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Gardens for Good

by Fen Ryan gardener and designer at Bloomingplaces

Early signs of spring and what’s in bloom now

February is well on its way and the signs of early spring are already appearing day after day all around us, with the appearance of snowdrops, daffodils and the sprouting of muscari bulbs. Now is the time to give the neglected garden some love.

For a border that performs all year round, alongside spring flowering bulbs, you can also plant winter flowering shrubs like viburnum, skimmia, helebores and corms such as cyclamen. Now is a good time to get these in if you want to develop a garden to attract pollinators and one that is full of life and interest throughout the year.

A well planned garden will result in a continuous succession of blooming plants that will perform year upon year attracting pollinator and insects.

What you choose to plant and where you plant it contributes to creating a garden with great bio diversity and a pleasing aesthetic that is resilient and sustainable.

What to Plant now

It is not too late to get some instant spring interest into your garden as this can be done with the addition of seasonal planters and window boxes filled with frost hardy plants. As the season moves the bulbs and plants can be moved to the borders and with thoughtful positioning will continue to perform year upon year. There is also some time left to plant trees, winter shrubs and move mature specimens

Seasonal jobs for now

The birds are about in abundance, singing their hearts out to attract a mate to settle and nest with in Spring. Now is the best time to get larger shrubs, trees and mature climbers cut back so as not to disturb the nesting once it begins. Add a bird box and bath alongside some feeders to the garden to attract the birds in.

  • cut back mature shrubs, trees and climbing plants
  • plant root ball hedging and trees
  • plant winter shrubs
  • plant flowering spring bulbs
  • cut back ornamental grasses
  • add in a bird box, bath and feeder

What to plan now

If you are thinking of planning or developing your garden this year, or wish to simply enjoy it during warmer days, planning ahead is important. Getting the right jobs get done during dormancy ensures the least disruption and offers maximum potential for developing a garden to enjoy all year. Starting now means you can

  • Develop a functional layout with minimum disruption
  • Plant up the evergreen structure for all year round interest
  • Develop layered planting schemes to develop bio diversity in the garden
  • Plant already in bloom winter and spring plants to add seasonal interest
Patio garden

Now is a good time for planning space and adding structural evergreen planting

layout for a small patio garden

It all begins with a seed

THE IMPORTANT THING IS SOMEHOW TO BEING

CONTACT

Garden Design Ideas for a small space

Fen Ryan, gardener and designer at Bloomingplaces

Create a sense of seclusion in the garden

The home & garden should compliment each other. So connecting design elements, from the architecture of the house and the style of its interior, with the garden is key to creating a designed look and feel to your garden. This can be done using colours, patterns, plants as well as form or lines and will ensure a successfully designed garden individual and unique to your home.

Unify with colour

These elements can be introduced through the correct selection of hard and soft landscaping, plants, furniture, pots, fences and ground surfaces. A unique bespoke feel can be enhanced by connecting the colour of different elements of the house such as downpipes, windows and doors to garden to the garden hardware such as furniture, fences and pots. The choice of materials for patios and surface covering in the gardens can also be connected to the house interior and chosen to compliment and contrast.

The overall looked can be enhanced by mixing and matching textures, using materials or tones to create textural interest. Texture is key to making a space feel characterful, rich and unique.

Introduce textural interest with planting

Introducing plants with interesting leaves helps bring lots of texture into the planting. Knowing light levels soil and consideration of looking after plants in the longer term are all important things to consider when making plant choice in order to ensure longevity of a garden that looks good. Surroundings and environment should be taken into consideration to ensure a garden will thrive in the longer term.

Small City Gardens

by Fen Ryan, gardener and designer at Bloomingplaces

Having a small garden doesn’t mean you have to think small when it comes to plants

Space is often limited in London gardens but they don’t have to feel small or tight if you plan them well.

The owner of this London garden inherited a mess, it measured just 15sq metres, with mixed boundaries and was covered in a mix of paved concrete slabs and a shabby lawn. The owners, a young couple who loved plants, wanted a green, multi-functional space to entertain and relax in.

INCORPORATING LARGE PLANTS HELPS TRICK YOUR MIND AND EYE INTO BELIEVING A SMALL GARDEN IS LARGER THAN IT IS

Despite having such a small space to work with I decided to go big with the trees and managed to squeeze in quite a number of large trees.

