We massively welcome the new legislation that Mini wetlands in all new developments will have to have Mini wetlands in all new developments, such as ponds and rain gardens, designed within them to help with flooding.We believe that all residential gardens should contain some element of a rain garden, which is a garden planted with plants that can cope with excess stormwater and help absorb it.Known as SuDS (sustainable drainage systems), these small wetland areas capture and slow down heavy rainwater. Instead of pooling and overflowing the sewer system, it is designed to be naturally absorbed into the ponds or
Read MoreWe wish a Happy New Year to all of our friends and clients.Our New Year’s resolutions are to continue pushing the boundaries of high-end garden design, working with the best quality suppliers and being as ecology and environmentally friendly as we can.There is no doubt that people value their homes and their outdoor spaces even more, after we’ve all lived through numerous lockdown situations. More and more people are now working from home, so want to create garden offices or work-friendly outdoor areas. Creating a truly wonderful and flexible outdoor space can massively expand your living space and how you can enjoy your garden.Creating
Read MoreWinter is a time for reflection for all aspects of our lives. And there is no better time than to start thinking about what you want from a garden re-design.This is a great time to look properly at the space you have and take the time to reimagine what is could be. It’s time to grab a cup of tea or hot chocolate and just look outside and begin to imagine what your garden could look like with proper planning and design.What do you want from your outdoor living space? Is it more socialising space? Is it more space for creative planting?
Read MoreEven though we don’t go outside into our gardens as much during the winter, they are still full of wildlife. It’s important to make sure they have plenty of nourishment until the nature bursts into life again in the spring.This year has been particularly mild (we’ve still had tomatoes in the greenhouse until recently!), so flowering plants have survived for a lot longer. However, we do have frost forecast in the coming weeks so think ahead!There are still plenty of small garden birds outside, feeding on seed heads and berries, but by keeping seed feeders full, this ensures that they
Read MoreLight up your gardenThe festive lights at RHS Bridgewater demonstrate how important it is to have good lighting in the winter. By using coloured uplighting at the bottom of individual trees, you can draw attention to specimen trees that you want to highlight.As designers, we wouldn't usually recommend going as far as the photo above (!), but we can certainly draw inspiration from the colours and ideas.The above image of one of our garden designs shows how we use uplighting to highlight certain areas and draw the eye around the garden.At a time when you may not use your garden much at
Read MoreOctober is an excellent A good time to plant a hedge an evergreen hedge, as we usually have fairly mild temperatures and a decent amount of rainfall. Not only are they a stunning natural sustainable barrier for your garden, but they are a diverse and healthy habitat for all types of British wildlife.An evergreen hedge is a great idea if you want to provide year-round privacy, and both hornbeam and beech are great choices for standard hedges.However, if you want something a little different – and to provide wildlife with food – go for a hedging plant that produces berries.Here’s
Read MoreThis week I’ve been spotting some fabulous late-flowering perennials, which due to the mild October and smattering of sunny days are still covered in various types of bees.The bright purple blooms above are Aster x frikartii 'Monch', spotted at RHS Bridgewater recently - looking very healthy and being enjoyed by bees. I've also recently spotted a classic ‘butterfly bush’, otherwise known officially as Buddleia, which was covered in honey bees. These are fast-growing late flowering plants, come in various wonderful shades of purple, pinks and whites.And lastly, ivy is another fast growing and late flowering evergreen perennial, which when left to
Read MoreThe Visiting a slick new urban park has been hugely popular and extremely busy over the past few weeks. This is the first city centre park to be opened in Manchester in more than 100 years, but it has been designed for the 21st century.East Piccadilly has recently been changed from a pretty dodgy derelict area to a burgeoning district of new apartments, leisure and now this beautifully designed park.While not huge, there is a lot crammed into Mayfield Park, with bridges and winding paths taking you over the River Medlock, which was uncovered from its tarmac covering.The kids play area
Read MoreSeptember is a great month to plant lavender bushes, perfect for attracting bees and butterflies and giving a great long summer display of beautifully scented flowers. However, it’s important to select the right type of lavender to give it the best start. Although French lavender is beautiful, it’s not as hardy as an English lavender. So firstly, ensure you select a Lavender Angustifolia for hardiness through the winter. Secondly, I do recommend you buy from a good garden centre or nursery rather than a supermarket. Lavender needs well-drained soil and a sunny position. Don’t plant individual plants too close together as they will
Read MoreSelf-seeding flowers are one of a gardener's joys, especially if you have large areas to plant. Once these plants are established in your garden, you can scatter the seed heads elsewhere in your garden to spread the joy!Of course, they may seed anywhere, but once you become familiar with the seedlings, you can pull them out if they appear somewhere you don’t want them to.If you want to establish these plants from scratch, you are better waiting until spring to sow your seeds. Eschscholzia californicaThese wild orange or yellow poppies, otherwise known as California poppies, bring joy every time I see them. If
Read MoreBuilt in 1892, this steel viaduct used to bring heavy rail traffic in and out of the Great Northern Warehouse, but has been unused since 1969.It has now been reclaimed for public use and turned into a ‘sky garden’ by the National Trust. It recently opened, allowing just 100 people per day to have a guided tour and give their feedback.One of our team recently visited the site and the planting was stunning as expected, with trees chosen for their specific historical uses, as well as lots of bountiful flowering borders.It’s brilliant to see another visitor attraction which gives city dwellers the opportunity to see greenery
Read MoreI’ve been pulling the picture together for this beautiful garden and outdoor living area in Thistleton in Lancashire. We commissioned a bespoke concrete bench for the perfect contemporary look, set off by the grasses.Calamagrostis were the grasses chosen for this garden for their upright feathery plumes, and gentle rustling sound. This perennial has a really long growing season from early spring. In the summer, the silvery pinkish flowers look stunning and then turn into golden seed heads from autumn onwards. It’s easy to look after and just needs a winter cut, ready for the next growing season. We added a row
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