Entries Tagged as 'gardening'
As we wait with latent expectation for those wonderful heralds of the spring garden to finally break cover and shower us with golden cheerfulness there are some plants that have been keeping a quiet watch over the winter months.
The Viburnum group is a remarkable collection of varied plants and I often wonder whether it would be possible to design a garden that only featured Viburnum in all of its assorted guises. Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’ is a popular choice of many schemes but is rather prone to Viburnum beetle which quickly reduce the leaves to a rather scrappy looking lace skeleton – a problem that is duplicated in others such as the V.opulus.
Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’ isn’t affected but since it flowers before the leaves are present this somehow seems less of an issue!
Tags: Bath · Chippenham · enjoy · garden design · gardening · Wiltshire
In any walk of life training is now an accepted part of improving yourself and making progress in your chosen field. Garden Design and indeed gardening are two areas that, frankly, I don’t think you could ever have too much knowledge or experience. Every day throws us something new which is part of why I, along with many others, love gardens and garden design.
Tags: benefit · garden design · Garden Network · gardening · Inspiration · networking · opportunity
One of my perennial favourites is the Christmas cactus which is just now starting to show its colours. For much of the year this plant stands unloved and pretty much uncared for in a quiet dark corner of a room, quietly minding its own business. Just when you have all but forgotten its existence out comes a magnificent flourish of flaming red flowers that brighten the room and lift your spirits.
Tags: Christmas cactus · houseplant · Phalaenopsis orchid
Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is a huge event but one area particularly caught my eye! …allow me to introduce the Sunflowers…
Tags: enjoy · gardening
This was my first visit on press day – with thanks to The Garden Network I was able to gain access and enjoy what is billed as the largest flower show in the world featuring the Best of British Horticulture.
As the billing suggests this is one mammoth show and so much to take in in one day – so much so that it will be difficult to do all the exhibitors justice – but I’ll make a start and add further thoughts later!
The show gardens normally define the show, but at Hampton Court they form only one of many varied garden themes and styles. So was there a strong theme that ran through the gardens? – well if there was I couldn’t detect it! Variety providing the spice of life. What was interesting however was that there were two notably different approaches to the show gardens.
Tags: garden design · Garden Network · gardening · striking display
The element of the Green Dock that I had particularly come to see however was the large rectangular formal garden with ribbons of topiarised Yew hedging trimmed in undulating waves running the entire length of the garden, crossed overhead with angled walkways.
Tags: development · garden design · gardening · imagination · Inspiration · sunshine · value
Every year the gardeners at Hidcote plant around 14,000 Tulips and as soon as they finish flowering they dig them all (well nearly all) of them out to make way for the summer planting. Why do they dig them out?
Everywhere you turn you can see how this Arts and Crafts garden of ‘rooms’ has been influencing gardens and garden designers ever since.
Tags: enjoy · garden design · gardening · imagination · Inspiration · Plant · striking display
One of my main reasons for visiting as a Garden Designer is to look at the Show Gardens. Malvern isn’t known as a hotbed for innovation particularly but it can provide some neat glimpses at how other designers approach a garden or planting and I particularly enjoyed chatting with Deb Bird about her garden The Nature of Nurture which particularly struck a chord as I learned much of my gardening from my parents and grandparents. Perhaps one of the most interesting ideas though came in the Schools Section, where two gardens featured greenhouses made from recycled plastic bottles.
Tags: blog · enjoy · garden design · Garden Organic · imagination · Inspiration · networking · One Pot Pledge · Plant · weather
The soil in Wiltshire, where I live changes dramatically – heading West towards Bath it is predominantly very heavy clay over sandstone, while less than a mile to the East, heading towards Chippenham the soil becomes very sandy.
The small clay particles that make it so difficult to work and so poor draining have the benefit of retaining lots of wonderful nutrients. Nutrients that plants like roses absolutely love. Sandy soil tends to see these nutrients washed away.
The secret is applying a layer of organic material about 2 inches thick every year. Then sitting back and letting the worms do all the hard work! It is important to vary the type of organic material applied so that a variety of nutrients are released. Sticking with say – spent mushroom compost will lead to the soil becoming quite acid so use well rotted farmyard manure, leaf mould, soil improver and compost.
Tags: amelioration · clay · compost · garden design · Garden Organic · gardening · mushroom compost · organic material · Plant · soil · Soil pH
In an article today appearing in Horticulture Week, research by multimedia retailer QVC shows that an untidy garden can knock £5,000 off the value of your property. That’s a lot of hard earned money going down the drain!
Tags: aspirational · benefit · development · enjoy · garden design · gardening · imagination · Inspiration · lifestyle · low maintenance · money saving · opportunity
