Garden Design Ideas

Ideas, knowledge and Inspiration

Chris Hull and Zoe Hull of greenbook landscapes standing in a park in exeter

Greenbook Landscape Design Has Moved to Exeter!

A big change has happened in the Greenbook world โ€“ weโ€™ve moved! Both the business and our lives have made the exciting journey down to Exeter, Devon, a place thatโ€™s close to our hearts. Itโ€™s also where Chris first picked up his gardening tools and discovered his passion for all things gardens. With its rolling […]

Greenbook July 2022-33 copy

What Makes a Garden Design Sustainable?

Garden designers naturally have a real interest in how their actions impact the spaces they work in. But as responsible designers, we also need to understand how these actions impact the wider world.

Garden-Design-Bath

Gardens on a budget

It really is possible to live the dream, without spending wheelbarrow loads of money or having lots of experience and knowledge.

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Top Garden Design Trends of 2020

Whilst forest fires blaze on one side of the globe and pandemic status is issued on another, you may feel guilty about being so concerned with the top garden

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This garden has just been planted and I canโ€™t wait to see it grow out and flower! 

The structure from the Yew topiary and evergreen shrubs means it will look good all year round, but the real magic will come when all the perennials grow out. It is absolutely filled with colour and texture!

I was lucky to be designing this scheme into an already terraced garden with beautiful stonework. Good hard landscaping definitely makes the planting sing, and vice versa! 

Watch this space for more updates on this garden ๐Ÿชด 

#gardenersofinstagram #plantingdesign #gardendesign  #stonewalling

This garden has just been planted and I canโ€™t wait to see it grow out and flower!

The structure from the Yew topiary and evergreen shrubs means it will look good all year round, but the real magic will come when all the perennials grow out. It is absolutely filled with colour and texture!

I was lucky to be designing this scheme into an already terraced garden with beautiful stonework. Good hard landscaping definitely makes the planting sing, and vice versa!

Watch this space for more updates on this garden ๐Ÿชด

#gardenersofinstagram #plantingdesign #gardendesign #stonewalling
...

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Hereโ€™s why you need to expose the multi stems on your trees and shrubsโ€ฆ

- it shows off the form of the tree
- it creates opportunities for underplanting
- it looks beautiful with up lighting on the stems
- allows more light into the planting below and views through your beds

This is one of those instant gratification jobs! Very quick and easy to do and the results are beautiful ๐Ÿคฉ 

#multistem #gardenersofinstagram #gardendesign #plantingdesign

Hereโ€™s why you need to expose the multi stems on your trees and shrubsโ€ฆ

- it shows off the form of the tree
- it creates opportunities for underplanting
- it looks beautiful with up lighting on the stems
- allows more light into the planting below and views through your beds

This is one of those instant gratification jobs! Very quick and easy to do and the results are beautiful ๐Ÿคฉ

#multistem #gardenersofinstagram #gardendesign #plantingdesign
...

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What happened to this tree?! 

This is a traditional management technique called Pollarding. This practice has been used for THOUSANDS of years across Europe. 

It is a similar premise to how we often coppice Hazel trees for example. 

It was often used as a way to repeatedly harvest timber without felling the tree, produce fodder for livestock or for weaving materials from Willow in particular. 

Here it is being used to promote healthy new growth on a tree that was looking quite sorry for itself. 

Now you know! 

Thanks to @burdfieldlandscaping for getting the job done! 

#pollarding #arboricture #gardenersofinstagram

What happened to this tree?!

This is a traditional management technique called Pollarding. This practice has been used for THOUSANDS of years across Europe.

It is a similar premise to how we often coppice Hazel trees for example.

It was often used as a way to repeatedly harvest timber without felling the tree, produce fodder for livestock or for weaving materials from Willow in particular.

Here it is being used to promote healthy new growth on a tree that was looking quite sorry for itself.

Now you know!

Thanks to @burdfieldlandscaping for getting the job done!

#pollarding #arboricture #gardenersofinstagram
...

