Over the years I have made a lot of gardens in many parts of the world. They have embraced all sorts of styles and situations from the very formal, to the wildly unkempt from the classical to the modern. However, I think I confidently say that the garden we have made for Horatio in Scotland […]
One in ten people are going home to warm and relaxing hot tubs in their own garden these days, and there is no reason you shouldn’t be one of those people. Hot tubs add a real touch of luxury to a home that is hard to achieve from anything else. However for most people in […]
It is a well-known fact that during winter, incidents of burglary are more common throughout the country. As the nights draw in, burglars and thieves are able to use the cover of darkness to extend the hours of their ‘work’. Thankfully however, there are steps that we can take to help secure our gardens from […]
Designing and developing your own garden is certainly not for the faint hearted! Whilst you may think: “grass, a fence and somewhere to sit-how hard can it be?” the chances are, if you are aware of the value that a great garden can bring to your property and are reading this article you want to be a bit more […]
I love gardens, but I’m not much of a gardener. I enjoy caring for plants, but I’m even happier sitting in my outdoor space, just relaxing. Breakfast in the garden on a sunny day is one of my favourite treats. However, we’ve just moved into a new house with a garden 3 times bigger than […]
The British people are very sensitive to the idea of luxury and relaxation, something we experience little of in our domestic lives. Whilst we’re certainly an outdoors people, swimming pools aren’t common on the estates of London and Birmingham; despite every outdoor pool from Spain to Sardinia being overtaken by Brits in their socks […]
As I write this in my little suburban garden I am surrounded by a cloud of bees. They are upon closer inspection bees of all different shapes and sizes, honey bees, solitary bees, leaf cutters and busy bumblebees. The latter always look as if they shouldn’t be able to fly, but as a saying goes […]
If you have ever wondered why some people call aubergines ‘egg plants’ you had only to look in Raymond Blanc’s new glasshouse at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons this September. Aubergine ‘White Egg’, a heritage variety, had everyone looking twice. The white aubergines looked just like hen’s egg nestled in the branches! Hartley Botanic’s […]
Growing plants is an excellent way to spend time in your garden and to experience the great outdoors in a productive manner. I’ve always been interested in gardening ever since I was a young boy and my father asked for my help in growing some cherry tomato plants. At the time, I wasn’t too keen on vegetables but after […]
