I can’t emphasis how important planning is when it comes to creating a well-established garden. Most of us want instant beauty but with gardens you have to plan, nurture and maintain. Just look at all the great gardens that we…
Plan now to make the most of your garden

Why our parks need help to survive

Our parks and open spaces will need help if they are going to survive the latest round of local government cuts. Parks and open spaces are so far down the list of council priorities that along with libraries they are immediately at…
Spring call to action to get your garden in to shape

This is a great time of the year to get your garden in to shape for those summer months. There are plenty of jobs that need doing to ensure you get the best out of your garden whether it be: renovating…
Nothing beats hard work to get the best out of your lawn

The best way to explain how to care for a lawn is to equate it with how you look after your hair. If you didn’t cut your hair, brush it, or put any conditioner on it what would it look…
Why you should visit these gardening masterpieces?

If there are two gardens I would recommend visiting it would be Monet’s Garden in France and Great Dixter in East Sussex. They offer very contrasting styles and designs but the planting is equally as dramatic. They may be hundreds…
The first signs of Spring . . . bring us life!

While the weather has been pretty horrendous this week it has been really mild and I was quite excited today because I saw my first Galanthus (snowdrop) . . .
Topiary or not topiary? That is the question.

While Buxus sempervirens, or Box as it is commonly known, only needs to be clipped once or twice a year this in itself can prove an unsurmountable challenge for those less used to such intricate cutting when shaping the foliage. Other problems…
The eco marvel that is The Beth Chatto gardens

Set in the Essex countryside The Beth Chatto gardens are an ecological marvel which has earned her much deserved praise. While I went to visit the gravel garden I was equally excited by the Woodland and Water gardens. I was so…
Spruce up your garden with the Chelsea factor

Delicate drifts of perennial planting, wild flowers and grasses defined many of this year’s Chelsea show gardens. Black and blue were the colours of the day interspersed with pulsating purples, vibrant pinkyreds and striking spires of yellow Lupins (Lupinus ‘Chandelier’)…
Chelsea looks to the past for inspiration

There is something for everyone at this year’s Chelsea whether you are a garden fashionista or looking to the past for inspiration. What is fashionable in the gardening world is at the heart of Chelsea Flower Show and this year’s…