A big change has happened in the Greenbook world โ weโve moved! Both the business and our lives have made the exciting journey down to Exeter, Devon, a place thatโs close to our hearts. Itโs also where Chris first picked up his gardening tools and discovered his passion for all things gardens. With its rolling […]
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.
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.
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 canโt 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 ๐ชด
This garden has just been planted and I canโt 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 ๐ชด
Hereโs why you need to expose the multi stems on your trees and shrubsโฆ
- 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 ๐คฉ
Hereโs why you need to expose the multi stems on your trees and shrubsโฆ
- 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 ๐คฉ
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!
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!
AD I bet you didnโt know pruning could be so easy?! Iโve been using the @stihlgb ASA20 Secateurs for a while now and they are so impressive. When youโre doing a lot of pruning in the garden, these are definitely the way to go. Whatโs 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!
AD I bet you didnโt know pruning could be so easy?! Iโve been using the @stihlgb ASA20 Secateurs for a while now and they are so impressive. When youโre doing a lot of pruning in the garden, these are definitely the way to go. Whatโs 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!
Tune in to @itvloveyourweekend tomorrow (Sunday) morning at 9:30am to see myself and Alan discuss Spring lawn care!
Lawns will always have their place in gardens and there are some simple steps you can take to keep them looking tidy. Neither Alan or I use chemical feed / weed etc so the approach here is scarifying, aerating, overseeding where required, and of course your regular mowing schedule!
P.s. if you want to see me doing a cat walk in some spiked lawn aerator shoes - then DEFINITELY tune in ๐.
Tune in to @itvloveyourweekend tomorrow (Sunday) morning at 9:30am to see myself and Alan discuss Spring lawn care!
Lawns will always have their place in gardens and there are some simple steps you can take to keep them looking tidy. Neither Alan or I use chemical feed / weed etc so the approach here is scarifying, aerating, overseeding where required, and of course your regular mowing schedule!
P.s. if you want to see me doing a cat walk in some spiked lawn aerator shoes - then DEFINITELY tune in ๐.
The history of plants always amazes me and Hellebores are no exception! Theyโre all looking amazing in the garden at the moment. I canโt get enough of them. ๐ชด
Little tip: it is always worth pruning off the old leaves to show off the flowers in Spring and to prevent diseases.
The history of plants always amazes me and Hellebores are no exception! Theyโre all looking amazing in the garden at the moment. I canโt get enough of them. ๐ชด
Little tip: it is always worth pruning off the old leaves to show off the flowers in Spring and to prevent diseases.
Youโll 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. Youโll ALWAYS feel better for it. 5 minutes usually turns into 30 quite easily ๐.
Seeing everything growing and bursting into life makes me so excited about whatโs to come, so go outside and cherish it in the moment!
Youโll 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. Youโll ALWAYS feel better for it. 5 minutes usually turns into 30 quite easily ๐.
Seeing everything growing and bursting into life makes me so excited about whatโs to come, so go outside and cherish it in the moment!
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 ๐?
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 ๐?
I had the pleasure of working with @alantitchmarshcbe & @thebotanicalbobblehat on this weeks @itvloveyourweekend - showing off a range of cold frames, including a DIY option that I made using reclaimed materials. Basically scaffold boards and an old sash window!
If you want to see how I made it, let me know in the comments!
Thank you to @m_h_laser for the beautiful sign ๐
I had the pleasure of working with @alantitchmarshcbe & @thebotanicalbobblehat on this weeks @itvloveyourweekend - showing off a range of cold frames, including a DIY option that I made using reclaimed materials. Basically scaffold boards and an old sash window!
If you want to see how I made it, let me know in the comments!
Thank you to @m_h_laser for the beautiful sign ๐