Plants
In this section you will find information about a range of different plants and how they can be used to best effect in your garden. Amongst other things, we look at: solutions for tricky areas; how to create impact with plants in a particular season; and topics such as plant structure, texture and colour. Read on to find out more.
Helleborus niger –The Christmas Rose
You know it’s nearly Christmas……. when the first thing that greets you at your local garden centre is a vast… Read more.
Plant Focus: Pittosporum tenuifolium & its cultivars
As any ALDA Landscapes customer will tell you, I am a great fan of Pittosporums, and they feature in some… Read more.
Value For Money Plants
At last we have had some rain, and lawns have begun to take on a hint of green - although… Read more.
Drought Tolerant Plants
As I sit in my office writing this blog, the sun is shining gloriously outside, and it is very warm… Read more.
Plant Focus: Salvia ‘Royal Bumble’
Some people love bright red. But many gardeners shy away from using red flowered plants in their gardens for fear… Read more.
First Glimpses of Spring
As I sit here writing my January blog, the sky outside is grey and overcast. It seemed to take forever… Read more.
Plants To Lift The Winter Gloom
Is it just me, or does it seem very grey and dark all of a sudden? As I sit here… Read more.
Veggies For Small Gardens – A Few New Ones To Try
As our clients will know, my veggie coffins (beds) have been in use for two years now, and I have… Read more.
Mediterranean Planting
This is the second in a series of blogs looking at using plants for creating different effects, and considers Mediterranean… Read more.
Glade Planting
For me, one of the most interesting aspects of planting design is how plants can be used to build and… Read more.
Plant Focus: Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’ – A Garden Designer’s View
As a garden designer, I have very mixed emotions when it comes to Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’. Am I… Read more.
Making space for all the things you want to grow
Modern new build houses seem to be allocated ever smaller gardens; we find that even large dwellings nowadays are often… Read more.
The Holly & The Ivy – A Seasonal Blog Post
It may be seasonal, but I have to say that Ivy (Hedera) is not my favourite plant. It can be… Read more.
Creative Ways with Plants
When designing a planting scheme for clients, garden designers (me included) always look to provide structure and plant interest all… Read more.
What to plant in a narrow border
Most gardens that I visit have a few borders which are really narrow and this can often pose a planting… Read more.
Plant Focus: Polystichum setiferum ‘Herrenhausen’ & ‘Proliferum’
Little plants with long names! Anyone who has ever asked me to design a planting scheme for them will know… Read more.
Plant Focus: Cotinus coggygria ‘Golden Spirit’
Another of my favourite plants, this yellow leaved form of the smoke bush is perhaps less well known than its… 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.
Plant Focus: Cotoneaster ‘Cornubia’
Cotoneasters are generally very easy to grow – and fast growing - evergreen and deciduous shrubs, with white spring flowers,… 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.
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.
Plant Focus: Sorbus ‘Joseph Rock’
Sorbus ‘Joseph Rock’ – a yellow berried form of Rowan / Mountain Ash - is one of my favourite small… 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.
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.