During this wet summer, you might be wondering how best to enjoy your garden during those rare sunny days. The Oxford Botanic Gardens are a fantastic place to visit year-round, offering new things to see and learn with each visit. It’s an excellent source of inspiration for your garden, no matter the season. A couple of weeks ago, I had … Read More
Plant Combination Ideas
Plant Combination Ideas seen at RHS Chelsea. The Chelsea Flower Show is the perfect place for learning about plant combination ideas to copy in your own garden. When I first started visiting the RHS flower shows, plants were forced into flowering either early or late, so for example daffodils might be seen blooming in May, next to a display of … Read More
Sheena’s Plant of the Month for June: Viburnum plicatum ‘Mariesii’
Viburnum plicatum ‘Mariesii’, or the Japanese snowball bush, has wonderful white lacecap-like flowers on horizontally tiered branches in May-June The dark green leaves turn red-purple in autumn and I always think that plants that give two seasons of interest give good value. This beautiful deciduous shrub makes an excellent specimen plant for a sunny shrub or mixed border. Give it … Read More
Sheena’s Plant of the Month for May – Foxgloves
Sheena explains why Foxgloves are great this summer The foxglove, Digitalis purpurea, is one of the most familiar of our wild flowers and a must for any woodland garden. Digitalin, which is extracted from it, is a powerful poison and an important drug in the treatment of heart complaints so beware of planting if you have young children. Digitalis purpurea … Read More
Plant of the Month for January: Christmas Rose
Christmas Rose – Helleborus Niger One of the loveliest of flowers for this month is the Christmas Rose (Helleborus Niger, the black Hellebore). We find that as landscape garden designers, it’s such an easy, obliging plant, tough as old boots but much prettier. I grow mine in a slightly raised bed so I can see the beauty of the nodding flower … Read More
Getting the Most out of Your July Garden
Midsummer, and gardens are awash with colour There is always plenty of work to be done, but make the most of the long summer evenings, relax and enjoy the fruits of your labours earlier in the year. At this time of year, gardens are not only full of colour, but the scent of flowers such as roses and sweet pea … Read More
Gardening by the Moon
Gardening by the Moon In the age-old practice of gardening, there’s a mystical and fascinating method of gardening by the moon. This ancient method, deeply rooted in folklore and agricultural traditions, suggests that the phases of the moon can significantly influence plant growth. The moon affects the tides so some gardeners believe that it can also affect the water on … Read More
RHS Malvern Spring Festival
Our RHS Malvern Spring Festival Show Garden Nature’s recovery is at the heart of the Wilder Spaces Show Garden at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2023. ‘Wilder Spaces’ is sponsored by The Wildlife Trusts, led by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) and its ecological consultancy Future Nature WTC. After our success at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival in … Read More
How to design my own garden
FAQ How to Design my own Garden? Designing your own garden can be a fun and rewarding experience. If you’ve ever asked yourself “how to design my own garden?” this article may help! Whether you have a large or small outdoor space, there are a few key steps you can follow to create a beautiful and functional garden that you … Read More
Bee Friendly Garden Design
A Natural Bee Friendly Garden Design A bee friendly garden design is not hard to create. According to the national wildlife trust, nature is in crisis. However, if you have a garden, there is much you can do to help the plight of bees. Private gardens cover an area bigger than all of Britain’s nature reserves combined, so they are … Read More