Tuesday, 6 July 2021

How to plant for new build properties

I want to share with you some 
simple things you can do
that will not cost the Earth.

The secret of creating a beautiful 
planting display by your front door.


I would like to share with 
you what I feel is
a very important gardening 
issue in 2021.


I recently was on a vacation 
and came across some very 
unattractive looking 
huge brick,newly built 

Of course they will take 
time to blend into the 

See the steps below. 


1.Think about the position, 
is it sunny or shady?

2. If there is space you 
could have tallish planters
with summer flowers
like verbena bonariensis, 
poppies  and 
grasses perhaps.


3. Stand outside the front 
of your property and
see what it looks like 
with no greenery.

4. As there is not likely to be 
a lot of space, think about 
a few 'standard' trees or 
roses either side of 
the front door.


5. Something like bay 
trees, known as 'standards' 
look like lolipop shapes. 

They always looks very 
formal if well pruned into 
a nice ball shape.


6. Something that is symmetrical 
would look really good 
and break up the colour 
of the red bricks.


7. These 'standards' are 
grown for some years
so you will need to 
pay more for them than 
you might think. 


8. Do you want 
something scented?

9. Do you just want 
year round colour?

10. Do you want to share the 
cost with your neighbours
and spend a bit more?

Follow these tips and 
ask me if you need 
any more advise.

Happy Planting.

Wednesday, 2 June 2021

Garden aspects

I want to share with you some 
of the challenges I have faced in 
creating my garden.

  One, it is in a valley
and two, how to garden on 
a slope.  

Choosing the right plants for 
the soil conditions
and being aware that the 
ground is not level.


I wanted to share some of the things 
in my garden I have had to contend 
with over the years I have lived here.

I have a north facing garden (which 
had I realised at the time), I would not 
have taken it on.

Also it is very steep which makes for
 a challenging way of gardening.


As this is the case, a lot of plants 
are in pots and containers
which makes it supposedly 
easier to manage. 

So when you take on a new 
garden project think about the 
aspect (i.e. the direction it faces). 

Is it south facing etc?

Where does the sun shine
in your garden? 

Where do you want to sit?
 In the sun or in the shade?

Where with your plants 
be happiest?


As it is north facing, 
  there is less sun 
and there are areas where it gets
cold and can trap frost, (like here behind 
this wall below).

As it is cooler and in the 
shade the daffodils opened 
very late,
in the middle of May. 



I just wanted to share this with you 
so you don't make the same mistake
when starting your new planting scheme.

At the very top of the steepest part 
of the garden 
there is a boundary fence
so the plants that I chose were
suitable for a north facing 

That means they would not get 
much sunshine there
so it would be quite shady.

This plant here is a yellow 
winter flowering jasmine. 
 but it is hard to access it.

So the lesson is best not to plant 
things that you can't easily access.

Also it is somewhat confused as it 
is flowering in June not later in the year. 

Tuesday, 6 April 2021

April Jobs


Spring is really here 
in all its beauty. 


It is time to think about the 
season ahead and plan 
what you want to 
achieve this season.

As the leaves start to unfurl, 
we watch the changes 
every day and revel 
in its spendor.


1. Look at any large shrubs
you have and decide if they
need to stay or if they
need to go. 

2. Any shrub or plant you
don't like can be dug up.

3. If it is necessary,
then remove it and later
you can see what
you could put in its place. 

4. Look around your space
and see where there
may be gaps to fill.

5. But take notes always
or you will forget.

This shrub above,
is a buddleia
 which you may know
grows absolutely
anywhere it can.

I started to prune
it on Easter Sunday
and this is as far
as I got. 

I will continue to
cut it down a lot so
that it will grow better 
and have a nicer


6. Observe any flowers
that are coming into flower
and decide if you like them
or you don't.

This is a dainty 'purple
vinca' which is really a
ground cover plant and
very useful.

But as you can see
growing up towards
the light. 

It likes growing up
into the large
rose bush above it.

Tuesday, 2 March 2021

March tips in your Garden

March Jobs 

See my blog on my website 

"Whether you tend a 
garden or not, you are the
gardener of your own 
being, the seed of your

The  Findhorn Community

Days are starting 
to get longer 
which is truly wonderful.


1. If you don't currently 
have a garden
but desperately want 
to grow something
get some old egg boxes, 
buy some seeds like cress
or parsley and plant 
them in some 
compost on your window sill.

