Gardens East

I love Crows! Caught this one today dancing about on a fence.

# #

Plant shopping day today for a client and a wander around Forty Hall Estate. Discovered a plant I'd never seen before in the garden there called Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana). Strange looking spikes with what looked like blackberries stuck to it. Fig a bit worn out afterwards in the car surrounded by ferns and geraniums!


#

BEFORE AND AFTER - My happy clients very kindly sent me these before and after photos of their garden. It's great to see that they've really been looking after the plants and everything is maturing nicely. The pergola area will look great once the climbers have crept over it and the side passage looks much brighter with the new plants.

A bit wet for planting today but ended up getting soaked anyway with Mr Fig in the Gunpowder Park.

So this week I've been Strulching! This amazing stuff that smells like beer (much to the joy of my client!), claims to fight off slugs and snails, enrich the soil and lasts for up to two years! It's also incredibly light and I can easily swing a 9kg sack about with one arm! Looking forward to seeing the results.

A revisit today to a small garden in Forest Gate that I did a simple design for just over a year ago. Happy to see the planting has mostly survived through all the rain so I just had to fill a couple of gaps.

Another small, low budget design but with a fun addition of a sauna and outdoor shower! (To be added at a later date). Again lots of lovely planting, linear paving and a microclover lawn.

#

One of the best things you get to do as a garden designer is the plant shopping! Looking forward to installing this calming blue, purple and green scheme with Salvia Patens 'Blue Angel', Lavendula Hidcote, the trusty Stipa Tennuisima grass. There's some Eringium Blue Hobbit hidden in there somewhere too.

#

I so love this little plant and the way it pops up in the front garden through cracks and pathways. I first saw it growing wild in Dorset and have been in love ever since. It's extremely easy to grow and a great addition to any garden.
#

One of the concept sketches that I'm working on for a large garden in Epping. It's a long thin space so I've created sections and different height levels to give the impression of a wider garden. The overall look will be a romantic, cottage style garden with arches and plenty of pollinating planting!

😂😂 Oxfam in Wanstead have some interesting gardening books in the window at the moment! 😂😂

WOW WOW WOW - keep it up! Over 2,000 signatures in just a few hours calling on the RHS - Royal Horticultural Society to cut ties with the hunt supporting The Newt in Somerset - huge thank you for your support so far!

Sign here: https://protectthewild.org.uk/rhs/

A new design almost finished for a large family garden in Wanstead. There will be lots of fun stuff for the children including a splash pad and a secret garden. But also a relaxing chill out zone for the adults with lots of planting and new trees for screening. Looking forward to the build soon!



#

A lovely new review from a client in Walthamstow.

The East Ham garden looking lovely at night and the perfect spot for entertaining. (Once it gets warmer!!). Once the Jasmine climbs up over the pergola they'll also have not only wonderful heady scented aromas but added privacy. Thanks to my client for sending the photos.

Concept drawing for a small canalside garden by Victoria Park. The clients were looking for a space for entertaining and relaxing but also lots of planting. The masterplan will be drawn up next with a couple of alterations.

In the studio today working out some concept designs for a large family garden in Wanstead.

English Bluebells are out in woods all over the country. It’s important that we look after these beautiful little plants for future generations. Sadly a lot of people think it’s ok to trample all over them with family in tow for social media photos. This damages the plants and they won’t grow back again.

So please keep off the Bluebells!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/jp3rGuGSawQzTtpu/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Before and after photos of a garden design and revamp in Forest Gate. The clients were fed up with looking out onto concrete and really wanted some added height interest with a pergola and new planting. As budget didn't allow for new paving l worked out a design with decking and then borders cut through the existing stone with raised beds, and a floating bench.

The Jasmine and Wisteria I've planted at the back will grow quickly to cover the pergola therfore giving privacy and a much more cosy feel.

Can't wait to see the planting shoot up over the next few months!

Big thanks to Alex at IG Paving for the build and all his skill and hard work!! He works like a trojan!!!

I'm very lucky to have such a special view of the River Lee Navigation from my little workspace. I love watching it change throughout the seasons and seeing the houseboats chugging up and down. Right back to work!!

Working on concept drawings for new clients. This is a sketch for a part shady garden in Forest Gate which will have lots of lovely leafy foliage plants and a micro clover lawn.

Mr Fig being a very good boy today waiting for me to finish a garden in Forest Gate.

Great the have the Baltic Seafood Boat back at Enfield Lock. Lovely fresh fish!