Four evergreen Magnolia grandiflora, chosen for their interesting large, dark green, glossy leaves and beautiful spring flowers, flank the dining area. They provide privacy as well as the ultimate feeling of being immersed in nature whilst dining outside. I also chose a selection of large specimen, evergreen shrubs and trees, with varying leaf shape to add interest and all year round foliage. A selection of large pots were also planted with flowering plants to give seasonal interest and a sheet of gently cascading water was added as a feature to the back wall, adding soothing sound to the urban garden.

Materials were chosen to compliment the fabric of the house and its interior. The natural limestone paving used to develop the interlinking patios complimenting the brickwork of the house and the horizontal panelled fencing acting a a contrast to soften the space and create a retreat into nature.

The simple colour palette of light wood, green and natural limestone blend with the house making it a unified space.

There is space for a table and chairs large enough to entertain at, surrounded by trees giving a feeling of seclusion and privacy rare in an urban space where gardens are so often overlooked.

There is a space to lounge, set amongst the shade of evergreen specimen plants, that also act to give seclusion.

Big plants, bespoke items, different textures and bringing the plants close to the house and seating areas, all contribute to the overall success in creating this urban garden, making it feel unique to its owners, individual in design and a tranquil and relaxing space to enjoy all year round.

Design for a London garden

by Fen Ryan, gardener and designer at Bloomingplaces

The right design for a garden will deliver a well planned layout, creating areas that are tailored for use that works with lifestyle. Gardens can be both functional and stylish and are now firmly established and known as the outside room. A garden provides a house with….

Teeny Blooming Places

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Gardening in miniature means that you can create your own garden in the tiniest of space. Even if all you have is a window ledge, or a small balcony you can create your very own miniature garden.

Use household items like left over jars and cartons to plant up small plants and seedlings to create your garden and here’s how

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Things you will need

Plants

  • Viola’s
  • Marigolds
  • Fern seedlings
  • Mini cyclamen

Materials

  • empty household containers (plastic or glass)  coconut shells or a hollowed out piece of wood
  • Potting compost
  • garden string,  twine or craft wire
  • Small stones/pebbles
  • scissors

Step 1  Clean out plastic or glass food containers (once you  have enjoyed the delicious desert), if using coconut shells cut them in half and scoop out the inside (use the coconut to make a delicious Thai or Goan curry – yum)

Step 2  Add a layer of small pebbles to the bottom of the container (you can buy these from a builders merchants, garden centre or collect some of your choice from woodland/beach walks

Step 3  Place ornamental grass {or other seedlings of  your choice) on top of pebbles, hold in the centre and fill container to top with compost.

Step 4  Keep soil moist during dry weather, the pebbles will allow free drainage.  Alternatively top with pebbles instead of layering bottom for decorative effect.

Step 5. If you wish to hang the container you can create holes in coconut or plastic and insert string,  If using glass containers you can tie the string tightly along the  lip edge. Tie in  three evenly spaced pieces of string to form a triangle which you can join together at the top in a loop for hanging.

                               teeny blooming marigoldLayered plastic pot.  Pebbles, soil, ornamental grass.

 

You can also use glass jars with a rim and add string to hang them up.  The rim will help hold the hanging wire or string you use in place.

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These jars  have been planted up with fern seedlings and mini cyclamen – ideal for these tiny planters.  Topping the potted plant with pebbles also adds to the overall effect.

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tiny blooming ferns and marigold    teenyblooming fern and candle

You can also use miniature terracotta pots or hollowed out pieces of wood to plant up small seedlings like this fern and  marigold.  The marigold will bloom giving pretty yellow and orange flowers.

 

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Here I have used an old abandoned  birds nest from last year.  (You must be really careful to ensure these are old/abandoned before using). You could use little gift baskets which can be purchased very cheaply and plant them up with violas and top up with moss (as seen above)

teeny bloominplaces coconut hangers

Half an empty coconut shell tied with string also make ideal hanging baskets for a miniature garden.

 

teeny bloomingplaces coconut hanger

 

 

teenyblooming coke cans

 

These miniature coke cans make cute containers – why not try growing some herbs inside to add to your miniature garden.

 

teenybloomngplaces coke can

 

Yes even if you are short on space you can have your very own garden.  Have fun with your miniature ventures.

