Blog

July is usually one of the warmest months here in the UK. As with all weather expectations, it’s not always that predictable and we’ve had our fair share of rain this month. However, I’m a glass-half-full kind of person so at least my wildflower meadow hasn’t needed watering as much! Either way the garden is […]

I’m a big fan of recycling and upcycling in the garden. It’s so easy to buy things online but there’s something really satisfying in making your own fire pit out of reclaimed materials. This creates a one of a kind bespoke fire pit which will really set your garden alight! If you want to build […]

When you think of meadows you may think of acres of rolling hillside, Julie Andrews and lazy summer days. However, the wildflower meadow is under threat from over development of green spaces. So now a number of gardeners are looking to recreate smaller versions of these in their own gardens. Helping to create a refuge […]

June is the month in the garden where nearly everything is looking its best. Roses should now be in full bloom (especially if you’ve followed my rose pruning guide in the winter), ornamental grasses will be swaying in the breeze and your herbaceous perennials will all be bursting into flower. It’s typically a month where […]

Flower beds and borders are the staple of any garden and they come in all shapes and sizes! I get asked all the time for help when it comes to garden designing and planting flower beds. Given there are endless opportunities it can seem overwhelming as to where to start? My top 3 flower bed […]

Plants are incredibly tough things but during heat waves and summer they may need a bit more assistance in the hydration department. If you’ve recently planted new shrubs, trees or herbaceous plants then you’re going to have to help them out by watering them until they are established. Top 10 Garden Water Saving Hacks If […]

We’ve all become used to popping down to the garden centre when we need new plants. However, thanks to Corona and Covid-19 we are now much more aware of both unnecessary commercialism and our gardens. As more of us have been forced to get better acquainted with our outdoor spaces heralding the rise of the […]

I eagerly await April every year as this is the month where the majority of my garden starts to put on rapid growth. It’s a bit like each plant vying for attention to be shortlisted for that staring role! The restrictions from Coronavirus have meant as a Type 1 diabetic that I’m now in week […]

When I first started gardening many moons ago I never saw the importance of sharpening tools like secateurs. How bad can pruning cuts be from a less than perfect set of secateurs? Well pretty bad in my experience early on in my career. After using blunt snips on one poor shrub I subsequently lost it […]

Cornus is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods which is a common shrub here in the UK. In fact, you may have one and not even know as established Cornus lose their firey coloured stems as they turn brown and lignify over the years. […]

A gardens aspect is one of the first things I do when I’m working on new garden designs. If you ignore it you will struggle to find the correct plants, choose the best seating areas, plan paths that aren’t for example shady, damp and slippy. When designing and planting, you can accommodate virtually any aspect if […]

It’s really worrying times worldwide with the Corona outbreak but as gardeners, we know all too well that there’s plenty of tonics to be found in our gardens. This month I’m concentrating on a number of gardening activities that any gardeners, no matter how experienced can join in with. So if you’re stuck at home […]

Spring flowers show the first positive signs that spring is just around the corner. There is nothing nicer than getting through the winter and seeing a mix of spring bulbs emerging in the garden. Winter Aconites (Eranthis) and Snowdrops (Galanthus) are the very first early bird bulbs to spring up. However, both of these plants […]

Most gardeners would be hard pushed not to recognise a Hydrangea. The classic ‘Granny’s garden’ shrub with its textured leaves and massive blue, pink, white or mauve flower heads. They give a real show for months during the summer. Their flowers can then be left in situ to fade from their vibrant early summer colours […]

If you’re new to gardening it can feel daunting working out where to start and if you’re doing things the ‘right way’. It’s a process all of us gardeners, whether professional or enthusiastic amateur, can relate to. Tamsin Westhorpe is the head gardener at Stockton Bury Country garden in Hertfordshire and has written an account […]