A week ago, I was at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which was awesome, obviously. Today, I’m super excited to tell you about a show garden that, although not as spectacular as any of the ones at Chelsea, is certainly a big deal for me. If you’re free on Sunday 4th June and in Norfolk, please try to make it to the… Read more →
Floral Perfection :: How To Make An Auricula Theatre
As soon as I saw the little auricula theatre at Sissinghurst Castle Garden last month, I just knew I had to have one. Auricula flowers are exquisite perfection. Their patterned, multicoloured petals are dusted with powdery farina, and held high, on long, straight stalks. And they are sweetly scented, especially en masse. The leaves are a silvery green, smooth and surprisingly tough and fleshy. Auriculas were… Read more →
Finding Time To Do Nothing
I have a favourite spot to sit in my garden. I take time to sit there every day, weather permitting. And if it’s raining, I’ll sit in the doorway of my shed with the door open, watching the rain. A cup of coffee, or in the evening a glass of wine, and some quiet time to myself out there, listening to… Read more →
Things To Do In A Weekend :: Build A Stumpery
Around this time last year, I planted up one of my first professional garden designs. It was a stumpery, built on an existing mound of earth in the north-facing corner of a garden in Norwich. The stumpery frames a pond, with a steep cascade and bog garden. Steps, made from old logs and stepping stones, take you up and over it, so you… Read more →
A Visit To Sissinghurst Castle Garden
This Easter, I finally visited Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent, somewhere I’ve been longing to visit. All in all, the garden is wonderful, a pleasure to walk around, with beautifully planted borders, and lots of unusual, well-labelled plants to interest plant geeks like me. It’s broken up into a series of garden rooms, surrounding a stunning, turreted, Tudor tower. Closely-clipped yew hedges form long corridors that… Read more →
G is for Gladioli :: A to Z of Gardening
Every year, I like to try a new plant in my garden. It’s a good way to learn, and stops me feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of different shrubs and perennials that are out there! This year, I’ve chosen gladioli. Why Grow Gladioli? Some of you reading this might be thinking, “Ugh, no, not gladioli. My granny used to… Read more →
Plants For Winter Gardens
This week, I visited Anglesey Abbey, just outside Cambridge, and the University Botanic Garden. The back end of winter might seem a strange time to visit gardens. Spring plants are not yet in full growth and many winter-interest plants are almost over. But I was pleasantly surprised. There were wonderful winter borders to enjoy – Angelsey Abbey is famous for its winter garden –… Read more →
It Lives!!! (My Garden Has Woken Up)
Before the epic rain showers and hail that descended on us this afternoon, I managed a cup of coffee outside, and a pootle around the garden to take a few photos. There have been brief moments this week, when the sun was out, and the birds were busy and singing loudly, when it’s really felt like spring. We’re not quite there yet. When… Read more →
Who Am I Kidding?
Ever have one of those days where all your self-confidence seems to have been sucked out of you? You suddenly feel like a total fraud, and wonder how you ever managed to kid yourself that you were capable of doing anything worthwhile. These days are the bane of any person prone to depression or anxiety. On these days, the depression lies… Read more →
Beginning The Cut Back
I couldn’t hold myself back any longer today. With the sun pouring in through the windows near my desk, I had to put down my pen and pick up my secateurs. It was blissfully mild and bright in the garden, and the temperature was in double figures. It felt like time to claim back my garden after its winter break. At the start of the… Read more →