Blog

A neatly mowed lawn is a quintessential component of the British garden. The majority of my design clients ask for a lawn as an essential part of their garden layout showing just how indispensable they are to homeowners. However, with peoples busy lives it can feel like a bit of a chore needing to cut […]

Artificial turf is now serious competition for real lawns in our gardens. One installer has seen a 200% year on year increase in the demand for artificial turf compared to living grass. A visit to a ‘Garden & Landscaping’ exhibition this year gave me first-hand experience of the sheer amount of artificial grass being pushed […]

I’m often asked by new and experienced gardeners how to prune fruit trees in summer. Many gardeners know of winter pruning before spring as housekeeping but summer pruning often gets overlooked. Maybe its the euphoria of long sunny days, flowers all around the garden and hazy nights watching sunsets. However, if you fail to keep […]

If you’ve started to dig around a little into the world of Garden Design or been binge-watching Gardeners’ World you’ll have come across the term Borrowed Views. Other terms like focal point or eye hook are sometimes used and it may have sparked your imagination on using these yourself in your garden. What on earth […]

Whether you have just planted a hedge or inherited one in your garden this guide will show you how to trim a hedge in the most efficient way. Ignore those fears that trimming a hedge is a full weekend of drama. It really doesn’t have to be with the correct technique and tools. With hedges, […]

Battery-powered garden tools are becoming really popular amongst gardeners. Battery-powered garden tools, such as hedge trimmers are more flexible due to the lack of chord, they are usually lighter and better for the environment compared to petrol-powered hedge cutters. In fact, I now use a battery-powered lawnmower, strimmer, leaf blower and hedge trimmer in the […]

Grasses for Small Gardens If you’ve only got a small garden then naturally you’re only going to be looking for petite smaller varieties. Luckily there are many to choose from all of which can bring some movement and calm to your garden. All the grasses contained within this guide are clump-forming, meaning they don’t run […]

Watering a garden can be a time consuming and sometimes thankless task. In a heatwave, it is essential to efficiently water your plants to stop them from wilting, getting stressed or dying due to exhaustion. Before you reach for the sprinkler and set your alarm for 5 am, you may want to read this guide […]

Everyone has their preference when it comes to colour. I’m a sucker for the reds, orange and yellows of the colour wheel. I absolutely love planting up red hot colours for garden design clients bringing that feeling of summer to a border. When I started to design the #explodingatomgarden the red hot central core was […]

Plastic-free gardening is a hot topic at the moment. I’ve been detailing this journey on my gardening blog and my Youtube channel. So if you want to see where it started then have a look at this playlist to get up to speed. The idea of being plastic-free in the garden can sometimes be easier […]

The grow your own movement has really taken off over the past decade here in the UK along with No dig gardening. You only have to look online to see Instagrammers and social media full of grow your own tips. People are turning to grow your own for a variety of reasons. You can grow […]

It’s easy to think that increasing your hedge height, fences or trellis will bring peace and increase privacy in your garden. However, with the maximum fence height set at 2m in England. You’re only able to achieve so much with this method. I’m going to show you with a recent example of how you can […]

Creating a show garden is no mean feat. It takes months of planning, preparation and is a real consideration for any garden designer. Usually, your concept starts as a broader ‘idea’ before it is funnelled, refined and condensed into a show garden. However, memorial gardens are different, very different. They require the opposite considerations. You’re […]

If you’re a Garden Ninja follower you know I’m passionate about supporting local businesses, especially in horticulture. These local enthusiasts hold an invaluable source of knowledge and skills when it comes to growing beautiful plants. The brilliant thing about horticulture is the willingness for us all to share our knowledge and experience with other gardeners. […]

So you’ve got your ticket in hand for the Chelsea flower show and giddy with excitement you can’t wait to see what’s on offer. However, some key advice will help you avoid pitfalls, mental/physical fatigue and put your mind at rest so you can enjoy the world’s most celebrated flower show. The main advice is […]