So despite this program being several years in, there still seems to be some confusion about whether one has to be a plant passporter or not. We are. We talked to our local plant Health Inspector (Hi Sam!) who talked us through the process and then talked specifically about what we do and whether we…
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Plant Collecting or Clutter?
I have a bit of a collecting habit, for plants that is. I love plants almost to the exclusion of all else and consequently find myself seeking out those rarities and commoners that I want to grow, and then adding their friends and other finds along the way. Why grow one colour when you can…
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Making marks
Making marks is all part of the design process. Typically I start work with pencils and graphite markers on tracing paper as the first step, sometimes working with coloured crayons on top sometimes not. Each designer has their own creative process. Making marks helps to get the flow of a space, it’s in plan mode…
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Design in this time of COVID-19
In the face of a global shut down and a great deal of fear and uncertainty one is faced with how one will respond and sometimes confronted with one’s worst fears and anxieties while being pressed to carry on as normal. That was week one for of lockdown for me. Of course like many people…
Continue ReadingAllotmenteering
Almost 10 years ago I took on a rather weedy overgrown allotment plot, no.25. It’s down at the bottom of the plot of about 100 allotments. Shaded until around 11am by a huge hawthorn hedge the council never seem to cut back at the top, so on the sides it is thin and gappy. I…
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APHA, Plant Passporting and new restrictions
From 14th December 2019 new restrictions came into force to ensure all plants moving about the EU (and the UK) carry what is called a plant passport. This is a certificate, of sorts, that identifies where the plant came from, giving traceability. This is new in some ways and not new in others. There has…
Continue ReadingPlants: Amaryllis or Hippeastrum?
In the miserable dark days of winter a wonderful addition to the ‘houseplant’ frenzy is the Amaryllis or Hippeastrum. Often gifted in a box with the typical brillant reds and vibrants whites there are infact a plethora of other options when one starts to delve in to buying them direct from growers or indeed from…
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Should Garden Designers work for free?
This is a thorny topic and one I find myself contemplating at least once a year. Over the last decade of being a full time professional garden designer I have been asked at least once a year if not more, along with many other people I suspect, to design a garden or outside space for…
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Is there anyone out there reading this?
I’m having a disappointingly quiet couple of design months, so to keep things motivating I am re-looking at newsletters and blog posts and GDPR (dull dull dull) and according to MailChimp, my email provider, there are 21 lovely people who follow or recieve the blog via email every time I post. REALLY?! So lovely people…
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Plants: Grape Vines
More than a little chuffed and excited with the grapevine this year. It’s 4 th year here and thus far a tiny bunch has appeared each of the previous 2 years. This year it’s COVERED in grapes. I’ve pruned back in Spring per @themontydon instructions, 2 bunches per vertical, 3 leaf intersections. But it still…
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