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Updated 2021: However, the majority of do-it-yourself Japanese garden designs fall short of an authentic Japanese garden design. Some Japanese garden designs bear little resemblance to the calming nature of their ancestors. Some being loud, disjointed and confusing. Gardeners hoping the odd buddha head or rogue bamboo will invoke the feelings of the far east. […]

There are many guides out there on how to plant a hedge some confusing and others too brief. In true Garden Ninja style, I’m going to take you through the process step by step. Allowing anyone to follow this bulletproof guide to planting a garden hedge. I’ll be guiding you through the various methods from […]

Roses are the quintessential English garden plant. You would be hard pushed to find someone who doesn’t have a fondness for the rose. Whether it be that bridal bouquet, valentines day or visits to English country gardens; the rose is one of the most iconic garden flowers. However, the beauty of roses also comes with […]

For the most part knots in life are a pain. They may be causing drama tying your shoelaces, snagging up your weave or preventing you from rearranging your garden climbers due to tightly tied twine. One place where a knot is welcomed is in the formal garden design style of knot gardens. Knots here are […]

Updated 2021: Whether you have just planted a hedge or inherited one in your garden this guide will show you how to cut a hedge in the most efficient way. Ignore those fears that cutting a hedge is a full weekend of drama. It really doesn’t have to be with the correct technique and tools. […]

Gooseberries really are a fuss-free fruiting shrub. Suitable for container gardens, small gardens, big gardens or allotment patches. They are a brilliant addition to the edible garden. Gooseberries however have a crisis of conscience. Given their tough thorny appearance, many people are either put off from growing them or fail to prune them properly. Trust […]

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. Hydrangeas give a real show of huge flowers for months during the summer. Their flowers can then be left in situ to fade from their vibrant […]

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 […]

Every 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 […]

This 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 […]

Updated 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 […]

Long 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 […]

Updated 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 […]

Scarification 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 […]

Compost 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 […]