Autumn Fireworks

Its that time of year when we think of bonfires, toffee apples and roast chestnuts. Nature is creating it's own spectacular display and this year is proving to be particularly stunning with a spectacular swan song to the end of the (wet) growing season. From butter yellow through to coppery and rich plumy purple, the City and countryside is being lit up in a beautiful display. Its not just the trees that are major players either. Climbing hydrangea are a lovely yellow at this time of year and the ornamental grape vines are a deep purple. And who could forget the classic fiery red of the Virginia creeper! There are still some perennials still flowering their socks off as well. These include the Asters and Penstemons which are still going great guns in my garden. Us gardeners have to plan a long time in advance so if you want a spectacular display for next year then now is the time to start planning. We are also nearly in the bare root tree season when there is a larger choice of trees available and you get more bang for your buck!

Well what a fine mess!

After dealing with the constant mud today, I read an article in the Garden Design Journal about Rammed earth and Cob walling. This ancient method of building is making a slow revival and it makes a great deal of sense.

Why not use the resources around us instead of imported or man made products. Cob walling using clay/subsoil, straw and sand was used extensively in my home county of Devon in the past to make walls for buildings. I have seen a show garden at Chelsea some years back where a bench was made using polished rammed earth in different coloured layers which looked fabulous. I think we should think more about using the resources to hand for building structures in the garden and this method of construction is one of the ways that we can utilise the subsoil and create less of a carbon footprint.

Bring on the mud!

Welcome to my first foray into blogging! What a year it has been so far! We entered a show garden at the BBC Gardeners World LIVE. To have our entry accepted from a national field of entries was amazing enough but we also achieved a prestigeous RHS Silver medal !! A big thankyou to my team who worked really hard with me to produce it.

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The weather has been a challenge this year as well! Mud everywhere! We have soldiered on and continue to grow as a business. We now have four full time staff( plus me!) and had a further five part timers during the summer! We are also branching out into selling bulbs. We are starting in a small way this year packaging the bulbs in gorgeous florists spider wrap with raffia and a clear label so they are suitable as a present or just a treat! We hope to eventually supply pot packs as well. These will contain everything you need in order to provide a colour combination of different bulbs that will provide a succession of colour.
Please keep following me as I intend to provide regular blogs from now on. Please give me a call if you are interested.

Brett