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Growing Delicious Herbs in Your Garden

25/9/2020

Chives

As we’ve all been forced to spend more time at home and less time socialising this year, many of us are reconnecting with our gardens and creating tasty food to feed our loved ones. One way of combining the too is to grow your own produce. Herbs must be the best crop if you’re looking for a low maintenance option, where by you have little input but can regularly harvest fresh and delicious leaves as and when you need them.
I love to cook & popping out and pick something to flavour a casserole, curry or sauce is a real treat. I tend to use the hardy evergreen herbs like Rosemary & Sage in the winter months & the softer perennial & tender herbs like Basil, Mint and Coriander in the spring & summer.

Shady Gardens - Making the most of Shady Places

28/8/2020

If there’s one thing that every garden has it’s a shady places! Whether your patch is overcast by mature trees, screened by a building or simply shaded by taller planting in a few places, coping with shade can seem tricky, but with a bit of know how and some handy tips, you can tackle your shady places and transform them from dull spots in to a green and verdant garden.
Shady areas are typically defined by the lack of direct sunlight to the ground. With less light, sun loving plants struggle to establish and become thin and weedy. The ground can be dry too which can cause problems for any new plants in the area as they try to compete for moisture. Despite these less than ideal conditions, there are plants that will happily thrive given the right initial care and attention.
If you have a shady area to tackle it’s worth considering just how shady it is and what the soil is like before visiting a garden centre or nursery for plants, that way you’ll be able to choose the right plant for the right place...

Creating a Wildlife Friendly Garden

29/7/2020

Over the last few months of lock down we’ve all been spending more time in our gardens, even those who profess to be non-gardens! Whether your hard at work digging and planting or just sitting back with a coffee, it’s impossible to ignore the chirping of birds and buzzing of bees in the warmer spring and summer months. Wildlife is hugely important not only to us gardeners but to the environment as a whole. We rely on them for pollination, pest control, providing a food source for other creatures and as a bonus they add colour, movement and sound to our outdoor spaces too.
With the loss of natural habitats, we gardeners can do some simple things to encourage more wildlife and make up for the losses elsewhere. Incorporating wildlife friendly features and plants into our gardens we will all benefit them and us hugely...

Planting Design Package - What's Included?

12/6/2020

A Full Planting Design Package

Planting Plan

When your garden lacks colour and interest or the planting has become tired and unmanageable, it may be time to assess the planting you have and opt for a revamp of your beds and borders. For areas over 30 square meters, i can create a full planting design package. With 20 years experience as a professional plantswoman, plant nursery woman and garden designer, I have extensive plant and garden knowledge which i put to good use creating planting schemes for gardens whether that be an elegant courtyard or the rolling acres of a country house.

So what is included in a Planting Design Package?
Planting Plan
Firstly i will create a to-scale Planting Plan, showing the plant locations and quantities, with a helpful key indicating which plants are evergreen, deciduous and perennial. All of the plants are clearly labelled with their botanical name. Clients are provided with paper copies and a digital copy is available too...

Transforming a Courtyard Garden

8/5/2020

I was contacted by the owners of this garden back in July 2018. They had just bought the property and were having an extension built at the time. I visited shortly afterwards to see how we could transform the rough messy lawn and overgrown shrubs into a low maintenance elegant space for the clients to enjoy. They longed for a greenhouse, planting beds and seating areas for entertaining family. There was limited space to play with and the garden was overlooked by several neighboring properties.

Bel created 2D and 3D design plans and visuals for the garden to show the clients how the space could be transformed. These were accompanied by mood boards showing the features for the space along with dimensional plans for the landscapers to use whilst setting out the various patio, pathway and planting beds. A scope of works was also provided which detailed the work involved in landscaping the garden and which could be used by the landscaper to draw up a quote for the works. Find out more about the Garden Design Process ...

Garden Design Package - Whats included?

