Formal topiary at Great Fosters
Get creative with topiary
I have to admit I do like a bit of topiary. There’s nothing quite like a clipped hedge or box ball to add structure to a garden. And the beauty…
Winter wonderlands – gardens to visit
At this time of year it’s very tempting to stay inside, keep warm and banish all thoughts of garden visiting until April. But if you do that you’ll really be…
How to choose the right trees for your garden
Autumn is the best time to plant new trees. From November until March you can buy a wide variety of ‘bare-root’ and rootball trees (which are dug out of the ground…
Top plants for autumn colour
At this time of year there’s really no excuse for gardens to be boring! Surprisingly though, it seems to be a common problem when I go to visit new clients. …
Magnolia 'Heaven Scent'
Flower power for the spring garden
There are so many lovely trees and shrubs which flower in spring, it can sometimes be hard to choose what to buy. Instead of going for the obvious choices (like…
Structural planting at Athelhampton House, Dorset
Get your garden into shape!
One of the fundamental principles of garden design is that a successful garden should have strong shape & good structure. I’m often struck by how bland the majority of gardens…
Beech woodland in Hampshire
Autumn glow
I LOVE this time of year! 10 years ago, in early October, I moved to Petersfield from London. After 15 years living in the capital, I was (to put it mildly) a…
Feeling fruity?
For the last few weeks I’ve been eating apples from the trees at my allotment. Even if I say so myself, the flavour is SO much better than supermarket-sold fruit,…