Baverstock Gardens

Allotments

2009-05-08T11:46:00.007+01:00

There's much talk of allotments these days.

Magazines and tabloids espouse the virtues of allotments with slogans like 'grow your own' or 'save money on your food bills'.

Last year my partner and I decided that we would get an allotment too! Some of us are lucky enough to start with a well tended allotment but many more of us begin with waist-high couch grass, weeds and brambles. Daunting to say the least! Where oh where were the nicely turned beds of fluffy soil, neat walkways and raised beds that I see pictured in the magazines?

We have ten rods (“allotment-speak”) but to you and me that’s 10 x 22 meters. Unfortunately it was of the 'untended' variety. To begin with, the clearing and cultivating of the plot took a great deal of time, energy, effort and considerable commitment. But after weeks of 'hard labour' and a whole growing season under our belts the allotment is, well, looking like an allotment!

The joy of planting, harvesting and eating veggies we've grown makes us very happy. All the hard work, time and energy that it entails are worth it. There's nothing like picking your first crop of rhubarb or runner beans to make you feel good.

Here are a few tips for the beginner.

If waiting lists are too long in your area see if you can share an allotment or volunteer to help out a friend and share in the harvest

Don't be tempted to cultivate too much ground at once. Start with small plots that can be easily maintained.

Grow easy veg to begin with. Potatoes, beans, peas and herbs always produce a good crop and help the soil, too.

Don't forget to plant flowers which can be cut for the house and encourage biodiversity.

Go to car boot sales and second hand shops to find inexpensive tools and equipment or join your local 'freecycle' network.

Seed swaps and plant exchanges are a great way to get free plants.

Check out the National Society of Allotment and leisure Gardeners Web site athttp://www.nsalg.org.uk.

Read all you can and talk with other allotment growers. They will have a wealth of information to offer.

Most of all enjoy your allotment, take a flask of tea and a sandwich, sit back and relax for a little while (at least!).

Another Spring is Here

2009-04-20T09:30:00.007+01:00

Spring is here again!

The birds are singing and so am!

The trees are blushed with green hues and blossom galore. The sight of an herbaceous border erupting with fresh new foliage is thrilling.

By now we should be reaping the rewards of our hard work in the autumn, enjoying the spring bloomers like tulips and daffs that lift us out of the winter doldrums.

Nurseries are gearing up for the new gardening season too. New plants arrive daily and many new varieties are now available.

Here are some things we should be doing this month.

Weeds will try and take advantage of the warm spring days. So, keep on top of them.

Keep an eye out for aphids. They love warm days, too, and lush new growth.

Prepare new borders for planting.

Feed bulbs and dead head them where possible.

Re-pot containerized plants and fertilize borders with compost.

2009-01-15T10:13:00.008Z

Fruit Tree Pruning

I just spent the last two days learning to prune and renovate fruit trees at the Brighton Permaculture Trust.

Bryn Thomas was our tutor, his experience and enthusiasm for the subject was inspiring. Bryn teaches the course through practical hands-on experience pruning fruit trees in the orchard, informal group discussion and classroom sessions.

The course was very enjoyable, my knowledge and confidence in this specialized area is greatly enhanced because of it.

(Photos courtesy of the Brighton Permaculture Trust)

St. Michael's Hospice Open Gardens

2008-06-17T18:23:00.015+01:00

A great way to visit beautiful gardens not normally open to the public, partake of sumptuous cream teas or an aL fresco ploughman's lunch, make new friends and most importantly support the terrific work of the St Michael's Hospice.

I recently spent a lovely afternoon visiting the Open Gardens of Rye. The pictures above are a selection I took on the day. Lovely gardens with lots of great ideas to take home. For more information and a list of gardens and dates click on the link, Open Gardens.

Open Garden days run from May through July

Enjoy!!!

Summer Container Number Three

2008-06-17T07:23:00.004+01:00

Foliage and Texture

This container suits a contemporary or traditional setting. The bold foliage of the Phormium 'Maori Queen' and Euchevera provide interest and texture for a low maintenance high impact display.

Hardy in mild climates this container can be brought into the greenhouse for the winter

Summer Container Number One

2008-04-18T15:52:00.002+01:00

This container is for a shady spot

In this antique cast iron urn Ive combined variegated double pink impatiens, pilea and a hot house parlour palm to create a long lasting display of colour and texture.

If you have a greenhouse this arrangement can easily be moved inside for a winter display.

Summer Container Number Two

2008-04-17T15:47:00.006+01:00

Roses and Lavender

A very simple container for a front doorstep.

I've used a standard tree Rose and underplanted it with Lavender for a very simple yet effective summer display.

Spring in the Garden

2008-04-07T11:19:00.018+01:00

Sissinghurst Castle

Designed by Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicholson, Sissinghurst Castle is one of my most favourite gardens. No matter what the time of year or how extreme the weather there is always something lovely to see.

A recent visit led me to take this photo of a beautiful display of blue and white flowers with a splash of purple hellebores. Such a simple restrained use of colour and plant material created a lovely sight! Although the garden covers several acres, there is much in the design and in the use of plant material that can be applied to smaller gardens. I highly recommend a visit!

