Plan Your Garden
If you’re looking for ideas for your garden or are interested in reading about our garden design topics, you will find them all here. Use the drop down menu for specific design topics or simply browse or use the search box in the bar above. Enjoy!
How to create a workable garden on a steep slope
Client Brief: create a new level lawn for their children to play on. Problem: how to create a workable garden on… Read more.
Plant Focus: Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’
Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’ is a really useful, attractive and elegant medium sized garden tree. Whilst it is deciduous, designers like… Read more.
Paving Comparison: Slate
Like sandstone and limestone, slate is a natural stone which has been used for hundreds of years as a building… Read more.
Paving Comparison: Limestone
Natural limestone has been a key building material throughout the ages and used all over the world – even the… Read more.
How to cope with a wide / deep border
We often receive calls and emails from people who have recently moved into a new home, feeling overawed at taking on… Read more.
Plant Focus: Cotoneaster ‘Cornubia’
Cotoneasters are generally very easy to grow – and fast growing - evergreen and deciduous shrubs, with white spring flowers,… Read more.
Paving Comparison: Indian Sandstone
Of the many options available for paving, my personal favourite is Indian Sandstone. Currently it is by far the most… Read more.
Plant to Watch – Mahonia ‘Soft Caress’
I thought I would just share some details of this plant which was recently brought to my attention by several… Read more.
Growing Brussel Sprouts
“How about writing a blog on growing Brussel Sprouts?” Sarah, our web adviser suggested a short while ago. “But I’m… Read more.
Learning to love Roses… well, … like them at least
Prospective clients often say to me "please don’t give me any roses - they're too much hard work", or "no, definitely… Read more.
Musings on choosing a garden designer
Garden designers need to know a lot about a lot of things. Just consider for a moment. He or she… Read more.
Sedum ‘Jose Aubergine’
I first came across this newish form of Stonecrop at an open day of our main perennial wholesale nursery a… Read more.
Growing Vegetables – Design Considerations
This is the second of a series of design blogs aimed at encouraging people to make space to grow vegetables… Read more.
Have you ever considered a garden room?
Tempted by a chill out space in your garden…..? This summer house built by ALDA Landscapes in 2011 in my… Read more.
Plant Focus: Sorbus ‘Joseph Rock’
Sorbus ‘Joseph Rock’ – a yellow berried form of Rowan / Mountain Ash - is one of my favourite small… Read more.
Mastering manhole covers
Mastering the problem of a manhole cover..... manhole covers might not seem the most exciting topic when considering a new… Read more.
Making room for vegetables
I have been asked on numerous occasions over the years to give some tips and advice about growing vegetables and… Read more.
Plant Focus: Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’
Following on from last month's look at Euonymus alatus, this month I want to share another of my favourites with… Read more.
Inspiration – Raised Beds
Are you fed up with back breaking days in the garden? Here's a thought - why not make life easier… Read more.
Plant Focus: Euonymus alatus
Every garden designer has his or her favourite/most-used plants, and I'm no different. But rather than sharing a long list… Read more.
How To Cope With Shallow Soils Over Chalk
When we refer to chalky soil, we mean soil which has a layer of chalk below it. Chalky soils tend… Read more.
How to Cope with Wide Shallow Gardens
If you have a wide and shallow garden it can appear to lack space and distance. But with some design… Read more.
Is It Safe To Plant In The Winter Months?
Some clients get very concerned if we inform them that we are planning to undertake some of the planting in… Read more.
How to cope with… a sloping garden
Sloping gardens. They're challenging for home owners and garden designers alike. In this in-depth piece, we take a look at:The… Read more.
How To Attract Insects To Your Garden
This blog was almost called “How To Attract Beneficial Insects To Your Garden”, but when we started to think about… Read more.
How to cope with… hot, dry areas of the garden
Hot, dry areas of the garden can be quite a challenge for the gardener, particularly if the soil is very… Read more.
No more garden flooding! Drainage case study update
Back in January, we blogged about garden drainage and specifically mentioned two projects where drainage was a key 'challenge' (and… Read more.
How to cope with… a long narrow garden
Long, narrow gardens have several drawbacks, particularly if they are very narrow: the patio can seem very cramped for space… Read more.