Getting inspiration from Rousham gardens In his ‘Around the World in 80 Gardens’ television series, Monty Don described Rousham as ‘The greatest masterpiece of English Gardening – a flawless work of genius.’ Designed by William Kent in the 18th Century, it remains virtually unspoilt, which is part of this garden’s unique charm. William Kent – Garden Designer William Kent was … Read More
Plants for Free!
Most shrubs in the garden are producing plenty of fresh, young shoots now and these are perfect for making softwood cuttings. Take a few shoots from the side of the shrub, where it won’t show; take more than you think you will need because they probably won’t all take. Cut shoots about 10 cm long from the plant just above … Read More
Growing your own Medicine Cabinet
Using plants as medicines For centuries many of the common plants we use today in our borders and hanging baskets have been grown for medicinal purposes. You can literally grow your own medicine cabinet, although it’s always sensible to check that things grown in the garden are safe. The has been a huge increase in demand for popular herbal remedies … Read More
Container Gardening
Plants to grow in a container The one activity most gardeners share, whether they own a large estate or just a tiny courtyard, is growing plants in containers. Almost all gardeners do it – with good reason. Cultivating plants in hanging baskets, window boxes, troughs, pots, tubs, even old wheelbarrows is immensely, instantly rewarding and offers great scope for the … Read More
Are Coffee Grounds Good for your Garden?
Using Coffee Grounds in the Garden Using coffee grounds for gardening is a hot tip floating around with enthusiasts. So are coffee grounds good for gardens? Like most things in life, the answer here cannot be a simple yes or no. For the sake of closure, let’s say that is true, but with caveats. Here are some tips to use … Read More
Designing Low-Maintenance Gardens for Retired Adults
Gardening in Retirement An estimated 27 million people in the UK are involved in gardening and the activity remains a popular hobby for the British who are proud of their green spaces. For retired people who have spare time on their hands, gardening is an interesting pursuit with around 62% of adults 65 years and above engaged in the activity, according to … Read More
A Rabbit Proof Garden
Making your Garden A Rabbit-Proof Zone Rabbits are some of the cutest creatures to grace our fields, ahem, and in my case garden. The problem with having a colony of rabbits in situ is their voracious appetite for most things green. If you have rabbits in your garden you’ll have to forget about planting anything remotely ‘interesting’ because the rabbits … Read More
Blossom in the Garden
Five Great Trees for Spring Blossom This is a glorious time of year for gardening and landscaping. The first heralds of spring, Snowdrops, are over for this year but trees and hedges are coming alive with gorgeous blossom. There are plenty of trees to choose from to adorn your garden this spring but we’ve narrowed down the choice to the … Read More
A Garden For All Seasons
A Garden for All Seasons A standard excuse that we gardeners use to visitors is that the garden was looking better last week or will look better in the summer, spring… or any other time except now. Most of us have gardens that have peaks and troughs throughout the year, we might have concentrated too hard on that spring bulb … Read More
Could You Benefit From A “Greener” Garden?
“Green” Gardening Fundamentally, for us at Oxford landscaping and design, “going green” – or rather becoming more eco-friendly – means striving to be in harmony with nature. Eco-gardening is the practice of maintaining a chemical free garden; growing your plants organically and providing the most natural environment for them to flourish as possible. These efforts are important for preserving a sustainable … Read More