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Contemporary topiary – Bath

This is a project for a client wishing for a low maintenance contemporary garden.  Division of space was achieved using topiary forms, both yew and hornbeam –  yew was trained into shapes inspired by Barbara Hepworth’s sculptures.   Pleached hedges, an oak pergola, a fairy lit arbour, fire pit and an infinity pool were other main features…

Garden

‘At this time of year, if something does not appear to be growing then it is probably being eaten’ – that was my thought today as I looked over my young willow cuttings, in leaf and apparently healthy but not getting very big; closer examination revealed discrete nibbing of the shoots, Oooh those rabbits…

In the vegetable garden

I am just back from a few days away, and as usual, after unloading the car, I head straight for the garden.  As I bend down to the soil to root out those weeds, the smell of the earth and the chattering birds in in the trees above, soothe my soul, washing away the hubbub of the day. …

Low maintenance

In this raised front garden the lawn has been replaced with gravel and low maintenance planting to provide year round interest as well as a good source of pollen and nectar for insects. The lavander and catmint require clipping once a year, the neat mounds of lavander provide structure throughout the winter months whilst primulas…

Garden for bee keeper – Shepton Mallet

This garden has an outlook onto rolling Somerset hills and was commisioned by a bee keeper.  Local stone was used to create a curved dry stone retaining wall, the planting was more formal (blues and purples) nearest the house merging to less formal dogwoods for winter colour and structure further away from the house.   An emphasis on underplanting…

Sculpture trail

I spent one week working with pupils creating willow art work as well as working in the small copse in the school grounds.  The projects involved hands on coppicing, making living hazel arches, willow flowers, large willow spiders and large willow fish.  During a follow up week I helped on the project building a timber…