Gardens can be magical places for children.  Contrary to what many people believe, a child-friendly garden does not have to be expensive or an eyesore.  With a little bit of thought, the demands of childhood, learning and play, little and large, can all easily be incorporated into a garden whilst retaining beauty and form.  The result should be a garden with space and interest for all – whether young child, adolescent teenager or mature adult!! (To read more about designing a garden specific to you and you’re family’s needs for relaxation and restoration, you may also like to re ..read more

Spending time in our gardens is a wonderful way to boost our health and wellbeing. In recent years, many of us have taken a renewed interest in looking after our mental and physical health. A brilliant way of doing this, is by engaging with our gardens. Our outside spaces can be designed with wellbeing specifically in mind by including elements that support relaxation and restoration. All we need to do is step outside our back door. And it all starts with the senses – our gardens stimulate our senses, thereby calming our minds… Scent Scent is a powerful sense – what we smell can really affec ..read more

We landscaped the garden last November and the wide patio area which stretches accross the back of the house has been contrasted with the installation of curved lines.  Thinking outside the box and using curves in the design of your garden can instantly transform a space and make it completely unique. To find out more, take a look at our designer Katie’s blog about using curves in garden design. Here you can see the garden before and after the landscape construction: Work in Progress: It was definitely a challenging build due to the very wet conditions (as you can see in these photos ..read more

Climbers can be a brilliant addition to any planting scheme, no matter the style or size of your garden. These varied plants add instant vertical colour and can draw the eye to the edges of the garden or towards a structure. There is a climber suited to every growing condition and they are generally very easy to care for with just a few basic considerations. (Read more here about planting for pergolas.) Climbers can grow up a structure or surface by either twining stems, tendrils or stem roots. Wall shrubs, such as Ceanothus and Cotoneastor, are often mistaken for climbers, but they need train ..read more

Caring for roses really is easier than you think! Anyone can grow them successfully and they are actually no more difficult to care for than any other shrub. Below are a few care tips to get the most out of your roses. 1. Right Plant, Right Place Firstly and perhaps most importantly, remember to pick a rose variety suited to the place where you would like to plant it. You might like to take a look at my recent blogs on types of roses and where to use roses for some inspiration on rose varieties. Most roses thrive in full sun, although there some varieties that do well in partial shade. Rose ..read more

If you are looking to make an impact and define an area in your garden, using topiary may be the answer. In this recent project, Katie our designer creates a garden design which plays on the traditional character of our client’s property and brings formal structure to the open lawn space. The clever geometric design uses symmetry and strong lines to create impact. The Garden Before: Here are some photos of the garden before we started working. Overgrown hedges had taken over this part of the garden and the pattern of the design had been lost. Design Transformation: Katie’s clever design co ..read more

Roses are one of the most quintessential and well-loved plants in an English garden. They are also one of the broadest plant genera with tens of thousands of varieties available – not surprisingly then, it can be a confusing task to find the right rose for your garden! Each type and variety has it’s own characteristics so it’s worth researching to find the right one for you. Whether it’s for a border, over a pergola or in a container, there is a rose for every situation. Rose Categories There are three main categories that roses fall under: Old Garden Roses, Wild Roses and Modern Roses. Old G ..read more

We had another wonderful day at Chelsea this year, catching up on all the latest trends in garden design. It was an inspirational day bursting with planting and design ideas to take away with us. With so much to choose from, here are my six highlights for this year… My six stand out moments at Chelsea 2023: The Biophilic Garden by Kazuyuki Ishihara The Biophilic Garden by the multi award winning designer Kazuyuki Ishihara lived up to our expectation from this designer for its sheer perfection. It is created around the biophilic design concept which is about the direct connection with nature e ..read more

With the current difficulties in the housing market and high interest rates making selling and moving home more challenging, homeowners are increasingly turning to other ways to add value to their homes. Renovations and improvements are an obvious opportunity and having your garden professionally redesigned is well worth considering. Even if you’re not moving, there are lots of benefits that a new garden brings to your lifestyle and the way you live and use your home. So here are some thoughts about how a new garden design could add value to your home… 1. Kerb Appeal A beautiful and function ..read more

Shrubs add structure, form, and texture to any planting scheme and if chosen carefully can require very little maintenance, however if you want your shrubs to look at their best, there are a few key maintenance tasks. Watering and Weeding Drought stress is common in newly planted trees and shrubs. To prevent this, it is important to regularly water your new shrubs, particularly through the hot dry months. Keep the area around your new shrubs weed free to prevent competition as your shrubs are establishing. Pruning Pruning shrubs is important to ensure you create a good plant shape and max ..read more