Notes from the garden studio...

Designer at Home...

2011-06-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

My new garden! Grim blank canvas or what? Watch this blog for photo's of the transformation into something fab... on a very tight budget, that is...

Jacksons Show Garden Open Day

2011-06-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

The garden straight after planting... I need to get some more photo's in a month or so, when the planting has matured and filled out a bit, and the climbers have worked their way up the galvanised climbing panels. Jacksons is now the biggest permanent display of show gardens in the country. For more info http://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/

The idea behind the garden, aside from showing off some Jacksons products, was that the chosen planting scheme would give fragrance all year around, welcoming the owners of the house as they walk towards the front door.

Opening day and being interviewed by Joe Swift, forgot everything I had planned to say!

Some facts about making leaf mould...

2010-11-13T10:42:00.000-08:00

The only thing which you need to do to make some lush leaf mould for your garden, is to buy a rake and collect up all your fallen autumn leaves.

Then you just put them somewhere out-of-site. In bags with air-holes - black sacks or specialist leaf-mould bags, or a chicken-wire cage.

Wet them every now and then, otherwise - forget about them.

Only use deciduous ones, as evergreen leaves take SO much longer.

You can use the leaf mould after one year, but it is a much better soil conditioner after two years.

Leaf mould is perfect for mulching lime-haters like Azaleas and Rhododendrons. It's also really beneficial for fruit trees.

Autumn leaves have a high carbon content, so they breakdown much slower than other bits on your compost heap.

If you dont have a deciduous tree in your garden - just take some of the fallen leaves off the streets - it's all about the recycling!!

Plans...

2010-11-11T10:12:00.000-08:00

Next year I will be planting this in any gaps between pavers...

This lovely little thing is Erigeron karvinskianus - the Mexican Daisy, which flowers from May until November (wow!) and self-seeds anywhere it can, giving a really rustic, country cottage look to a garden. According to Fergus from Great Dixter - a shave in spring will keep it under control.

Beautiful Sheffield Park

2010-11-07T09:50:00.000-08:00

I couldn't resist adding a few pics from my day out at Sheffield Park last week...not the perfect autumn weather I'd hoped for - it didnt stop raining the entire day, but the place is just so stunning at this time of year (and so perfect for taking photos!).

Trees, trees, trees... some native trees for Kent

2010-09-22T01:54:00.000-07:00

Gardens need trees! There are many campaigns running currently trying to persuade people to plant more trees. Even campaign cynics cannot deny that one single, carefully chosen, specimen tree can give stunning flowers, decorative bark, vibrant autumn colours, nuts, berries, cones, shade, a home for countless species of wildlife and a screen for garden privacy.

There are about 2,500 trees from all over the world, which are suitable to grow in this country, according to a recent article in the Garden Design Journal. Most wildlife experts recommend choosing native trees however, as they host such a wide range of wildlife - highly beneficial to your summer herbaceous borders...

I have lots of favourite trees, including the Indian Bean Tree, Tibetan Cherry and the Whitebeam; but to encourage people to choose native species, here are five shrubs to small trees, which are native to all over Kent, for you to be inspired to grow in your garden;

Euonymus europaeus - Spindle

1. Euonymus europaeus 'Spindle' - amazing flowers at this time of year (late September) followed by the most vibrant autumn leaf colour.

2. Salix caprea 'Goat Willow' - lovely furry catkins in Spring ('Kilmarnock' is the weeping variety often seen for sale in local garden centres).

3. Malus sylvestris 'Crabapple' - our native crabapple tree.

4. Viburnum opulus 'Guelder Rose' - Maple-like leaves and lovely bright red berries that the birds cannot get enough of.

Viburnum opulus

5. Taxus baccata 'Yew' - yes, Yew is a native of Kent, slow growing, fantastic for wildlife and creative gardeners alike, as it can be used very successfully for topiary.

Choose wisely, and dont try and grow a Monkey Puzzle tree in your front garden!!

Real peat bogs in Kent

2010-09-18T05:40:00.000-07:00

You've probably seen the regular articles in the gardening press, or noticed the current 'Act On CO2' government campaign backed by Diarmuid Gavin, and are very aware that the UK's supplies of gardeners best friend, Peat, are running a bit low these days.

Some lovely peat.

According to the very knowledgable Kent Wildlife Trust, there are only four remaining peat bogs left in Kent. If you want to see them for yourself, they can be found at 'Hothfield Common' near Ashford, open year round and run by the Kent Wildlife Trust as a nature reserve. The site has SSSI status (Site of Special Scientific Interest) in order to protect and restore the peat bogs and surrounding heath and acid grassland.

Annual grazing of the acid heath using a herd of highland cattle, is in process, to clear and stop the threat which common scrub poses, invading the area and wiping out the native plant species which are very rare in Kent, some which are only found on the site at Hothfield.

Best times to visit Hothfield are between April and August, when you can see rare and specialised heath species such as bog asphodel, marsh St.Johns wort, heath spotted orchid and round-leaved sundew; like the one in the pic below.

Round-leaved Sundew.

For more info on peat alternatives to use in your garden, or buying peat responsibly, check out the governments web-page on the subject;

www.direct.gov.uk/buyingcompost

Or have a look at the GMI page below (Growing Media Initiative), intended to raise awareness of the need and the progression in finding a decent substitute for peat in domestic situations;

http://www.growingmediainitiative.org.uk/

For more information about the peat bogs at Hothfield Common, take a look at the Kent Wildlife Trust page;

http://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/support-us/appeals/hothfield-common/

August Garden Visit...

2010-09-14T12:25:00.000-07:00

After years of hearing about Beth Chatto's Essex garden, I finally got there at the very end of August. A bit late to see it at it's very best maybe, and it was peeing down with rain (a choice day to visit a dry garden?) but a very worthwhile visit, and an absolute MUST for anyone with an interest in plants and gardening.

Verbena in the gravel garden.

Beth herself is an inspiration; in her mid-eighties, she looks smart and pretty, and clearly still full of enthusiasm for the garden she has spent so many years working throughout. You can normally find her around the nursery, garden or cafe most days, answering questions and chatting away to enthralled visitors about her opinions and favourite plants.

Anemone hupehensis in the water garden borders.

Before you leave make two visits - first to the stock beds; there you will be blown away by the vibrant sea of colours, then, on your way out, to the nursery. And, if you leave without one single Helenium, Echinacea or other herbaceous thingymajit, then you must have willpower of super-strength steel...