SMALL GARDENS CAN STILL HAVE GREAT POTENTIAL!

by | Nov 26, 2024 | Gardens | 0 comments

SMALL GARDENS CAN STILL HAVE GREAT POTENTIAL!

Designing a small garden is often harder than a large one. The whole garden is often on view and visible throughout the year, and it needs to look good for 12 months of the year. It is often surrounded by boundaries such as fencing and walls, in varying degrees of repair, and can be overlooked by neighbours, their trees and their buildings.

So here are some tips to consider, to maximise your small garden’s potential:

 

 

     

    • Create a journey through the garden – use a curved path, create 2 or more levels with a few steps, divide the space with informal screens – so that one cannot see the whole garden at a glance and there is an element of wanting to get into the garden to explore!
    • Informal screening can be achieved with small trees or tall shrubs such as Amelanchier and Eriobotrya, or metal or wooden screens/posts: Placing such screening towards the middle of the garden rather than around the boundaries gives the space depth, and creates interest.
    • Use evergreen foliage for permanent structure, and choose deciduous plants that have a long period of interest, such as repeat flowering plants or grasses that keep their plumes over the winter months.
    • Be generous with the size of your borders – wide, generous planting gives a feeling of space and allows for tiered planting. Avoid narrow, long borders along the boundaries.
    • Use large, dramatic foliage such as Tree Ferns and Fatsia to make the garden feel larger; play on contrasts of texture and foliage.
    • Go up! Use fences and walls for planting climbers, and introduce obelisks, arches or small pergolas to create height in the borders and grow plants up them.
    • Consider where the sun falls at different times of the day, and create different seating areas such as a bench, a bistro table and chairs, a wall with a seat incorporated.
    • Consider losing the lawn – create a dining/barbecue area and surround with planting.
    • Use a few, matching, large pots, rather than a number of smaller pots of different materials.
    • Limit your hard landscaping materials, so that you are left with a simple design which is not too busy.

    Happy Gardening!

    Anne Fraser and Caroline Streets

    Planting Gems

    www.plantinggems.co.uk

    plantinggems@hotmail.co.uk

    07729 835988 & 07930 876348

     

    Seasonal Thoughts from Planting Gems

    by | Sep 5, 2024 | Gardens | 0 comments

    Seasonal Thoughts from Planting Gems

    Autumn is just around the corner!

    This is a lovely time of year – late flowering perennials such as Rudbeckias, Penstemons, Persicaria and grasses reach their peak, and late flowering shrubs such as Hydrangeas, Hebe and Myrtle have their time in the sun. Some plants put on a second flush. Orange and fiery red, autumn colour is just around the corner and the promise of berries and autumn fruit, conkers and acorns is on the horizon.

     

    It has been a wet, cool Summer so far, and the plants have been as confused as we have! Spring flowering shrubs still performing in mid-Summer; trees losing some of their leaves early; and some perennials very slow to reach their peak. Hopefully we have a warm, late Summer ahead and it is a very good time to stop and reflect on how your garden is performing, and whether it is providing you with the colour and interest that you seek.

    Are your borders wide enough to provide staggered and tiered planting, which generally look more interesting and attractive than a narrow strip of plants? Do your paths and seating areas need a re-fresh or re-think? Are you taking advantage of the sunny (or shady) spots in your garden at different times of the day? Have your trees and shrubs outgrown their space, providing too much shade and using up too much space? Are you making the most of your walls and fences, with taller plants and climbers? Your soil may need to be cultivated and improved, turned over and enriched with peat free compost, and your planting scheme may need a review and a refresh. So have a look at your garden while you enjoy the last rays of Summer.

    There are still a number of Autumn Garden shows before the end of the season to provide you with inspiration. Now is the time to plan and purchase Spring bulbs for 2025. Autumn is also a good time to purchase and plant trees and shrubs. Increasingly, plants need to be tough to cope with warm, dry spells, and with cool, wet periods. It is hard to believe that 2023 was the warmest year on record in the UK! The trends are for eco and sustainable materials, with permeable surfaces to allow water to drain through and not run-off, overfill drains, and cause flash- flooding.  Vertical accents with bug hotels, obelisks and arches are popular, with brightly coloured, contemporary furniture – Lots of food for thought.

    Happy Gardening!

    Anne Fraser and Caroline Streets

    Planting Gems

    07729 835988 & 07930 876348

    www.plantinggems.co.uk

    plantinggems@hotmail.co.uk

    Seasonal Thoughts from Planting Gems

    by | Mar 5, 2024 | Gardens | 0 comments

    Seasonal Thoughts from Planting Gems

    Is your garden ready for 2024?

