Longniddry garden

Nine months after planting and the grasses and perennials in this West Lothian garden are establishing nicely. The Miscanthus planted on top of earth mounds lends height without obscuring the view out over the golf course to the Forth and Fife beyond.

Linlithgow - 9 months on

Small project to create a new garden for a newly-built house at the edge of Linlithgow. Nine months after completion plants are establishing well and the garden has settled in nicely.

Growth at Longniddry

9 months after planting herbaceous and grasses are establishing well in this North-facing garden. Trees and shrubs have leafed out well and climbers are starting to scramble up the stainless steel wiring grid attached to the East facing boundary wall.

Progression in Morningside

The path layout has commenced at this job and the Spring should see the start of structural planting. Good to see new construction rather then clearance work. Gales before Christmas saw the development of a dangerous split in the fork of an existing Ash tree on the boundary which required the swift intervention of a team of tree surgeons.

East Lothian garden

Planting completed in a garden in Longniddry, East Lothian. The garden attepts to reconcile a modernist, 'glass box' house with the links style golf course which adjoins the North boundary.

Small woodland garden

Dropped in to visit a client's small woodland garden which is establishing quite nicely although some gaps have appeared in perennial planting as a result of the recent dry weather. Hopefully this will regenerate now that Summer rain has reappeared. Within the garden is a small stumpery where ferns are establishing nicely:

Perthshire project complete

A garden party was held in this garden to celebrate the completion of the project. Hats off to the clients who carried out mst of the construction and planting work themselves with only limited assistance from contractors - personal satisfaction high!

Pitlochry project moves further forward

Despite the attentions of rabbits (finding their way past rabbit fencing) and deer the planting is establishing fairly well. The gardener on site is struggling to keep up with maintenance and new planting but, hopefully, by the middle of summer things will have settled down and compost mulch can be spread to help control weeds and improve the soil. 

Draft masterplan for Rutland garden

Initial design drawing for the site in Rutland I visited earlier this year concentrating on providing shelter and a sense of enclosure while still providing views out to important landmarks and connecting to the stream which wanders through the property.

Project in Rutland

Down to Rutland to look at a new project. Snow on the ground but not enough to stop walking over the site and getting a feel for the scale of the place. A previous client so we already have a good working relationship. Next stage is to get a land survey carried out by a local firm of surveyors. Looks interesting.

Further developments at Pitlochry

With the installation of steps on the bank below the main lawn and the seeding of the meadow below them, the main construction work is now virtually at an end and we can concentrate on the planting. Planting along the banks of the stream is complete

and several intense periods of planting will take place between now and late Spring of next year to create the main structure of the garden.

A garden near Dundee revisited



This



becomes this



Dropped in to visit a garden that was completed 3 years ago. The vegetation is starting to mature and the contrasts between light and shade, open space and enclosed woodland, are becoming more pronounced, adding to the variety existing in the garden.





Wildlife is starting to flourish whether it is the rare sight (in this wet summer) of butterflies:

or the red squirrels hidden in the woodland (seen by the clients but not by me!)





Sitooterie 2008

Sitooterie 2012

Perthshire garden

This garden, on the edge of farmland, is nearing completion. The pond is healthy, with a good balance of plants and thriving wildlife. The shrubs and trees are establishing well, providing plenty of shelter and variety of textures. The clients are happy.

Planting begins at Pitlochry

At long last plants are going in - only a year after the initial construction work got under way. Of course, after all the rain delays of the past few months, the sun has now decided to shine which will entail regular watering of the new planting. Luckily, a gardener has been appointed to visit on a regular basis which should avoid massive losses to drought.

Grass at Pitlochry

At long last grass has been seeded and is germinating. Now planting can get under way and attention can move on to the next phase.

Turf establishing as a green roof on top of the garage.

grounded design: Why We Plant.

grounded design: Why We Plant.: Garden design magazines and blogs dedicate a lot of space to answering the questions "how" and "what" to plant. But in the last few ...

Progress at Pitlochry

A burn along the edge of the garden has now been converted into a series of pools and waterfalls. Hard landscape construction has almost been completed although more weather dependent items such as earthworks and mortar pointing will have to await warmer and drier conditions.

A glass balustrade has been installed along the edge of the roof garden on top of the garage, allowing unbroken views to Western hills.

Oxford College of Garden Design: Plant Hardiness Zones for Europe, US, Canada, China, Japan & Australia

Oxford College of Garden Design: Plant Hardiness Zones for Europe, US, Canada, China, Japan & Australia

grounded design: Garden Design Trends 2012

grounded design: Garden Design Trends 2012: Cleve West's winning design for Chelsea Flower Show Each New Year, the internet is abuzz with it the inevitable horde of prophets an...

Pitlochry proceeds

Despite times of heavy rain, much of the construction of walls and steps is now complete, Unlikely that seeding of a lawn will happen before the onset of cold weather as the soil is far too wet for seed-bed preparation.