 

 

 

 

 

Amazing Amsterdam

Amsterdam is one of the prettiest, friendly laid back cities I have every had the pleasure to visit.  In this city you don’t  even need your own outside space to enjoy being outside amongst your very own cultivated blooms.The tolerant nature of the free spirits that live in this city means that you can  just put your bench and pots out on the pavement and enjoy.

kerb appeal

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and even if there is no opportunities to fill the pavement well never fear, create your tiny blooming place inside – genius

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Attracting birds into even the most urban of streets by hanging feeders…..  in cities where people care and contemplate human existence and the importance of connecting with nature, even the city centres become a haven for plants and wildlife.

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Firework Festivities

I love Halloween and Fireworks night because it keeps us outside for that bit longer before we really feel the need to hibrinate.   We truly get to experience the fall in it’s full colour and glory and appreciate what’s around us in nature.  It also helps us get into the spirit of planting and decorating outside for those firework parties. Lots of spray on cobweb around this year but there is nothing like the real thing though to create true atmosphere.

 

Happy Halloween

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Cobwebs in the early morning dew.  Each one is like a unique piece of woven lace

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Love you my luver

Valentines day here it is again and for those of you who hate all the cheesey things that sometimes come with the day remember it doesn’t have to be that way. Keep the flag for love flying high and keep romance alive. It doesn’t have to be an endurance meal out in the company of couples forced into looking like they are having a good time.  Make it your own.

Sit outside and enjoy the night sky together even if it is pea soup.

 

set the scene

This cute shelter,  complete with love  seat,  was crafted from the thick branches of the elderflower that was cut back last year. A great place to sit even in the rain.

 

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Just add some champagne on ice and a couple of glasses, squeeze into a love seat under the starry sky and cuddle up for love

 

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some chocolate and love hearts to complete the perfect moment

 

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There is nothing more romantic than making your own present. A hand made card or painting are often appreciated even more than the most expensive gift because it is real and comes from the heart

 

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Love you tweetie pie! (pressed flowers and plant seeds on recycled paper)

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Paint your own

A flock of love hearts (acrylic on canvas)

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True love captured for ever

 

 

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Love is……………………………..

Watching the sun set together

 

 

Where did you come from my lovely

With ample blossom, snowdrops and the beginnings of the narcissi blooming about it would appear that Spring is emerging.  Time perhaps to start thinking about getting seeds in for cultivating your summer window boxes and baskets.  As bedding can get quite expensive why not save seeds from last years pots and plant them to grow your own blooms this summer. If you have already discarded all of these remember there is always another chance at the end of the summer blooming season.

I especially love French marigolds for their bright colourful display and their easiness to grow and maintain. I usually have them in abundance

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Keep summer going for longer with these zesty coloured marigolds that stay blooming well into September and October if the weather is mild

marigolds pots

marigold seeds

extract the tiny seeds from dead flower heads.  Happy cultivating there is nothing more satisfying.

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Nobody told me there would be days like these

As I plan some summer projects for the garden and search for inspiration I look back on the pictures of last summer that transport me to another world a million miles from the stark cold days we are experiencing at the moment. It gives me hope and where there is hope there is life despite the current governments efforts to destroy it as we know it. There seems to be an upward trend in friendliness from mankind in general so go on do your bit to spread that love. If you don’t already, smile to passer by’s in the street in your neighbourhood. You will be amazed at how good it will make you (and them) feel.

For  now keep going with and enjoying the winter walks even if it is too cold to take your hands out of your pockets to use the camera 🙂

 

 

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On the rare occasions when the temperature becomes unbearable escape to the cool woods who needs air conditioning

 

 

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  • The perfect sculpture – created by nature

 

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Serene Green – calms the mind

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Cool Clear Water

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Getting up close and personal

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Nothing says it better than roses

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I “heart” nature

Fen's avatarFen Ryan Plant|Design|Maintain

With a little thought about what you plant  in your outside space it will not only look beautiful but will yield some very useful and inspirational things prompting the unleashing of  the creative you.  Lemon trees  look great and you can grow them in a pot on your balcony or terrace (they will flourish in a sheltered area or you can take them inside  if the winter is very harsh).  The tree will give fruit all year round.  When the blooms appear before the fruit the air is scented like a heaven send – it doesn’t get much better than this.  Lemons get used lots in summer to help olive oil dress your salads or squeeze into a summer cocktail or fruit add to a fruit punch. In winter try making your own lemoncillo the perfect winter schnaps or a lemon loaf to help keep your cockles warm, entertain guests and make your kitchen smell…

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