6/4/2020

For all projects, regardless of size i like to provide my clients with as much information as possible - plenty of detail about the features, style and layout of the space plus in depth information for the landscapers to quote and build from. So what can you expect from Garden Design Package? The following images represent the documents presented to clients on a project in Loughborough. The garden has now been landscaped as shown below.

A pack of detailed documents was provided to the owners of this recently renovated property at the Concept Design Presentation. The pack included:

Garden Design Plan - A detailed 2D colour plan, drawn to scale showing the proposed layout for the garden including paving, pathways, lawn, edgings, terracing, planting beds etc. The plan is annotated with notes relating to the features in the garden. These plans are produced digitally so they are accurate, clear and easy to interpret.

Mood Boards - Quality colour mood boards printed on photo paper which convey the mood of the proposed scheme, including landscaping materials, features and planting style

3D Visuals - A series of 3D plans showing various views of the garden to assist in conveying the style, layout and feel of the space. These are created digitally and typically colour rendered...

Keep Calm and Carry on Gardening - Free Advice & Inspiration

4/4/2020

What very strange times we are living through at the moment! Whilst vast teams of carers, food distribution works, politicians, amongst others, fight the war on Covid 19 so many of use are heeding the advice to stay at home.
Stuck within the confines of our homes and gardens it's easy to get restless and we all need something to keep us busy. So i urge you to get out into your garden (following the social distancing guidelines obviously!).
The sun is shining and spring has arrived so with more time on our hands now is a perfect opportunity to take a look at what we have and make the most of it.
FREE GARDENING ADVICE >>> There are lots of articles on the ADVICE HUB which i have written to inspire your next project, be it ideas for screening, paving, planting borders and pots, encouraging wildlife, transforming small gardens and so much more.
And what's more it's all free advice and at your disposal!...
If you'd like more detailed advice about your garden project, i am taking bookings for remote consultations. Get in touch to find out more

Bel Grierson

Expert Plantswoman and Garden Designer with 20 years experience in horticulture. Bel loves to share her knowledge and enthusiasm with those with gardens large and small.

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How To Plant Bare-root Hedging and Trees

6/3/2020

Bare-root plants are pretty easy to plant. Choose a day which is frost free and when the soil is not waterlogged. Keep the roots of the new plants cool &moist (not wet) until you are ready to plant.
How to plant a bare-root tree:

Turn the ground adding plenty of compost & fertiliser
Dig a whole large enough to accommodate the spread of the roots
Place the tree in the whole ensuring the roots will be covered and the base of the tree is at the right level. Fan out the roots.
Place a tree stake alongside the stem & between the roots. Tap in to give the tree support & add a tree tie.
Back fill the hole, firming the soil and water the area thoroughly...

How Much Does a Planting Design Transformation Cost?

31/1/2020

When a client contacts me about planting design it's usually when they've realised that they need help from a professional when selecting, combining and planting the right plants for the right place in their garden. I've been working with plants for 20 years and over that time I've developed a wealthy of information and knowledge about which plants work well together and where plus when they need to be planted. When you're considering transforming the planting in your garden, how much will it cost?

There are a few things to consider when you're thinking about budgets for a planting design project:

How big is your garden? The size of space to be transformed has a huge effect on the overall costs. Large gardens take considerable time to design, prepare and plant plus there will be large quantities soil improver and plants needed...

How Much Does a Garden Design Transformation Cost?

31/1/2020

Small garden costing approx. £25k

Medium garden costing approx. £30k

When a potential new client gets in touch with me i ask a few basic questions about their garden as it is now, what they would like to do to the garden and how much they would be comfortable spending on the transformation. All simple questions and the first two are generally easy for clients to answer but the budget question can be a difficult one for them. Creating your ideal garden takes design expertise and knowledge, a skilled workforce and a whole host of materials, so it's not a cheap undertaking. It's important to think about how much you are happy to spend and what is feasible with the funds you have available.

