5 essential… plants for birds over winter
Winter is a hard time for garden birds. They need to eat a lot in order to keep warm and survive the cold nights, but falling temperatures make their regular…
5 essential … plants for winter seedheads
Even in death plants with interesting seed heads that stand well over autumn and winter manage to look strikingly beautiful especially on those rare but magical early mornings when they…
Inspire a generation – of gardeners
As Olympic Fever takes hold in Team GB and throughout the land, there’s been a huge amount of talk around the London 2012 slogan ‘Inspire a Generation’. Of course all…
Bumble bee on Allium Christophii
Make room for pollinators
Many people think that creating a wildlife-friendly garden is the preserve of eco-friendly sandal-wearing, tofu-munching people. And in some cases that may be true! But designing gardens with wildlife in mind…
Water, water everywhere ….
On a recent visit to the Chelsea Flower Show it struck me that virtually every show garden – whatever their size – included some form of ‘water feature’. Incorporating water…
Box hedging and topiary at West Green House
Last call for hedging!
It’s so nice to have the opportunity to plant hedges along garden boundaries rather than building a fence. But hedges can also be used within gardens to divide areas or create backdrops…