The new Piet Oudolf borders at RHS Wisley are a real lesson in planting design. And whether you have a large space or just a small yard, there are ideas and plant combinations for home gardeners as well as professionals. (Strictly speaking, the area is called the ‘Oudolf Landscape’ or…
Ornamental grasses bring out the best in your border, contrasting and complementing the flowers. But they were considered ‘fashionable’. Consequently many of us overlooked them. Until now, they haven’t been part of a traditional herbaceous border. But now we increasingly appreciate that ornamental grasses add light, texture and movement to…
Garden art and sculpture creates year-round atmosphere and interest in your garden. A sculpture will look as beautiful in the winter as in the summer. It can create a focal point or define a part of the garden. Or it can add contrast or highlight a theme. And when you…
Long flowering plants mean that you can extend your summer colour right through to autumn. And even to the first frosts of winter. Quentin Stark, head gardener at Hole Park Gardens in Kent, was asked to re-design the garden’s Centenary Gardens. He was given the brief ‘a bowl of colour’…
Eco-friendly garden design can save you money on landscaping. It can also make your garden look more individual, reflecting your personal style. And if you want to be more sustainable or encourage wildlife and biodiversity, then the design of your garden is an essential starting point. So I visited the…
You can grow wildflowers in a border, a pot and a window box as well as in a meadow. A good wildflower seed mix can keep colour going with changing flowers for months at a time. And the cost of a few packets of seeds makes this a cheap way…
I’m often asked for advice on visiting gardens in the UK.The National Garden Scheme opens gardens around England and Wales to raise money for a range of charities. While grander gardens often open for a special NGS day, the main strength of the scheme is that it encourages beautiful small…
Edimentals is a new term for growing flowers and vegetables together. Gardens today are often too small to have a separate ‘veg patch.’ Of course, traditional vegetable growing won’t fit into your herbaceous border. If you plant a row of carrots beside your roses, you’ll have a gap when you…
A contemporary cottage garden fuses traditional cottage style with ‘naturalistic planting’, according to garden designer, Tim Pilgrim. ‘It uses common plants – both edible and ornamental – as in traditional cottage garden planting, but planted in larger drifts. And there’s more thought to colour palette and repetition,’ he says. He’s…
We all have ‘difficult garden areas‘ or spaces we want to revamp without re-designing the whole garden. It may be a corner where nothing wants to grow. Or a space which just seems to attract clutter. You could term it a ‘garden dead zone.’ If a shed has rotted or…
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