    It is official! 2023 was the warmest year on record in the UK, and 2024 is predicted to be warmer still. Periods of drought followed by periods of unusual, persistent rain, means that our gardens are having to cope with unpredictable and challenging conditions. Unseasonal warmer temperatures have also resulted in some shrubs budding for a second time – or coming into bloom early, making them susceptible to sudden cold snaps, reducing later flowering, with knock on impacts for pollinators and setting seeds. Building a resilient garden that can withstand these pressures, will allow your garden to thrive through whatever conditions the climate throws at it.

     

    So how should we, gardeners respond to this situation? Of course it is important to choose the right plant for the right place. To give a plant the best possible chance of thriving, it is vital to take note of aspect and soil, and the plants requirements, so that when planted, it is off to a good start – No good planting a sun lover in a shady corner where it will struggle, even without unpredictable weather conditions.

    It is also important to improve the quality of your soil to reduce the stress on plants and trees. A mulch of good quality compost, together with some grit, will add nutrients to the soil and improve drainage. Scratching the soil surface with a cultivator or similar tool will also help reduce compaction, and deter the rain from forming a surface crust which causes run-off rather than absorption.

    With more warmer, sunny days, there is an increasing trend for ‘outdoor sitting and dining areas’ even in the smallest of gardens. Being outside more, surrounded by wildlife friendly, attractive planting is good for our physical and emotional well-being, as is recycling and re-using materials or choosing materials that are natural and ‘eco’ to create your haven, such as wood, natural stone and terracotta. Choosing plants and landscapes that are less in need of watering after the first year and finding a way to collect and store water (in ponds or water butts) for those drier periods, is also a way of doing our bit!

    By making these choices, gardeners can give back to the environment while also creating beautiful outdoor spaces.

    Happy gardening !

    Anne Fraser and Caroline Streets

    07729 835988 and 07930 876348

    Planting Gems

    www.plantinggems.co.uk

    plantinggems@hotmail.co.uk

    National Garden Scheme

    by | Feb 21, 2024 | Gardens | 0 comments

    As I write, our “Award Winning” garden is a quagmire. Attempting to prune an overhanging fuchsia I slipped and fell face down into a muddy, overflowing pond. The newts were not amused. Nor was I. The Lady of Shalott I was not!

    Earl and I are banking on the power of nature to recover and restore to beauty a lawn that looks as if it has been trampled by a herd of heifers, not to mention the puddles of pee dotted around by our new puppy Lottie. Come and witness for yourselves whether our faith is justified.

     

    We on the other hand, tend to see what still needs to be done. Even after almost 30 years it is still a challenge. We could not achieve what we do without the support of a brilliant team of helpers, our NGS “Family” whose enthusiasm is tangible. The bonus is knowing our efforts help numerous people experiencing often gruelling times supported by our charities. The NGS is a main benefactor to Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Parkinson’s UK, Carer’s Trust, QNI and other Gardens and Health charities. In 2023 our garden raised a record £8,500 contributing to £3,403,960 donated overall.

    Do come and join us, relax with cake and tea in our Oriental Tea House, buy plants at our mega plant sale, peruse our pottery studio, find a unique gift, or some cards. Dogs are welcome on leads. A unique experience awaits, and a warm welcome whatever the weathe

    For more information go to NGS website and to find other local gardens to explore.

    NGS Garden Open for Charity

    Sundays   2-6.30pm

    April 28th

    June 30th

    August 4th

     

    Adm. £5 (children FREE) Cash preferred but card reader on gate.

     April -October: visits by arrangement for groups of 10+

    suebearlh@yahoo.co.uk

    5 St Regis Close

    Alexandra Park Rd

    London

    N10 2DE

    The Art of Tree Care

    by | Feb 15, 2024 | Gardens | 0 comments

    The Art of Tree Care

    In the symphony of nature, trees stand tall as majestic conductors, harmonising the melody of our environment. To ensure their vitality and longevity, a tree surgeon can help to trim, prune, and diagnose to enhance the health and aesthetics of your trees.

    A tree surgeon’s trained eyes discern potential hazards, identifying diseased or weakened branches before they become threats. Pruning will encourage healthy growth while preserving the tree’s natural beauty.

     

    Seasonal check-ups by a tree surgeon can prevent potential issues, ensuring your trees weather the storms, literally and metaphorically. They skillfully navigate the intricate ecosystems within the tree, fostering a balance that promotes robust health. In the hands of a skilled tree surgeon, your garden becomes a sanctuary, a testament to the enduring beauty of nature.

     

    If your trees need some TLC please contact us to see how we can help.

    DH Tree Surgery

    07734 942 206 | 020 3720 6399

    Harriman.daniel@gmail.com

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