I have made a solid woven 3.5 meter ‘willow flower tower’ as part of Shepton in Bloom 2010. The tower, surprisingly heavy and only just fitting on my car roof rack, provides a focal point to the bottom of Town Street as well as a sense of fun and a reminder to Somerset’s willow growing tradition.
All posts in garden
Old farmhouse garden on slope – Shepton Mallet
Outdoor reading room – Fareham
A school set in beautiful oak woodland asked me to create an outdoor reading room for pupils to incorporate native bulbs, scented shrubs, (reinstated) living willow structure, oak benching, log seating, areas for sculptures, etc…
Town garden – London
This is a family garden on split levels and on a heavy clay loam, it has been designed to attract bees, create year round colour, secret areas for the children, a vegetable growing area and a new front garden. In addition to the survey and detailed design, planting plans, drainage and electical plans were drawn…
Apple pruning – Gloucestershire
Formative pruning of apple trees – when apple trees are this young it is important to prune for strength, spacing of branches and formation of apple spurs.
Old Farmhouse garden – Somerset
The New Year has begun with an interesting design for a north facing, sloping site with the survey revealing a 3 metre drop across the garden. The design is going to incorporate stone walls, hedges for privacy, vegetable garden, water, tree house, contoured earth features, terraces, lean to greenhouse, sculpture, etc…
The Blue School – Wells
This is a raised level area bordered by two straight banks, there are several semi mature trees and a glasshouse. One bank has been scalloped to create a free flowing form, the other bank built up using gabions filled with local stone. The overall design uses very organic forms to detract from the large adjacent…
Low budget wildlife garden – Hampshire
I have just finished a project where the existing patio needed to be replaced and enlarged which required the lawn to be pushed back and retained by reusing existing railway sleepers. Borders were created around the lawn to detract from the long straight sides of the garden and to provide colour and interest throughout the…
The Blue School science resource garden – Wells
I am currently working on a garden at the Blue School in Wells, a small group of students have come up with their brief which is to be married with the requirements of a science resource garden. Features include a glass house, wildlife pond, a gabion retaining wall, herb beds, contoured land forms, seating, weather station, planting…
Inspiration from French roundabouts & Chaumont chateau
Driving through France recently – on my way to visit family and give a talk on ‘coppicing’ to a gardening club – I had great fun photographing ‘les ronds points Anglais’ I think these could become a subject of another gardening club talk. On the way we took a detour through the Loire valley to the ‘Chaumont garden festival’. This was…