Friday 13 December 2013

All I want for Christmas… in my dreams!

And so we come to the last of my Christmas wish lists, and this is the big one - the one that would require us to move house, win the lottery and be someone else completely!

A Garden Holiday (3 per year would be nice!)


I started well this year with a garden holiday courtesy of my Mum to glorious Florence in May. It was lovely, packed with garden visits and sightseeing with like minded people, in fabulous surroundings. Sadly I didn't follow it up with any more this year - very remiss of me! This one looks lovely to the hidden gardens of Morocco and would give you a bit of warmth too, but there are lots to choose from - South of France, Italian Lakes, Germany, Holland (best in spring). More realistically next year I think we may opt for a home grown garden holiday based around the Somerset/Dorset/Wiltshire area, that's if I can get it past the rest of the household!


My very own wildflower meadow


This would be so lovely to walk through, lie in and generally stare at, and it would have to be organic so I could feel positively eco-saintly. Sadly, most of us don't have the space for a proper meadow, or time for the mowing/ploughing required, so have to make do with a wild flower bed which isn't quite the same. I think the nearest I will get is this lovely book The Meadow by Barney Wilczak, a stunning photographic record of a year in the life of one of the oldest meadows in England.



A wonderful wildlife pond


Due to the size of my town garden and the steep slope that it is on, a decent size pond is not an option. I would love to grow lush marginal plants and lovely water lilies, not to mention frogs and newts, but it isn't going to happen. Perhaps I should have a waterfall down the slope, then I could grow watercress which needs moving water, but that's not quite the same. I would love some meandering rills leading into pools, but again fitting it all in without visitors being forced to wade to the front door would be a problem. I think the closest I'm likely to get is a small container pond like the one below, or maybe I could have a few different size ones grouped together, then it might even start to look like a decent pond and I expect the wildlife won't mind. Now there's a project for 2014!



A show garden at RHS Hampton Court


Now as a garden designer a show garden is what we all aspire to, and I've chosen Hampton Court because I think it tends to be a bit more adventurous and avant guarde than Chelsea (although obviously if we're offered Chelsea we won't turn it down!) The idea of having a clear space, a decent budget (that's another part of the deal) and the chance to do anything we want is quite mind-blowing. I suspect it's unlikely to happen in 2014 so the closest we could get is tickets for Chelsea, which would be quite a good pressie in it's self. The Daisy Duo could make a weekend of it, take in a bit of the Chelsea Fringe and generally soak up horticultural London! Now there's another plan for 2014!

Funnily enough this pie-in-the-sky dream list turned out to be less ridiculous than I thought. Some of these things are quite achievable if not on the scale that I had originally planned.

What would you like for Christmas, or what are you giving for your horticultural friends/family? We always like to hear other people's recommendations and ideas. Here are some ideas I had last year, hmmm… some of them are strangely familiar!













Monday 9 December 2013

All I want for Christmas… Potting Shed!

So onward and upward, section 2 of the Christmas list, hardware and things for the potting shed.

To be honest my potting shed mostly needs a good tidy and clean out and although that would be a great present I haven't found anyone who offers that service. So instead here are a few slightly more available things.

Compost Bins from RHS
I'm not suggesting that you put these in your potting shed, but in a hidden corner of your garden, although these are good looking enough to not need so much hiding. You can't beat good compost and if you can fit in two bins you can rotate them and have a constant supply.

Another quite personal one here - I'm a bit sick of plodding up and down my sloping garden to get stuff so a nice wheelbarrow would be lovely (providing my garden isn't so sloping that it won't stop!) Garden Venture offer the usual hard waring types but also wheelbarrows in pink, lilac, red, blue, green and yellow - who said wheelbarrows had to be boring?
Good luck with the gift wrapping of this one!


Burgon and Ball Seed Tin
Now this is for my potting shed! This tin is divided into sections so you can plan when you need to plant things, and when you need to buy more seeds (not sure that I need help on buying enough seed, but it would be good to have help in remembering to sow them!)
Burgon and Ball have all sorts of enamelled tin organisers for the shed so there's no excuse for my untidiness now!

Gardening Snips
Perfect for deadheading and other garden jobs that the trusty secateurs aren't great for. In fact what I would really like is a pair of these in a beautiful trug and a large floppy sun hat, so that I can perfect my lady of the manor flower picking! I'm channeling my inner Margot Leadbetter rather than my Barbra Good! (1970's TV allusion there for any of you youngsters - look up 'The Good Life' and stop being so  darn young!)


These are my personal 5 star recommendation - my Mum gave me these Gardman Weeding Gloves in the summer, and although I've always struggled with gloves - too thick/don't fit/too heavy/not heavy enough, I have not been in the garden without these since! You'll need more protection for brambles and roses, but as a general purpose all rounder these are the gloves to have, flexible light and comfortable. 

So that's the practical and sensible gift lists done, now onto the dream list. The next section will be full of things that I dream of - this is going to be even tougher to get down to a top 5!






Great British Garden Revival - Teaser


Don't miss this - perfect winter's night viewing!

Friday 6 December 2013

All I want for Christmas… Plants!

I had planned to do a list of Christmas gifts for garden-y types, but the list became so long and unwieldy that I had to divide it into sections. So this is section 1 and is all plants and flowers. Safe to say that this has been massively edited and is by no means comprehensive but here are a few things I would like!

