There's something so fresh and lovely about filling your house with flowers, with their various scent and colour. And what better way to do so than with your own cut flower arrangements. The process of growing flowers can be relatively cheap. It is also good for pollinating wildlife and lifts the spirits. Additionally, growing your … Continue reading Cut flowers & arrangements
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL. On the bleakest of winter days, lots of persuasion is needed to head out into the garden, especially when being lured indoors by a comfy chair and a hot cuppa beside a warm fire. If you are a regular reader of my blog and you have already undertaken all … Continue reading My book recommendations
Happy New Year to you all. Winter solstice is out of the way. As we inch towards longer days and shorter nights, so Hellebores, Cyclamen and Snowdrops emerge and we too can start to feel optimistic that spring is not too far away. What better way to celebrate the lengthening days than by getting out … Continue reading January Garden To Do List
The days are almost at their shortest and the mercury has plummeted, but even in a brisk December there are a few things you can do in the garden to keep you warm and get ahead of the game ready for next year. Your December gardening to do list: Prune deciduous trees and shrubs I … Continue reading December Garden To Do List
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 and continue keeping it clear of leaves. If you … Continue reading November Garden To Do List
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, this year's Australian and Californian bush fires have provided stark evidence … Continue reading Plant a tree to tackle climate change
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 define the aesthetic of the area. The light and … Continue reading Building a Dry Stone Wall
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 with shapes and evaluating ideas is my favourite part … Continue reading Planning my new garden: forming a basic layout concept
In my last post I talked about forming a basic wish list of requirements I want my new garden to fulfill before I take any steps to conceive the new garden design. Before getting stuck in, I have also taken a close look at the garden I already have. Measure up I always start by … Continue reading Planning my new garden: assessing the site
Years ago when I began practising law, I was told "Fail to prepare, prepare to fail" and this mantra also certainly rings true of garden design. Having moved to a new house in France, with around 1200m2 of accompanying land, I am almost spoiled for choice in comparison with my previous 70m2 garden in Bristol. … Continue reading Planning my new garden: first steps
