Garden Designer & Plantswoman | Bel Grierson | Loughborough, Leicestershire
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    • Contemporary Country Garden - Stanford on Soar
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    • Sloping Garden - Ashby de la Zouch
    • Long Narrow Garden - Shepshed
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    • Cool Colour Palette Planting Scheme - Melton Mowbray
    • Country Garden Planting Transformation - Little Dalby
    • Wildlife Pond Project - Loughborough
    • Country Style Front Garden- Fiskerton, Nottinghamshire
    • Curvaceous Country Garden - Blaby
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  • Home
  • Garden Design
  • 3D Garden Visuals
  • Planting Design
  • Portfolio
    • Contemporary Country Garden - Stanford on Soar
    • Country Garden - Rothley
    • Plant Lovers Garden - Shepshed
    • Large Family Garden - Burbage
    • Gravel Garden - Rothley
    • Family Garden - Ashby de la Zouch
    • Sloping Garden - Ashby de la Zouch
    • Long Narrow Garden - Shepshed
    • Plant Lovers Paradise - Ragdale
    • Contemporary Cottage Garden - Loughborough
    • Formal Front Garden - Loughborough
    • Kerb Appeal Front Garden - Ashby de la Zouch
    • Traditional Kitchen and Formal Garden - Loughborough
    • Cool Colour Palette Planting Scheme - Melton Mowbray
    • Country Garden Planting Transformation - Little Dalby
    • Wildlife Pond Project - Loughborough
    • Country Style Front Garden- Fiskerton, Nottinghamshire
    • Curvaceous Country Garden - Blaby
    • Rural Country Garden -West Haddon
    • Contemporary Country Garden - Billesdon
    • Farmhouse Country Garden - Market Bosworth
    • Country Garden Redesign - Rothley, Leicestershire.
  • FAQ
  • Contact
  • ADVICE HUB

Advice Hub

Garden Inspiration, Expertise and Advice

Know Your Plants - Climbers

24/12/2021

 
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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 provide a basic guide to climbing plants and their attributes.
 
Climbers - As their name suggests, these plants climb up a structure or surface, there category refers to the fact they climb as opposed to their habit. Consequently they can be annual, perennial or shrubby.

Annual climbers include Sweetpeas, Morning Glory and Thunbergia.

Perennial climbers include some but not all of the Clematis, the perennial Sweetpea and Hops...

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Farmhouse Country Garden - Planting Design Project

26/11/2021

 
Farmhouse Country Garden
A collaboration with landscaping company Soar Valley Services Ltd, Bel was asked to design and install the planting design scheme for this large family garden. Following the major re-landscaping efforts to transform the former Farmhouse land with water features, terracing, stone walling and paving using reclaimed yorkstone, the garden was ready to plant in Autumn of 2020.   
​The clients had moved from an established garden and brought with them several Roses and Hydrangeas which were incorporated into the scheme, alongside evergreen shrubs, ornamental grasses and colourful perennials for a splash of colour throughout the seasons...


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Know Your Plants - Annuals versus Perennials

25/6/2021

 
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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? 
Annuals - These are fast-growing flowering plants are easy to grow from seed and perfect for filling gaps in borders with short-term colour. Annuals grow, flower, set seed and die, all in the space of one year.As annuals only grow for one season, once they have finished flowering they can be removed from the planting area. Examples of annuals are - Pot Marigolds, Cornflowers, Corn Poppies, Cosmos.

​Biennials​...

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How To Select the Best Plants For Your Garden

28/5/2021

 
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​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...

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My Own Garden in Summer

23/4/2021

 
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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. 
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Butterfly Friendly Planting

26/3/2021

 
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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. 

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Creating Wild Flower Meadow

26/2/2021

 
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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. 

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Plants for Winter Scent

27/11/2020

 
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​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.

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Growing Delicious Herbs in Your Garden

25/9/2020

 
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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.

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Shady Gardens - Making the most of Shady Places

28/8/2020

 
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​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...

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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. 
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    Contact Bel today.
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    Author: Bel Grierson

    Expert Plantswoman and Garden Designer with 21 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:
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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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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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For more Reviews of Bel Grierson Garden Design Limited see Google Reviews
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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) 
VAT Number: 399744816

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