Category: Gardening Tips

Butterfly Friendly Planting

26/3/2021

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.

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 place! 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...

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...

Bare-root Tree and Hedging Season is Here!

20/12/2019

When the trees start to lose thier leaves at this time of year it's a sure sign that the dormant season is upon us. It’s the perfect time to transplant bare-root plants – those which have been raised in a field and then lifted & the soil removed. The added bonus of bare-root plants is that they are much cheaper than container grown plants.
Autumn is a good time to plant them as there’s time for them to settle and establish before the warmth of the spring comes. Trees & shrubs are available bare-root and from November onwards they’ll be offered in garden centres, nurseries and online. As the plants are dormant there’s not much to look at but when selecting plants look for undamaged branches & bark to ensure the plants are fit and healthy...

Garden Bulbs To Plant For Spring Colour

1/11/2019

It's that time of year again when gardeners can be found busy planting bulbs. Whether it be for a clients garden or my own i use a selection of traditional favourites like Daffodils, Tulips and Alliums chosen for their hardiness, suitability for our local clay soils, height and most importantly their colour. I like to create colour combinations which suit the planting designs i’m creating for each client. Tulips are particularly useful for creating waves of colour in that first year whilst the other plants establish. Below are some of my favourites which can be picked up from garden centres now.
Tulips –They are available in every colour under the sun and look stunning through the months of March, April & May. They can be planted directly in the ground or in plastic plots to be plunged into gaps in the border whilst they flower and then lifted out to make space for something else later on. Tulips can look fantastic when planted in blocks for a contemporary look or in waves amongst other perennials...

Climbing Plants for Colour, Scent and Screening

5/7/2019

On a warm summers evening what’s better relaxing beneath a climber clad pergola or against a warm wall smothered in fragrant blooms? There are all sorts of climbers available in our local garden centres and nurseries. Which to choose to cover a pergola, fence, arch or an obelisk can be a tricky when you’re faced with so many.
Colourful Climbers
Clematis are rightly popular, they come in such a huge range of colours and there’s one for every site and every season. The brightest and most bold are the summer flowering hybrids like ‘The President’ & ‘Hagley Hybrid’. They flower prolifically on long shoots from May to September depending on the variety. These love sunny spots but the alpine and macropetala types will cope with shady spots too. Clematis climb by wrapping their leaf stems around supports, so wires stretched over a surface will give them the means to spread......

Tackling Garden Weeds

21/6/2019

I often meet clients who have just taken on a new garden only to find it plagued with weeds which can be so discouraging. A bit of know how can make all the difference so detailed here are a few common garden weeds found in our area and the best way i've found to tackle them. I’ll be looking at traditional weeds as opposed to out of control cultivated plants.

There are two main types of garden weed; the annual and the perennial.
Annual weeds
Annual weeds are those which have a one year life-cycle i.e. Germinate, grow, flower and set seed all within one year. They can over-winter as small immature plants and are often ephemeral – they will have several generations in one year. A couple of the worst offenders in gardens in our area are:
Groundsel - Produces seeds all year round. It is characterised by small clusters of yellow blooms on short plants which produce fluffy seeds, easily spread in the wind or my animals. Although hoeing and hand picking seedlings is effective, be sure to pick up all material from the surface of the ground as Groundsel will very easily re-root. Mulching the surface can help reduce weed germination.
Hairy bittercress –becoming more prevalent in gardens, Bittercress germinates, flowers and sets seed very rapidly – in a matter of weeks! Short flower stems flick seed around the surrounding soil. Hoe or hand weeding at first sight before flowering will help to avoid colonisation of the ground. Bittercress is also a problem in containers where it can go un-noticed and fill the compost surface with seeds...

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Mrs Prist, Melton Mowbray, 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."

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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."

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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!

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