Updated 2020: The soil type that you have in your garden can make or break your plans for a successful garden design. Your plants will only be as successful as the preparation and planning that you, the gardener puts in! Rather than thinking of soil as dirt, you need to start treating it as the life force […]
Read moreEvery garden should have at least one tree and when I speak to clients with tiny gardens the Apple tree is the one I recommend most frequently. Not only do apple trees provide a rich source of pollen for bees they are beautiful trees for a small garden. The bonus is that with some light […]
Read moreThis guide will show you how to make an easy compost bin from wooden pallets. This is by far the easiest method I have used over the years. Even with a small garden, if you have enough space for a wooden palette it’s worthwhile creating a compost bin. You not only save on those dreadful […]
Read moreUpdated 2020: We have all been there as new gardeners, watching your plants grow and get bigger each year, caring for their every need to be rewarded with flowers or gorgeous foliage. Then there is that moment, you don’t know when it happened but you look at the plant no longer looks full of the […]
Read moreLong before online shopping and plants by mail; splitting and dividing plants was one of the best ways of propagating your garden plants. It’s also been used for years as a way to help share and spread plants amongst communities without having to grow new plants slowly from seed. Furthermore, by getting down and dirty […]
Read moreUpdated 2020: Garden lawns are probably one of the most widely recognised garden design components. Turf has a huge variety of uses if you want to lounge on a deck chair on it, manicure it to perfection, get your mates round to have a BBQ on it or even as a football pitch for your […]
Read moreScarification of a lawn is often used to revitalise and keep an existing lawn in check. Scarification involves using a machine, a bit like a lawnmower but much sharper, that has a rotating set of blades that slice down into the topsoil. This acts to both cut the grass rhizomes, drag out debris and furrow […]
Read moreCompost is the life force of many gardens. Whether you’re buying it in bags from the garden centre (hopefully peat-free) or making your own with composting bins, this black gold is a multi-purpose wonder feed for the garden. However, most gardeners I speak to don’t know what to do with compost once it’s finished feeding […]
Read moreWildflower meadows are making a come back even to the smallest of UK gardens. The ability to reduce garden maintenance, offer stunning summer flowers and offer a rich habitat for struggling garden wildlife means they are becoming more and more popular. Whether you have created a wildflower section in your garden by using ready grown […]
Read moreNo matter what size garden you have encouraging wildlife will help to create a diverse environment on your doorstep. This will not only benefit your plants via increased pollination but also welcome a host of wonderful creatures from insects, butterflies, bees, birds and mammals. Building a bug hotel can also help encourage your children to […]
Read moreDamsons are a subspecies of the Plum family and have a really high fruit rate, great for bakers out there. Now the trees themselves may not be the most elegant or attractive but they are low fuss. I only prune mine if it gets damaged or a branch is really growing in the wrong place. […]
Read moreJuly is often thought of as the pinnacle of gardening activity where summer blooms are looking their best. August is often discussed as the poor cousin, often without any real supporting evidence! With careful plant choices and selections nearly every month of the year can have something wonderful growing or producing. In this months garden […]
Read moreJuly 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 […]
Read moreI’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 […]
Read moreWhen 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 […]
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