Advice Hub

The variety of plants available to gardeners is almost limitless, and can seem daunting when you are learning their names and how to care for them. Here we examine the difference between Shrubs, Sub-Shrubs, Wall Shrubs & Trees.

Shrubs - Often used as anchor plants within a border, they provide the structure which perennials lack. Shrubs grow a woody framework which they retain year on year. This framework is generally pruned to shape rather than being cut back to ground level like perennials. The woody framework bears the foliage and flowers on it’s stems. Roses are a classic example of a shrub (although often you see them classified into their own category)...

The variety of plants available to gardeners is almost limitless, and can seem daunting when you are learning their names and how to care for them. So what are Perennials and how do they differ from Annuals and Biennials? 

​In the 20 years i’ve been involved in the horticultural trade i must have grown several million plants destined for gardens across the East Midlands. Being a professional grower and plantswoman i know what to look for in terms of plant quality and health when selecting plants for a clients garden or my own. If you are visiting a garden centre or nursery, here are my tips for buy the best plants you can...

I love colour! And now where is it more present than in the Sun Terrace Borders of my own garden in June & July!  A 'room' within my garden, the sun terrace was created to make the most of the early morning and evening sun. A slender rectangle of sandstone paving, with a central feature pointing towards North, South, East and West, there is a beautiful teak bench on the East and West axis, which are perfect for soaking up the sun rays. 
The paving is surrounded by deep borders filled with a riotous selection of perennials, and a few select shrubs and grasses. The planting provides year-round colour and interest but reaches a crescendo in the early summer months. 

Recent research indicates that our treasured domestic gardens in Britain cover an area bigger than all of the country’s nature reserves combined. Our own gardens may not be large but they create important wildlife corridors for wildlife and much needed habitats.  With the loss of many natural grasslands, meadows and woodlands, our gardens are becoming vital in the battle to preserve our biodiversity. 

Not all of our butterflies live solely in the UK, some migrate from Europe each year and will be attracted into our gardens if we can offer them a nectar rich food supply and food sources for their younger selves. Butterflies are generally 'on the w ing from March to October', so by ensuring we have a succession of flowering plants in bloom throughout the seasons will provide them with a vital food source and we can enjoy the display too.

When setting about a planting bed from scrath or adding to an existing scheme, it's important to ensure there is sufficient of each plant variety to support the butterflies and attract them to the garden - so planting in groups of 3, 5 or 7 will help. Butterflies will prefer a sheltered spot too so planting by a boundary wall or fence would be beneficial. 

Talk of wild flower meadows conjure up a romantic vision of flower filled fields on summer days, buzzing with bees and chirping with Grasshoppers. 

The cornflower & poppy dappled grassland is not a 'natural phenomenon' but a result of early farming methods which have all but disappeared as agriculture has become more intensive.  Although not a natural environment it is clear that the flower rich meadow habitat is an ideal home for wildlife, and it's loss has taken a huge toll on our native flora and fauna. Farmers are now being encouraged to develop meadow like strips to be created along field edges to allow a home to wildlife and also develop corridors to allow wildlife to move from one area to another. 

The reintroduction on wild flower meadow needn't be purely the task of farmers. Private gardens in the UK cover as much as 10 millions acres and converting just a small percentage of this green space into rich wild flower meadow would have a dramatic effect on the biodiversity of the country. 

The transformation process
From wilderness to elegant garden

Back in early 2019, Bel was contacted by clients in Loughborough in the depths of a large renovation project of a 1930's property.  Keen to plan ahead they were looking to have a garden design plan ready for and waiting for when the builders left site. 
 
The clients had two key requests - a substantial kitchen garden, with space for a Greenhouse, raised beds and fruit trees and a level croquet lawn. As the clients are very busy, and keen to spend their time concentrating on growing produce, the ornamental planting was to be kept to a minimum  whilst still offering year-round colour and interest.  

Bel created a Garden Design Package to develop the site tailored to the clients needs and budget. The physical transformation began in early May 2020 in the midst of the Pandemic. Thankfully the team were able to work outside safely and rapidly cleared the site and set to the construction of the kitchen garden raised beds, paving and greenhouse base. The oak sleeper terracing then went in which enabled 2 large level 'terraces' to be created which would be used for the croquet lawn and kitchen garden areas. The level changes across the site created steps, tiered pathways and seating areas and a pathway to access the kitchen garden easily from the house. A raised pathway  also allowed for an area to view the croquet lawn during play.  A series of timber square framed arches were installed, adding height and framing the view to the kitchen garden. An orchard area for fruit trees was created adjacent  to the kitchen garden and the ground laid with wildflower meadow turf to attract wildlife.  To the rear, the mature trees were selectively pruned and rejuvenated then underplanted with woodland style planting, offering a wilder area within the garden...

​With the grey skies and chilly winds we are experiencing at the moment, it can be tempting to shut off from the outside world and hunker down beside a roaring fire, but the garden doesn’t shut itself down completely in winter and it is possible to plant a few things which brighten up the drab days and even add some fragrance to the air to draw you outside.
Despite the fact that most of our pollinating insects don’t venture out on cold days, there are a few who brave the weather, and from that we can benefit. There are shrubs and bulbs which flower during the winter and in order to attract those brave insects they have to go all out the give off the signal that they are worthy of a visit. Scent is a great way of plants to advertise that they are in their prime and have something on offer to those insects.
Winter fragrance can range from heady and intoxicating which you notice from several meters away to delicate perfume which you need to stoop down to experience.  As an added bonus winter flowering plants often flower for longer than summer bloomers. 

Witch Hazel (A.K.A. Hamamelis) - A showy shrub which is adorned with colourful clusters of filament flowers in the winter months. This shrub can light up an area or border with it’s blooms and also with the fiery coloured foliage in the autumn.  Fairly slow growing these plants are good as a solitary plant or within a mixed shrub border. Forming a V shape, they need some space to spread out.