This is a project for a client wishing for a low maintenance contemporary garden. Division of space was achieved using topiary forms, both yew and hornbeam – yew was trained into shapes inspired by Barbara Hepworth’s sculptures. Pleached hedges, an oak pergola, a fairy lit arbour, fire pit and an infinity pool were other main features…
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Garden
‘At this time of year, if something does not appear to be growing then it is probably being eaten’ – that was my thought today as I looked over my young willow cuttings, in leaf and apparently healthy but not getting very big; closer examination revealed discrete nibbing of the shoots, Oooh those rabbits…
In the vegetable garden
I am just back from a few days away, and as usual, after unloading the car, I head straight for the garden. As I bend down to the soil to root out those weeds, the smell of the earth and the chattering birds in in the trees above, soothe my soul, washing away the hubbub of the day. …
Low maintenance
In this raised front garden the lawn has been replaced with gravel and low maintenance planting to provide year round interest as well as a good source of pollen and nectar for insects. The lavander and catmint require clipping once a year, the neat mounds of lavander provide structure throughout the winter months whilst primulas…
Garden for bee keeper – Shepton Mallet
This garden has an outlook onto rolling Somerset hills and was commisioned by a bee keeper. Local stone was used to create a curved dry stone retaining wall, the planting was more formal (blues and purples) nearest the house merging to less formal dogwoods for winter colour and structure further away from the house. An emphasis on underplanting…
Art in the Garden – Hampshire
This is the second time I have exhibited at this summer long exhibition at Sir Harold Hillier Arboretum near Romsey. Arriving with a car full of tools, willow flowers and willow, I found three heavy silver birch trunks lying on the ground close to where I was to have my installation. I dug deep holes it the sticky…
Snow in the woods – Basingstoke
A 6 month community project to create willow pieces as part of a sculpture trail in Great Binfields Woods. I worked in schools, the library, with the cubs… as well as in the woods to site and install the ‘flower towers’.
Sculpture trail
I spent one week working with pupils creating willow art work as well as working in the small copse in the school grounds. The projects involved hands on coppicing, making living hazel arches, willow flowers, large willow spiders and large willow fish. During a follow up week I helped on the project building a timber…
Sensory school garden – Basingstoke
Working with parents we created a sensory garden complete with edible, scented & textured plants, at the centre is a story teller’s seat. Children contributed art work, totem poles to be installed.
Front garden and parking – Alton
The uneven paving in this garden was lifted and crushed to create the sub base for the hardcore and gravel. Tall ‘transparent’ planting was used to offer a sense of privacy whilst maintaining a view to the village green.