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.
Entries Tagged as 'the Garden Network'
Gardening | Garden Design | Robin Templar Williams Design Masterclass – Difficult Sloping Gardens
February 7th, 2011 1 Comment
Tags: benefit · garden design · Garden Network · gardening · Inspiration · networking · opportunity
Gardening | Garden Design | Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2010
July 5th, 2010 4 Comments
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
Gardening | Garden design | Ramblings from the Malvern Spring Show 2010
May 11th, 2010 No Comments
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
Garden Design | Garden Design Masterclass with Luciano Giubbilei
May 3rd, 2010 1 Comment
When you meet an iconic person from your chosen field it is difficult to know what to expect. When that designer has won a prestigious RHS Gold Medal at Chelsea flower show for the stunning Champagne Laurent-Perrier Garden you have a real sense of anticipation. Joy then when Luciano smiles in a totally relaxed greeting. Here [...]
Tags: aspirational · garden design · imagination · Inspiration · lifestyle · opportunity
Gardening | Garden Design | Meeting fascinating garden people
March 27th, 2010 2 Comments
Gardening can be quite a lonely pastime. Hours spent pottering amongst the borders tending those delicate blooms and marvelling at nature as she goes about her business. Don’t get me wrong I am very comfortable with my own company but sometimes it’s good to share your experiences with others. Debate designs, discuss plants and share passion for gardens.
As owner of the Garden Network I make an effort whenever I can to get out and meet members. It’s fantastic to put faces to names. These are people that only exist in a sort of parallel universe normally – today I was going to meet them for real.
Tags: aspirational · business · enjoy · Garden Network · gardening · Inspiration · networking · opportunity · Success
Gardening | Garden Design | What’s so good about the Malvern Spring Gardening Show?
March 23rd, 2010 2 Comments
These days there seem to be an ever increasing number of gardening shows. Each offering their own distinct and unique character. RHS Chelsea Flower Show is of course the pinnacle of such events and attracts a huge amount of media coverage. Television cameras almost rule the show though, with every leaf, petal and stone captured during the extensive coverage of this blue riband event.
For those that cannot wait to get their garden inspiration there is the altogether more relaxed, rural affair that is Malvern.
Tags: garden design · Garden Network · gardening · Malvern Spring Show · opportunity · Success
Garden Design | Meeting legendary garden designer John Brookes MBE
March 13th, 2010 No Comments
John is a hugely influential garden designer who was designing gardens before it became fashionable to do so and in so doing developed methods of designing that are widely used today by a great many garden designers. I am a big fan of his grid system and it forms the basis of many of my garden designs.
John was speaking to the Oxford College of Garden Design at St. Hugh’s College Oxford on Thursday 11th March, 2010 and I travelled there to hear him speak. I was immediately taken by his genuine warmth and passion for garden design. John has been designing gardens for many years and he has clearly lost none of his enthusiasm.
Tags: blog · business · garden design · Garden Network · gardening · Inspiration · John Brookes MBE · masterclass · networking · opportunity · Oxford College of Garden Design · Success
NETWORKING! NFU MUTUAL AND THE GARDEN NETWORK JOIN FORCES
February 26th, 2010 No Comments
Rural insurer NFU Mutual is delighted to announce a new affinity partnership with the Garden Network From 1st March 2010, NFU Mutual will become the Garden Network’s exclusive insurance provider, meaning it can promote its range of insurance, pensions and investments to the Garden Network membership. Blanche Surman, Affinity Marketing Executive at NFU Mutual [...]
Tags: benefit · business · Garden Network · Garden Organic · gardening · goal · grow your own · lifestyle · money saving · networking · opportunity · value
Gardening | Review of Food Inc. – Hungry for Change?
February 24th, 2010 1 Comment
A couple of years ago Danny Boyles portrayal of the slums in Mumbai in Slumdog Millionaire bought the plight of families living in abject squalor to the eyes of the world. It was a moving film and anyone who has seen it will undoubtedly have been touched by some of the sequences. For those of us living [...]
Tags: blog · Food Inc. · garden design · Garden Organic · gardening · grow your own · Hungry for Change? · lifestyle · One Pot Pledge · Plant · Soil Association
Gardening | The Garden Press event 2010 – first review
February 5th, 2010 1 Comment
My first visit to this event this year and was surrounded by well known journalists and media people all keen to see what was new in the world of gardening. I went with my Garden Network hat on – not really knowing what to expect! Here is my first take on the event – there [...]
Tags: enjoy · garden design · Garden Network · gardening · grow your own · Inspiration · low maintenance · money saving · Nemetschek · networking · opportunity · Plant · Success · sustainable