Sarah Raven's Flowers for a year
Seasonal plants are sent out at intervals to give you cut flowers throughout the year apparently, which sounds like a marvellous idea. Most people could do with help to make sure they have year round colour in their gardens - I know I could!
Sarah Raven also do seed collections and vegetable collections, so whatever you fancy growing there is probably a collection for you!

Sarah Raven's Snowdrops and Vase
This is a nice idea as the snowdrop plants are sent in the green (not dry bulbs) in February, so are much more likely to do well. But if you are giving this as a Christmas present the vase is sent for you to wrap up and put under the tree, so it's a two part present!

The RHS Hellebore Collection
Again, this is me all over, can't ever get enough of Hellebores and this collection of three colours of 'Double Ellen' is just my cup of tea! A good choice for a Christmas present as you shouldn't have to wait long for them to flower. Indeed some of the white ones are out for Christmas hence the common name of Christmas Rose.

Cut flowers every month for a year from Forever Flowering
The idea of a hand tied bouquet arriving on the first of every month is lovely, although as a designer, leaving someone else to choose the flowers is a bit of a struggle. Forever Flowering seem to pick well, not a cheap present though!

This is a very personal one - it is the only shrub that I haven't managed to get for my new bed redesign yet and I have wanted one for ages. I love the gorgeous leaf colour and the fragrant flowers, and it will contrast beautifully with my new Cotinus Purple Haze. Sorry if it seems a random choice - indeed it will look like a very uninspiring stick at this time of year - but I really would like one!

So there are my top five plant based pressies, I can't quite believe that I finally made a decision. Now onto section 2 - Potting Shed, not sure this is going to be any easier!

Do tell us what you are hoping for this Christmas.



Wednesday 4 December 2013

It's the little things...



On a wintery walk on the north-western tip of Cornwall, at The Crowns, Botallack, I was struck by the contrast between the grand scale of the landscape and coastline, with it's geological and industrial heritage, and the tiny plants that inhabit it.


The great cliffs and rock runs...

...the swirling coves and screaming gulls...


…and the cement that holds it all together - the tiny plants. Mosses, lichens, sedums, plantains, sedges, and thrifts.


They create a beautiful patchwork of colours and textures, wedged into crevices and nooks, clinging to any surface that they can.


Perfect inspiration for needlework or art!

 

And essential to holding together the shoreline and protecting it from erosion. The sea thrift above has stabilised the ground, and the un-colonised area below has been worn away by wind and weather, creating great overhangs and outcrops.
So these tiny plants are a wonder. They withstand dramatic weather conditions and high levels of exposure, are incredibly useful and highly decorative.

So let's hear it for the mini plants that keep going all year round and make our most dramatic coastal landscapes possible.

If you're interested in Cornish Coastal Path Walks then click here and head for Western Cornwall.


Thrift seed heads against wind stunted heathers.



Monday 2 December 2013

Now it really is Christmas!


On Sunday night, the first day of the busiest and most frantic month of the year, there was a lovely haven of true Christmas spirit in St Agnes, Cornwall. The lovely Kate was holding a wreath making party and lots and lots of us made our way up the lane lined by candles to join in.
Lit by candles, firelight and fairy lights (which is why the photos are a bit grainy), and fuelled by mulled wine and homemade mince pies, we chatted and laughed and eventually got round to making some wreaths.
Kate had provided mountains of greenery, beautiful dried seed heads, Hazel whithies and all the hardware required - Copper rings, wire etc.


Keen makers settled all over the house surrounded by greenery and bon homie.


And there was only a little bit of competition and almost no pinching of each others greenery - all very civilised!



Against the odds (baring in mind the mulled wine element and the endless distractions) wreaths started to appear...

…in all different shapes, sizes and styles.


So HUGE thanks to Kate (in the middle) for starting off the festive month so wonderfully. It was a magical evening, in a beautiful place, shared with lovely people - just what Christmas is all about.
(that and mince pies - obviously!)





Monday 25 November 2013

Sunday trip by the sea

This Sunday saw the family out for lunch in Falmouth and once full of pizza and pasta we headed out to Pendennis Point to try and walk off some of the Tiramisu!
 The view was fabulous if chilly.


and there were lots of autumnal textures around the rocks and cliffs.



Seed heads


Bare twigs and creepers



Grasses


Bristly seedheads


Bare trees


Cow Parsley heads


Even some plants that were still managing to flower!

Silene                                                      Red Campion

And then we found a snug spot for lots of snails - and best of all it's a long, long way from my garden!



Friday 22 November 2013

Thursday 21 November 2013

Brave Bloomers for November!

Well the threatened frosts didn't appear down in Truro this week. We had hail and cold winds, but no frosts, and I'm relieved. All my recent planting in the garden needs a little time to settle before I can view frosts in a relaxed way. The lack of frost also means that some of the brave blooms still showing their unseasonal faces are still going strong.


Dazzling Schizostylis which now seems to be called Hesperantha


Creeping Campanula


Magenta Geranium




Bedding Brachyscome


Delicate Saxifrage

These plants don't just have the odd leftover flower, they have a number of flowers and even some buds. They are mostly on at least their third round of flowering and some started in May! That's what I call value for money (especially as three of them were free from my Mum, one was inherited, one a gift and only the Brachyscome was purchased in the usual way!) 

Long may they last as they bring a splash of colour to my tired garden.