2. Cover them over 
with some cling film 
idealy and leave them 
in the light.

3. Leave them alone 
apart from a little water 
and wait until some growth 
starts to appear 
through the compost. 

4. It is pure delight when 
your little seeds start to show 
through the compost.


Some helpful tips 
for beginners

Snowdrops, crocuses 
and daffodils 
grow from bulbs.


They have to be planted 
during the autumn
 so they will flower 
in the spring.


5. This is just an example 
of a shrub that I have just 
pruned in my garden.

By this I mean, cut off 
its dried seed heads
and cut it back so
 it looks tidy and
ready for the new 
growth to start over 

So the leaves you 
see is the new 
season's growth.


This is a winter herb 
which is healthy but needs 
to be cut back, removing
 the old dead growth
 so it will keep growing well. 

We gardeners like a tidy plot.


More gardening tips for March

6. As it is still early in the year
if you can't wait any longer,
then buy little vegetable
plant plugs to grow indoors.


They can be peas 
or broad beans.

But they need to be 
in direct light on 
a window sill 
where they can keep 
growing evenly.


7. We need to start 
thinking about
using our home made 
compost around our plants.

Here are two compost 
which I have in 
my garden. They are just 
for woody stems and 
bigger garden compostable 
branches, raked up grass etc.


Composting is a really 
importatnt part of 
having a garden.


If you do not have 
a lot of space you can
 buy large composter bins. 

Like these ones here. 

I have two large 
composter bins which 
I fill up with vegetable 
scraps,egg shells, 
cardboard etc.


Thursday, 18 February 2021

What to do in February?

February Jobs

See my blog on my website

Tidying up your garden 
is a job that feels a bit like 
hard work at this time 
of the year. 

It is cold and not usually
 very inviting. Try having 
warming ginger tea 
beside you.

1.So wrap up well and 
try to keep moving. 

2. If you have bulbs 
you previously planted, 
clear away the leaves 
and twigs around them 
so you can see them
as they push up through 
the earth.

3. Keep watching out
for new shoots as 
they appear. 

Be gentle when clearing 
so you avoid snapping off 
any new growth.


New cyclamen 
leaf I just found in the ground.

4. Keep pots well watered 
as they will always dry out. 

5. For some seasonal 
colour find some nice 
small pots and fill with 
primulas and violas.

Without a doubt 
it will lift your mood.

Buy from any good garden 
centre, not online as you 
can't see the quality 
of the plants

Or a good market stall.

6. Tidy around pots and 
sweep up any remaining 

7. Make sure your plants 
are protected from frost 
and cold winds 
by using horticultural 
fleece or place in 
the shelter of your 
door step.

8. It is a good time 
to look at seed 
get some 
inspiration for the 
year ahead. 

Find out more about me at

and nasturtiums

February is the month 
that starts us thinking
about the gardening year. 

I look out at my garden 
sometimes and think 
how sad it looks 
but as the days go by 
there is a glimmer of hope. 

Planning is the key to 
any garden space.

 Have a good look 
at your space.

While there is a 
skeleton of a garden 
go out and take
some notes
of what you see and 
what you would 
like to create.

Today's haiku

Winter's garden 
Ah, the moon, 
a silvery thread
As insects hmmm

Matsuo Basho

fuyu niwa ya
tsuki mo ito naru
mushi no gin

More jobs for February


1. Make a note of bulbs 
you would like to plant 
next season.

2. Think  about 
the colours 
you really like 


3. Cut back any dead twiggy 
growth on shrubs 

4. Remember to 
clean your tools with a 
safe disinfectant spray.


5. Clear pathways of debirs 
and old leaves

6. Cut back any 
dead flowers,
you have left
from the autumn.


Depending on how tidy 
you are, you could 
leave berries
for the birds to 
feast on.

Monday, 11 January 2021

Gardening tips January 2021


Gardening Jobs 
for January

Leaves need to be raked up 
(good exercise for the day).

Put your leaves into their 
own compost bay.
(not with the rest of 
your compost).

If no space for above, 
gather into plastic bags
 and makes holes in them. 

Tie the bags up and leave.

Leave for the season until 
the leaves break down
into beautiful homemade

Feed the hungry little birds 
in your garden.

Give them shop bought 
bird feed and place 
in bird feeders.

Can give them bread
 or fruit too.

Put out clean 
water regularly. 

Watch your winter flowering 
plants and take in the perfume.

Make sure your pot plants
 are well watered 
as terracotta dries the plants out.