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Glass sculpture
Golden Dew - Wolfgang and Heron
I first came across the work of Wolfgang and Heron at Westonbirt Festival of the Garden 2004. I’ll have a root through my photos because the images on their site really don’t do the beauty of the garden justice. Blocks of deschampsia and then stipa gigantea are overlaid with a grid of silver birch – with these glass sculptures glinting in the light. It was a garden of restrained simplicity that focussed on the movement of grass, shadows and the play of light.
Eco string bags
These string bags are the perfect alternative to a plastic shopper. Why? Because they’re environment and turtle-friendly! Made by hand in India, using natural fibers and dyes, they’re 100% ecological and won’t be mistaken for food by adventurous turtles on England’s shores.
We have chosen a beautiful natural palette reminiscent of the colours of the beach; pebbles, waves and sand.
Tip: these bags are perfect for storing your fruit and veg; they’re durable and let your produce breathe.
Albion Strawberries are new favourite
New variety from California, Albion has excellent flavour and disease resistance. A new favourite.
New Gregii Tulips
Tulip ‘Showtime’ features carmine red outer petals with a white edge – a really dramatic combination – and white inner petals with a few carmine streaks.
Image: ©de Jager.‘Showtime’
Eco Friendly Garden Furniture
When choosing eco-friendly garden furniture, is it enough for it to be FSC certified? Should we be sticking to local materials or choosing garden furniture made from salvaged or recycled materials?
Is it more sustainable to choose garden furniture made from local materials, or garden furniture made from salvaged wood?
Sustainable garden furniture choices can be a minefield as there is no one right answer. Here are some simple tips to keep in mind when making your decisions…
1/Buy garden furniture made from locally produced wood
There is no excuse for buying teak furniture (even if it is sustainably forested) when so much environmental damage is done shipping it halfway around the world. Choose English Oak from local managed woodland, or if you must have teak, choose furniture made from salvaged or recycled wood
2/Buy recycled garden furniture, or garden furniture that is made from reclaimed materials
Furniture made from recycled or reclaimed materials is clearly the most sustainable option. Garden Boutique have a great choice of stylish recycled metal garden furniture and wooden furniture made from reclaimed wood. These materials are already in circulation and so have a limited impact on the environment.
3/Avoid oil based paints and stains.
Choose wood that is suitable for outdoor use without treatment such as oak, sweet chestnut, larch, western red cedar or douglas fir. If you must colour your wood, choose water-based products so that any wooden furniture can be recycled or composted at the end of its useful life.
Garden Beauty Alice in Tatler
A very glamorous-looking Alice spilled the secrets of all-weather beauty in the September issue of Tatler. Experienced gardeners know all too well the wear-and-tear caused by constant digging, pruning, bending, stooping, sun-exposure and mucking about in the soil all day. Alice has developed some trusty remedies which work wonders for tired hands, feet and complexions:
- A handmade softening foot scrub of lemon thyme, rosemary, sea salt and olive oil
- Foxgloves. They’re brilliant.
- If all else fails a lick of Mac Cream Colour base in Flaming Fuschia will brighten your day
Antique Grey Boot Accessories
When you’ve put a lot of thought and creativity into every aspect of your garden planting, with neat little rows of flowers bobbing their heads and silvery grass waving in the wind, it seems a shame to have to plant something as practical and drab as a boot jack right there on the patio.
The antique grey boot scraper and boot jack we’ve just added to the shop are elegant and ornate, like the best gardens, but also durable and sturdy (likewise). So they won’t be an eyesore on your patio or porch, and provide the right amount of support so you don’t go stumbling around the house trying to get your wellies off.
What I’m up to this month
It’s planting season, so with all the lovely bulbs ordered I am spending lots of time on site, across the country adding bulbs to gardens we have completed.
I’m just starting work on the gardens for a Georgian estate in Northumberland where we are restoring traditional gardens and parkland with a contemporary twist, alongside the restoration of a large walled kitchem garden.
In a couple of weeks I’m off to the Cheltenham Literary Festival for a Greenfingers debate with fellow Times gardeners Joe Swift and Stephen Anderton. For futher details, and to book online visit the Cheltenham Festivals website
Time to make leafmould
Now that the leaves are beginning to fall from the trees, it’s time to invest in some jut leaf mould bags for making lovely leaf mould compost.
Fiery Coloured Bulbs for autumn
I’m planting lots of orange and rust coloured bulbs this season, such as Tulipa ‘Ballerina’, Tulipa ‘Orange Nassau’ and ’Tulipa ‘Abu Hassan’. These really work well with some of the deep purple tulips that are a classic choice for garden designers