There are a few things to consider when you're thinking about budgets for a garden project:

How big is your garden? The size of space to be transformed has a huge effect on the overall costs. Large gardens take considerable time to design, landscape and plant plus there will be large quantities of all the materials needed where as small gardens can be much less costly overall. A small garden can be expensive however, if the client has a long wish list of requirements....

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Welcome to the
ADVICE HUB
Here you'll find lots of useful information, Tips, Ideas and Advice on Garden Design, Planting Design, Garden Maintenance and on how to get the most from your outdoor space.
Need more help from a Garden Expert?
Contact Bel today.

Author: Bel Grierson

Expert Plantswoman and Garden Designer with 20 years experience in horticulture. Bel loves to share her knowledge and enthusiasm with those with gardens large and small.

Looking for advice on budgeting for a garden transformation? Check out these articles:
Garden Design Project
Planting Design Project

Want to know what's included in a design package? Take a look at these articles for more info:
Garden Design Package
Planting Design Package

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We are absolutely delighted with our beautiful new garden designed and installed by Bel! We had an unusually shaped garden which we didn't have the knowledge to handle, but at the same time had quite specific ideas of what we liked and disliked. Bel listened to our ideas and the challenge didn't phase her at all! The preparation of the the soil by her team, and the planting of the garden by Bel herself over three days couldn't have gone smoother. We would highly recommend Bel in terms of her expertise, conscientiousness and friendly, easy going personality and we can't stop looking at our amazing new garden!

Mrs Prist, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire

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"Bel is brilliant. Easy to work with. Lots of ideas and plans but great at listening and quickly tapping into what you like, want and need. She has bags of style with a healthy dose of practicality and is 100% reliable. Totally recommend."

Mrs Munden - Thrussington, Leicestershire

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"Bel delivered professional advice in a friendly way after she had established what her clients wished to achieve. All in all - it has been a pleasure to work with her"

Mrs Harrison - Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire

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"If you are looking for advice on your garden or a new designs then look no further than Bel Grierson. We have used her on several aspects of our garden to lower the maintenance and update the planting with spectacular results. Bel is easy to work with and is totally in tune with all our requirements."

Mr Stapleton - Rothley, Leicestershire

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"Bel has delivered a delightful garden with a design that has transformed a shallow plot surrounded by fences, into a garden full of interest. Bel listened carefully to our concerns and gave her total attention to each step of the way."

Mr & Mrs Bayley - Loughborough, Leicestershire

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"Our 20 year old garden was looking tired and boring. No colour and a mishmash of plants that were past their sell-by date. We had no idea what to do to rescue the situation as we knew very little about what plants would do well. Then we found Bel. Our garden is transformed; beautiful colour that just keeps coming all through the year, easy maintenance and a joy to sit and look at with an appropriate glass in one hand. Bel interpreted our thoughts perfectly and has produced an extraordinary result. She is patient with non-gardeners, knowledgeable and highly professional. Not afraid to get her hands dirty and endlessly helpful. I simply cannot recommend her too highly."

Mr & Mrs Benussi - Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire

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"Bel redesigned and planted our garden this summer. It has transformed it from dark and dingy to a fresh open space. Bel is a pleasure to work with, friendly and helpful, full of ideas and always ready to listen to what you want and find the best way of delivering it. Recommended!"

Mr Goodman - Loughborough, Leicestershire

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"Bel provided good advice and warm, friendly and professional support at all stages of our garden transformation. Her knowledge about plants and her design ideas gave us confidence from the outset. We are delighted with the result, and now look forward to enjoying our new garden in the months and years to come."

Mr Corner - Rearsby, Leicestershire

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"Bel has recently redesigned a large area in my garden which was previously a 'wilderness'. I was very pleased with the design that she came up with - it was clear that she had paid attention to what I had said I wanted and understood my style. Great communication throughout the process and now that the planting is finished I am looking forward to next spring and watching it develop."

Mrs Phillips - Ratby, Leicestershire

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