272 11
AD I bet you didnโ€™t know pruning could be so easy?!
Iโ€™ve been using the @stihlgb ASA20 Secateurs for a while now and they are so impressive. When youโ€™re doing a lot of pruning in the garden, these are definitely the way to go. 
Whatโ€™s great about them is that they reduce any repetitive strain and can be used for anything from bigger shrubs to delicate roses. They would be particularly useful for anyone who suffers with arthritis or poor grip strength. 
Work smarter not harder! 

#stihl #gardenersofinstagram #gardenmaintenance

AD I bet you didnโ€™t know pruning could be so easy?!
Iโ€™ve been using the @stihlgb ASA20 Secateurs for a while now and they are so impressive. When youโ€™re doing a lot of pruning in the garden, these are definitely the way to go.
Whatโ€™s great about them is that they reduce any repetitive strain and can be used for anything from bigger shrubs to delicate roses. They would be particularly useful for anyone who suffers with arthritis or poor grip strength.
Work smarter not harder!

#stihl #gardenersofinstagram #gardenmaintenance
...

169 25
Who knew that it was that easy to turn invisible? 

The history of plants always amazes me and Hellebores are no exception! Theyโ€™re all looking amazing in the garden at the moment. I canโ€™t get enough of them. ๐Ÿชด

Little tip: it is always worth pruning off the old leaves to show off the flowers in Spring and to prevent diseases. 

#hellebore #gardenersofinstagram #planthistory

Who knew that it was that easy to turn invisible?

The history of plants always amazes me and Hellebores are no exception! Theyโ€™re all looking amazing in the garden at the moment. I canโ€™t get enough of them. ๐Ÿชด

Little tip: it is always worth pruning off the old leaves to show off the flowers in Spring and to prevent diseases.

#hellebore #gardenersofinstagram #planthistory
...

447 33
Youโ€™ll never regret spending 5 minutes in the garden.. 

Spending just 5 minutes a day in the garden will give you so much hope and boost your mental health. 

It gives you something to look forward to as each day passes and something to nurture. Youโ€™ll ALWAYS feel better for it. 5 minutes usually turns into 30 quite easily ๐Ÿ˜‚. 

Seeing everything growing and bursting into life makes me so excited about whatโ€™s to come, so go outside and cherish it in the moment! 

#gardenersofinstagram #gardendesign #gardenlove

Youโ€™ll never regret spending 5 minutes in the garden..

Spending just 5 minutes a day in the garden will give you so much hope and boost your mental health.

It gives you something to look forward to as each day passes and something to nurture. Youโ€™ll ALWAYS feel better for it. 5 minutes usually turns into 30 quite easily ๐Ÿ˜‚.

Seeing everything growing and bursting into life makes me so excited about whatโ€™s to come, so go outside and cherish it in the moment!

#gardenersofinstagram #gardendesign #gardenlove
...

352 33
Expert answers to all of your common garden questions. ๐Ÿชด

Let me know below if youโ€™d like a more specific topic next time. 

#gardenersofinstagram #gardendesign

Expert answers to all of your common garden questions. ๐Ÿชด

Let me know below if youโ€™d like a more specific topic next time.

#gardenersofinstagram #gardendesign
...

163 8
DIY Coldframe in less than a minute! 

I made this for @itvloveyourweekend using reclaimed scaffold boards and an old sash window. All you need on top of this is some supports for the corners and some strong hinges. 

You could do this with a hand saw too so anyone can give it a go and you can make it bigger or smaller depending on the size of your window. 

I love making things using reclaimed materials! What should I do next ๐Ÿ‘€? 

#diy #coldframe #gardenersofinstagram #horticulture

DIY Coldframe in less than a minute!

I made this for @itvloveyourweekend using reclaimed scaffold boards and an old sash window. All you need on top of this is some supports for the corners and some strong hinges.

You could do this with a hand saw too so anyone can give it a go and you can make it bigger or smaller depending on the size of your window.

I love making things using reclaimed materials! What should I do next ๐Ÿ‘€?

#diy #coldframe #gardenersofinstagram #horticulture
...

249 17

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