Vita wrote many books on gardening, sharing her knowledge and love of plants in a friendly, simple and sometimes very opinionated way. Below is an extract from Vita Sackville-West's Garden Book, first published by Hollen Street Press in 1968.

From the foreword by Philippa Nicholson here are some of Vita's Principles of Gardening:

Be Ruthless. 'You must never retain for a second year what displeased you in the first, it must be eradicated,' Vita says.
Never be too tidy. 'Let self-seeded plants grow where they naturally fell; let wild flowers sometimes be allowed to invade the garden; if roses stray over a path, the visitor must duck,' Vita says.
Good Planning. 'There must be a plan-an architectural plan, a colour plan and a seasonal plan,' Vita says.

The garden was given to the National Trust in 1967 and has been meticulously maintained by them ever since.

2008-01-22T11:09:00.000Z

Is it Spring yet?

Not quite but almost.

I took the opportunity to go to RHS Wisley the other day to visit their bookstore (always a favourite pastime) and walk through the gardens.

There were signs of Spring creeping into the winter landscape. Snow drops pushing there heads above the foliage. Sarcococca in full bloom, its lovely citrus scent filling the air.

Before we know it Spring will be here. So its time to make sure all those untidy perennials are cut back, winter pruning projects are finished and those other irksome tasks like tidying the shed and cleaning our tools are all completed before we head back into the garden full time.

If you haven't done so already now is a perfect time to make plans for new flower beds, vegetable gardens, landscaping and garden makeovers.

Whether you engage a garden designer like myself or you do-it-yourself, planning any garden on paper first makes good sense. It helps you make good plant choices and avoid all those impulse buys at the garden centre! You will also save time in the long run and save money.

So get cleaning and designing!

Check out my Gallery for inspiration and don't hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance.

Coming soon to Garden Notes:

Garden Design Booklet
Ideas for Summer Containers
Potting Benches
DIY Containers

Christmas Wreath

2007-12-13T10:45:00.000Z

Decorating for the holidays,

Nothing looks nicer than a wreath on the front door at Christmas. Here's one I made using a fresh mixed wreath which I then decorated with artificial fruit. A nice big bow sets the whole thing off.

For a step by step guide on how to make your own wreath click on the RHS website link wreath .

Happy Holidays!

Don' forget to look at my gallery for inspiring ideas for your garden

National Tree Week

2007-11-10T21:47:00.000Z

Plant a tree and be a part of the Tree Council’s national tree week, 21st November - December 2nd, 2007.

Trees, we can’t live without them, literally!

As a landscape designer, I don’t think a garden is complete without one. The rewards for planting a tree are many, shade, privacy, flowers, fruit and wildlife habitat to name but a few.

For many of us space in the garden can be tight, so look for trees that have more than one season of interest. Here are a handful of trees that are easy to grow, low maintenance and will work in any sized garden.

Amelanchier lamarkia or canadensis, also known as Serviceberry or Juneberry, this is a fine multi stemmed small tree. Good for massing or as a single specimen it has spectacular autumn colour, flowers in spring and produces berries for the birds, needs sun, deciduous.

Cornus florida, a beautiful dogwood native to the North East United States, their autumn colour is a gorgeous red and they bloom either pink or white before the leaves unfurl in the spring. This is an excellent choice for all gardens, grows in sun or shade, deciduous. One cultivar to look for is “Appalachian Spring”.

Styrax, there are two types to look for “Japonica” which has small fragrant bell shaped blooms along its wide spreading branches or “Obassia” more columnar with large camellia like fragrant blooms. Both are slow growing beautiful trees with brilliant autumn colour, exfoliating bark and interesting winter architecture, grows in sun, deciduous.

Acer palmatum, so many to choose from, upright, weeping, red leaves, green leaves or multi coloured and dissected leaves. Varieties to look for are “Sangu Kaku”, “Atropureum”, “Waterfall”, “Bloodgood” and the “Dissectum” group. It’s hard to go wrong with this tree, sun or shade, deciduous. My photo above is of an unnamed variety of Acer that I grew as a bonsai.

Magnolia grandiflora “Little Gem”, this is smaller version of its larger cousin, an evergreen that’s good for a courtyard or border. I have used this tree for espalier and large container plantings. Give it a little protection from winter winds, sun or shade.

Happy Planting!

Autumn Colour

2007-11-01T14:39:00.000Z

Use autumn colour to highlight garden features. This antique urn takes center stage with the brilliant autumn colours of Hydrangea subsp petiolaris.

Climbing Hydrangea, a favourite vine of mine, turns this lovely autumn yellow, has a profusion of lacy white blooms in summer and provides shelter and nesting habitat for wildlife. Its a low maintenance self clinging climber.

Scotney Castle

2007-10-29T14:26:00.000Z

I visited this National Trust property quite by accident driving around one summer afternoon. I found it to be a charming example of the ‘romantic’ garden style. Set within the ruins of the old castle and moat with lovely views and interesting features for the gardener and the photographer. Take time to tour the house, next year more rooms will be open.

Coming Soon...

2007-10-03T20:40:00.000+01:00

Watch this space for top tips and gardening news.