plants form a demonstration garden and…
Work is progressing well on the front and back gardens of this Strathbungo property. I am looking for a semi-formal look for the front garden, finally settling on randomly laid riven sandstone flags which will elevate the existing box balls and holly topiaries when all is completed. The animation above is my original concept…
Work is almost complete in Bridge of Weir. We still have a few details to complete. The sail shade is ready to go up, and there is a small sculptural feature to be installed near the seating area. There is a very different feel to this garden now. The setting is much more contemporary and…
One of the most common questions I get is when to prune hedges, and how to control their size. I like to keep things straightforward , so start by establishing a few facts about your hedge. First of all – is your hedge evergreen, semi-evergreen or deciduous? Does it grow vigorously? Do you need it…
July and August are wonderful months when real harvesting starts from your allotment or your productive garden. I really look forward to my Blackcurrants and Redcurrants, which are the first of my fruits to be ready. I have an abundant quantity and each year I have to decide what to do with them. This year…
