Category: Garden Styling

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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Garden Transformation - Small Town Garden

2/10/2019

When i first viewed this garden, it was a mess of poor DIY paving, dangerous steps and had a rather ugly concrete garage. The owner had a clear vision of what she wanted her garden to be like and how she would use her outdoor living space. The key requirements for the space were to screen the unsightly garage, create a seaside inspired upper terrace, design a calming patio area for yoga practice on the lower terrace and to revamp the existing raised sleeper beds and decking. The property has far reaching views of the countryside beyond which the client was keen to use as borrowed landscape. However, neighboring proprieties interrupted this view so privacy screening needed to be worked into the garden design plan.

With a modest budget, some of the existing elements were combined into the new design allowing the client to make the most effective use of her funds. The lawn was removed and the existing patio relaid with contemporary Indian sandstone paving in grey and inset paved pathways where created within a gravel seaside style area on the upper level...

Planting Design - Inspiration from Hauser and Wirth Somerset

9/8/2019

Every year i take a modern day pilgrimage to a garden designed by renowned landscaping and planting designer Piet Oudolf. This year took me to Hauser and Wirth Somerset - a world class gallery and arts centre based at Durslade Farm in Bruton. The 'Oudolf Field' as it is known is a 1.5 acre garden to the rear of the gallery with traditional layout of curved sinuous borders but filled with swathes of perennials and grasses to give a loose meadow like informality to the space.

Garden Design - Breathtaking Inspiration @ 'The Newt' Somerset

25/7/2019

A walled kitchen garden will without fail quicken my heart rate! It has always been the case, whether still being cultivated for produce or whether is has been reclaimed by nature, with brambles and bindweed tumbling over walls and glass houses. So when i heard that Hadspen House and Gardens in Somerset was undergoing extensive restoration i had to go an see for myself. Newly opened i was not sure what to expect just yet, but not only did my pulse race when i stepped through the threshing barn doors but i was astounded by what the new owners of the rebranded 'The Newt' have achieved.

Arbours, Arcades & Pergolas - Adding Height and Privacy to the Garden

19/7/2019

Traditional Arbour with slatted privacy screening

Traditional style Arbour with slatted privacy screening

Modern Pergola over a garden pathway

Most of my recent projects have included an arbour, pergola, arcade or similar structure within the design. Often i'm asked by clients to create some privacy within the space as so often gardens are overlooked by neighbours and these structures can do just that. Some gardens simply benefit from a structure giving height to the space and drawing your eye upwards - a great trick for making a space seem larger. Garden arbours are useful for creating shade from the sun during the summer months so are ideally placed over patios in sunny spots. I also use garden structures to create zones or rooms within a garden which can make a space seem larger and i love to uses arches for sculptural purposes - to frame a view or pathway. So what is the difference between a Pergola, Arbour etc...
Arbours - a free-standing structure most often covered in climbing plants
Arcades - a series of arches often over a pathway
Pergolas - a covered walkway, traditionally constructed of a double row of upright posts with support cross beams. These can also be attached to a wall along onside to form a shelter.
Arch - typically consisting of a pair of upright posts with a cross support beam.
And how can we use them in the garden.....

Garden Screening Options - Using Structures for Privacy

7/6/2019

Privacy screening on this bespoke pergola

Modern privacy screening designed for this bespoke garden pergola

Modern slatted timber screening designed to hide the garden shed.

Increasingly often I’m being contacted by home owners who are overlooked by neighbours and would like more privacy. I find that new build homes are often overlooked from all sides and can have as many as 5 neighboring properties having a clear view into the garden and through windows.
There are several options i recommend for screening in such circumstances. The style of the garden, level of maintenance required and the budget are all things i take into account when selecting the right option for a garden design plan.
Contemporary slatted screening: A form of screening i’m using in a lot of gardens currently to give a modern sleek look. It can effectively screen unsightly buildings and shed, add height to boundaries and it can be used within the garden space to create zones. Depending on budget, there are several timber options to choose from – treated soft wood right through to beautiful hardwoods.
Bespoke timber screening: Where height is required, free-standing timber screens can be erected. Using sturdy posts, bespoke trellis work can be designed and attached to give a screen above existing fencing....

Front Garden Design Ideas - Planting options

21/5/2019

We often neglect our front gardens as we spend so little time in them, choosing to relax and entertain in the privacy of our back gardens. However as we use them numerous times a day when we leave and return to our home, with a little effort a neat, tidy and uncluttered front garden can be a very welcome site at the end on a hard day at work. The way we present our front garden also sets the tone for our home so considering the garden design and planting design options is worthwhile. Unlike our secluded rear gardens the space at the front of our property is on show to all of those who pass by, our visitors, our neighbours and even the postie! Whether you have a small postage stamp size space or a grand sweeping driveway, sprucing up the front garden is a benefit not only to ourselves but to our community too.

How to achieve a Tropical Style Garden in the UK

16/5/2019

Hemerocallis

Phormium

Bamboo

Soon summer will be here and we can wave good bye to the cold mornings we have suffered in the spring and say hello to long sunny days.
As I spend more time out basking in the rays my mind turns to holidays in warmer more exotic climes. It can be so tempting to return to our cooler gardens and long for the plants and colours we have seen abroad. Despite our less clement weather it is possible to create a tropical look using hardy and half hardy plants with the odd flamboyant annual thrown in too.
Select from a range of lush foliage plants and tropical looking flowers and you can transform a space into a bright, fresh & invigorating space. So which plants to choose.....

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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Thank you very much Bel for your design to renovate our back garden. It’s been great to work with you, we really appreciated spending time with you to hear your ideas and develop those with you for a new vision for our garden. We love the pond and wild at the back of the garden and the new plants you’ve sourced have all settled in very well and we are excited to see how they will grow!

Mr & Mrs Adshead, Loughborough

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Bel Grierson Garden Design Limited
Registered Address: C/O Chesterton House Accounting Services LLP, 2-3 Rectory Place, Loughborough, LE11 1UW
Company Number: 13017102 (England & Wales)

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