Advice Hub

​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.

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

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:

1. Turn the ground adding plenty of compost & fertiliser
2. Dig a whole large enough to accommodate the spread of the roots
3. 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.
4. Place a tree stake alongside the stem & between the roots. Tap in to give the tree support & add a tree tie.
5. Back fill the hole, firming the soil and water the area thoroughly...

The beauty of using evergreens in the garden is obvious in that they provide the basic structure of the garden. Many a garden has a handful of evergreen shrubs dotted around to fill in gaps or screen off walls and fences. Often they tend to look pretty boring – dark green foliage with little in the way of interest. But if you choose wisely, you can select evergreens to add colour, texture, flower and a fresh look during the grey winter months. Here are some of my favourites:
Mahonia – Some gardeners will know Mahonia as a brut of a plant which when not controlled can become a thorny monster!The new cultivar M. ‘Soft Caress’ is a much smaller dainty cousin of the above, with yellow blooms and soft thorn free feathery foliage – good for pots.  However if you need a tall plant which will cope with clay soil and shade then M. ‘Winter Sun’ is the plant for you. It flowers prolifically during the winter with bright yellow flowers over deep green foliage. This one will get to 6ft plus but can be pruned back every 3 years or so to keep it under control...

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...

​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... 

I have been a professional Plantswoman for 20 years. The term 'Plantswoman' refers to a woman with a keen interest and wide knowledge of plants and their cultivation, and i have more than most! What sets me apart from many garden designers is my extensive knowledge of plants, which is unrivaled locally. I design gardens too of course but what really sets me apart is the two decades worth of experience working on plant nurseries and my garden expertise and know-how gleamed from growing, tending, sell plants and advising those wanting to create their own little oasis in their gardens. That's why i call myself a Plantswoman rather than just a Garden Designer. 
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Following 20 years of intense immersion in all things horticultural, i have developed an encyclopedic knowledge of garden plants, their habits, needs and how to use the right plant in the right place. I use this expertise on a daily basis to design, create and manage gardens across Leicestershire. The story of my career goes some way to explaining how and why i became a plantswoman, how i have gleamed my knowledge and reputation as a garden and plant expert and why i love doing what i do.....