On my wavelength

January 30, 2025

* I was invited to the press preview of Gardeners’ World Live and provided with a pair of tickets to visit the show, therefore all my posts will be marked as 'Ad’ though as usual my views and opinions are very much my own.

This beautiful border designed by Kim O’Brien certainly lives up to its name, but there’s a lot more to it than you might think. The inland beach-inspired border is designed around a mathematical sine wave, representing waves of water and brainwaves.

The planting, with its predominantly blue theme, represents the water but also the abundant and varied life found within water. I’m a big fan of sea holly, and so I wasn’t surprised when looking through my photos of this border to see them dominated by this beautifully structural plant. I really must make sure I find a space for these in my ‘still in thought not yet in planning’ garden!

But it was also the wooden backdrop that caught my eye in this garden. It combines thought with mental health challenges - you can see the text on some of the colourful wooden slices, which are chained together to form a curtain - and this ‘links a vibrant community forming a network created by individual experiences’.

And it’s a stunning backdrop to this beautiful border, isn’t it?

I’d also have been more than happy to take a break in those deckchairs, but I didn’t. Mainly because there was still so much more to see, and I really didn’t think it would be appreciated! But also because I’d spotted some succulents growing on horizontal tree trunks…

That really is very clever, and that is something that is achievable in even the smallest of gardens. I always leave Gardeners’ World with so much inspiration, that my brain is overloaded and it’s only later on as I go through my photos that I remember, and then become inspired all over again!

* With thanks to Gardeners’ World for inviting me to Gardeners’ World Live, it was just as good as I expected! I’ll be sharing more from my visit to the show - I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

A Problem Shared is a Problem Halved

October 31, 2024

This beautiful border is one that I featured briefly in my highlights post, so it feels right to share more about it in a separate post - though I’m not sure that any beautiful border really fits into the problem category!

And it doesn’t, it’s designed as a space for sharing problems and thoughts while surrounded by nature. The Yin/Yang paving reflects opposing forces and these colours are fed through into the planting in a way that makes this a very special place indeed.

The deeper tones change to lighter colours signifying how our moods can lift, and together it's such a calming, welcoming space - that, as I said earlier in the post it’s hard to imagine a better place for taking a raincheck on our wellbeing and being at peace within its space.

I loved how the planting was so distinct, and while white plants are much more easy to find and use in our gardens, there were some surprises there too - just look at the pale, almost white fatsia by the chair leg. I’m a fan of the fatsia’s more usual green cousin, but this one was just beautiful - and it’s one I’m seriously thinking about for our garden, or at least working out how I can fit one in, if it’s something that will suit the space we have. I’ve too often in the past gone for plants that might just work, but they haven’t really been happy, so I’m not sure it’s really worth it - however beautiful they are!

And don’t you just want to reach out and touch the velvety dark petunias? They look great alongside the dark leaved heucheras (bottom right of the picture - just), which I already have a pot of. Petunias are one of those bedding plants that seem to have fallen out of fashion, but this dark version could just change that I think.

The Love Yourself & Nature Retreat

May 23, 2024

* I was invited to the press preview for and provided with a pair of tickets to Gardeners’ World Live so I’m marking posts from the show as 'Ad’ - as usual my views and opinions are very much my own. Be sure to check out all of my posts from the show.

This garden, designed by Ben Thornton, is a joyful riot of colour and it’s no surprise that Ben himself describes it as ‘full of colour’ - it’s inspired by his love of nature and growing. It’s definitely a place where you could escape the outside world and enjoy the wonders of nature isn’t it?

The border is busting from the seams, and surrounds an edible raised bed. In this garden Ben is showcasing his journey of becoming a grower after getting paralysed and I agree when he says that gardening doesn’t have to be perfect. Nature isn’t flawless and he says neither is his garden - in fact, neither is mine too.