The towpath beside the River Lee is a study in mauve with sprays of Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris) sprawling along the verge and out over the water. Often reduced to stunted tufts in managed verges, wilder areas that have been spared the mower allow this jaunty perennial to spread luxuriantly, its stems trailing and reaching … Continue reading Mallows in the Meadow
The Wedgwood Garden, designed by Jo Thompson, marks the 260th anniversary of the company, founded by Josiah Wedgwood in 1759. The hard landscaping is inspired by Etruria - the pioneering Staffordshire village that Wedgwood built for his workers - and the canals that transported his pottery throughout the UK. Many of Wedgwood's motifs were based … Continue reading Coral, Peach and Ivory Tones in Jo Thompson’s Wedgwood Garden
Published earlier this month, Dahlias: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden is a captivating celebration of the dahlia combining Georgianna Lane's sublime photography of single cultivars and mixed arrangements with Naomi Slade's lyrical and engaging text. I've been looking forward to reading Dahlias since May, when Naomi mentioned the new book she'd been writing. Having been kindly sent … Continue reading Book Review: Dahlias by Naomi Slade and Georgianna Lane
Where better to take the kids on a sunny summer's day than the family-friendly garden show set in the beautiful grounds of Woburn Abbey? Now in its ninth year, the show attracts many visitors all looking for inspiration from the 100+ exhibitors, demonstrations, talks and garden tours. The talks - from Adam Frost and Pippa … Continue reading Woburn Abbey Garden Show: A Family Affair
Visitors to BBC Gardeners World Live have a busy, exciting show ahead of them this year. With 10 show gardens, 6 smaller gardens, more than 20 beautiful borders and over 100 stands selling plants and gardening equipment, the show will provide inspirational ideas for everyone to take home. Inspiration is everywhere at this year's show Made … Continue reading BBC Gardeners World Live – All About Inspiration
Chris Beardshaw recently said that he felt Chelsea show gardens should only be accepted if they were going to be relocated afterwards. It seems that other designers may be following his lead as this year's show sees more of the gardens and planting being relocated than ever before. The recipients of the gardens are diverse; … Continue reading Health, Wellbeing and Sustainability at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
The attention to detail in the 2018 Chelsea Flower Show gardens surpasses anything I've seen before; I love the way the planting maintains a sophisticated and elegant feel, yet is more grounded than in previous years. Many gardens focus on naturalistic forms and soft planting with coppery tones, highlights of deep purples and pinks, and … Continue reading RHS Chelsea Flower Show Highlights
With chilli sowing season already upon us, it's time to unearth my special seedy shoeboxes to plan for the growing year ahead. One particular box contains an exciting collection of seeds - those I'm trialling for Suttons in my role as a guest blogger for 2018. I'm really looking forward to trying out some of … Continue reading Seedy Saturday: Rainbows, Crocodiles and Pearls
I was chatting to a friend at the community garden yesterday as we collected leaves and pruned the willows about the beauty of oca with its lush trailing leaves and jewel-like edible tubers. To my mind, harvesting these colourful tubers is one of the most joyful moments in the winter garden, along with watching the … Continue reading Creating A Winter Garden (Part 3)
Last weekend, the first part of Creating a Winter Garden considered structure and flowers. Thanks to everyone who shared images of their winter gardens: precious moments that lift our spirits on these short winter days. Stems and Bark The scarcity of winter flowers means that a wall liberally covered in clematis 'Freckles' is a precious sight, … Continue reading Creating A Winter Garden (Part 2)