I am really happy to say that from today, my partner Simon is joining me in my business. He will be carrying out garden maintenance – tidy-ups, grass-cutting, pruning, hedge-trimming, and still helping me out with planting and border re-vamps. He is leaving his job at a wholesale nursery, where he has worked for the …
Inviting steps
This is a garden which I designed and was built earlier this year. Previously (see below), the steps were too small and in the wrong place. They now lead invitingly from the house to the garden. The paving stones used are Stonemarket ‘vintage stone frost’ – a blue/grey limestone.
Steeply sloping garden
This is the steps and patio of a very steeply sloping back garden in Dorking that I designed recently. As there is quite a drop from the patio and path to the level below, railings have yet to be installed, and the planting is also yet to be completed. The rendered walls give a Mediterranean …
Successful Winter interest
I recently visited a client’s garden to carry out a twice-yearly maintenance session. I find these visits really interesting to find out how the garden has fared and matured. The client informed me that her Clematis cirrhosa balearica, pictured above, had flowered all through the snowy winter, and had been a mass of yellow flowers, …
Bedding Season!
I have just bought some trays of trailing geraniums, felicia and violas for containers and hanging baskets. These get snapped up early in the season, and although it is recommended not to plant these out till late May when the risk of frosts have passed, I have mine planted out in my own garden already …
Sarah Raven veg growing course
I recently visited Sarah Raven’s farm at Perch Hill, West Sussex, to attend her ‘all year round’ vegetable growing course. I was very impressed with Sarah’s knowledge and enthusiasm, there was not a dull moment! I will definitely be taking her advice in growing her tried and tested tomato varieties – ‘Black Crim’ – a Russian …
Sweet Woodruff – Plant with care!
This week I have been asked to plant up a small front garden in Wimbledon – the client has already had the planting plan done by another designer, and would simply like me to carry out the planting. This is a great little job for me – I’ll source the plants, maybe substituting a few …
Hello and welcome to my blog!
Hi! Welcome to my new blog page which I hope you will find interesting, and please feel free to comment, ask questions etc!