The garden is now winding down towards its winter dormancy, but this does not mean there is nothing to do in the garden this month. Your November gardening todo list: Lawns Early in the month the lawn will still be growing. Keep mowing until growth ceases […]
The swallows have gone and summer temperatures of 30 (or even 40!) degrees seem like a distant memory. However, this does not mean a gardening hiatus until May. With a little ongoing maintenance over the autumn and winter months you can have a garden to enjoy […]
C’est la rentrée! The mornings now have a distinct freshness about them, which can be a relief from the baking heat of midsummer, but it is a sign that the season is about to turn later this month. La Chasse resumes (sadly), the sweetcorn and sunflower […]
Summer is well and truly here. By now gardens are scorched dry, but this year has been a different kettle of fish, with a lack of rain since last autumn too. At this time of year gardening work consists of mainly keeping things ticking over and […]
Hedges. We love hedges. They form our boundaries making us feel protected, secure and not overlooked. They frame desirable views and shield unwanted views. They provide winter structure and a summer backdrop. They can provide summer shade. They filter and attenuate strong winds and perform infinitely […]
I remember climate change and the greenhouse effect being talked about when I was at school in the 1980’s and here we are still talking about it nearly 40 years later. Whether you accept that global warming is caused by human activity or not, last year’s […]
After nearly two years of waiting, this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show has again flashed by. This year’s show may possibly stand as its most unique ever given its non-traditional, pandemic-induced September slot. Every spring designers choose from broadly the same planting pallette, so this September […]
The perfect English sward is a source of amusement amongst some of the local Frenchies here, but no-one can doubt that a neat lawn does beautifully set off neighbouring planted beds. Lawns are one of the higher maintenance and less environmentally friendly areas of the garden, […]
Previously living in Bristol not far from the edge of the Cotswolds and working mostly in Bath and the surrounds, I was often in contact with limestone. My journeys through the countryside from garden to garden were often guided by a labyrinth of limestone walls that […]
With my wish list compiled, having measured up, undertaken a stock check of the garden and evaluated the plot, I can now dive right into the fun stuff of organising the space and building upon my initial ideas. Aside from planting, this early stage of playing […]