tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171557120313080522024-03-12T20:42:26.146-07:00The Good Garden CollectiveThe Good Garden Collective is dedicated to the production of beautiful gardens.The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-28077590131885634682013-04-11T02:39:00.001-07:002013-04-12T01:14:39.662-07:00Urban renewal; Eastside City Park Birmingham <br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bitterly cold and threatening to snow, it wasn’t exactly the ideal weather for a leisurely stroll to soak up the atmosphere of the new park in Birmingham’s Eastside; you had to keep moving to stay warm! The area adjacent to the Millennium Point Science Museum site was full of Easter holidaying parents and children having fun with the experimental gadgets and gizmos, whilst the rest of the park was almost empty, other than the ubiquitous skate boarders who obviously don't feel the cold! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There was plenty of places to sit and throughout the park and I could imagine office workers and commuters stopping to relax in the new uber-cool surroundings on a warmer day. I was impressed with the variety of seating and the consideration that had gone into their design and placement; wooden snaking benches underneath an oversized pergola structure, love seats and recliners, geometric block benches reinforcing the design and secluded benches set in beautiful symmetry;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>there was somewhere for everyone to sit!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For me the planting looked slightly municipal – but that is often the case and after all this is a public park which will have to be easily maintained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it’s a shame they didn't take some inspiration from the Olympic Park and incorporate softer areas of wild meadow planting, which is so desperately needed for our endangered bees. Maybe that’s for a later stage?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A geometric theme of clean lines, blocks and pattern repeats ran throughout the park sympathetically reflecting its urban surrounds; A run of black pergola type structures and white oblong stone seating, framing Silver Birch trees, looked like a representation of a railway line, regular block seating combined with square flower beds of mass planting contributing to the graphic grid effect, even the beach hedges and yews were clipped into rectangular blocks...almost Mondrian style!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I absolutely loved the dominating group of block sculptures, cast in rusting iron, with their lacework representation of nature, trees and flower heads. A man-made representation of nature, in materials synonymous with the midlands...very clever. This rusting iron work is also used for the gigantic lighting posts and as decorative railings around the Science Park. There’s a sight worry about the iron leaching into the light grey granite though!</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2wiXMnDB9kQ/UWVRrY4jnII/AAAAAAAAAfc/gQOFRRNfdjI/s1600/Name.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I look forward to a summer visit, when hopefully I will be able to sit a while to people-watch outside the newly refurbished Victorian pub, whilst enjoying an alfresco beer or two!</span></div>
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-67823888315863869772013-02-25T05:53:00.000-08:002013-02-26T05:08:16.743-08:00Feeding the imagination - a Bloomsbury garden flourishes in East Sussex<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> What is it about the Bloomsbury Group that so captivates teenage girls? It can’t just be their infidelities – teenage girls are quite relaxed about affairs, if undying love elsewhere is the ultimate goal. It must be something larger; the whole, messy melange that Bloomsbury represents – the personalities, the atmosphere, the houses, the creativity, the progeny, the privilege and, at least for my teenage self, the indisputable force of the female protagonists. <br /><br /> I was fascinated by Virginia Woolf, with her lugubrious face and confused sexuality. I loved her writing – not just her novels, but her essays and letters too. I loved Vita Sackville-West, and her determination to make Sissinghurst a beautiful and welcoming home, in order to compensate for having lost her family pile through male succession. Katherine Mansfield was the most tragic of all – elfin, racked with TB, stricken with poverty, mistreated by her beloved, producing so few, but such exquisite stories. <br /><br /> But I saved my greatest affection for Vanessa Bell. As the sister of Virginia Woolf, I felt she had a lot to compete with (I say this as the sister of an brilliant, competitive girl), and yet she seemed to make a world entirely for herself, in which her sister and her circle were welcome, but not the centre. </span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>The oldest of four siblings, Vanessa was beautiful and unconventional. She married the art critic Clive Bell in 1907, and they had two sons, Julian and Quentin. The marriage did not last, and in 1916 she moved to Charleston Farmhouse (near Firle, in East Sussex) with her two children, a nurse, a housemaid, a cook and her new partner, the famously promiscuous homosexual artist, Duncan Grant. Duncan bought his current lover, David ‘Bunny’ Garnett – who eventually, and scandalously, married Angelica (the daughter that Duncan and Vanessa later produced). <br /><br /> Vanessa and Duncan immediately chose rooms for their studios, and set about decorating the house. Walls, fireplaces, door panels and furniture were all ornamented to harmonise with their paintings, and Omega fabrics and ceramics were displayed throughout the house. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Charleston’s walled garden was created by Vanessa and Duncan, to designs by her former lover, the artist and writer Roger Fry. They transformed vegetable plots and hen-runs into a lovely area, blending mediterranean influences with cottage garden planting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />In the 1920s, a grid of gravel paths was added to give structure to beds of plants chosen for their intense colour and silver foliage. Th</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ese became the subject of many still lives over their long residence at Charleston. The writer Dora Carrington wrote of the garden, "Never, never have I seen quite such a wonderful place! ... What excellent things there will be to paint in that garden with the pond and buildings." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The garden also contains sculpture - classical forms share space with life-size works by Quentin Bell, mosaic pavements and tile edged pools. The orchard offers sustenance and shade and the pond provides a focus for tranquil contemplation. As well, a summer garden for playing and painting became an enchanted retreat from London life. As Vanessa Bell wrote in 1936, “The house seems full of young people in very high spirits, laughing a great deal at their own jokes… lying about in the garden which is simply a dithering blaze of flowers and butterflies and apples.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Charleston was kept as a summer house for Vanessa’s remaining years, and became the centre of the holidays for the Bloomsbury Group. She and Duncan Grant continued to live together until her death in 1961. Grant died in 1978. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I grew up in Sydney, twelve thousand miles away from Gordon Square, Charleston and Sissinghurst Castle. And yet I believed then that I could find my way blind-fold around Bloomsbury, or from garden room to garden room at Sissinghurst. I knew the layout of Charleston, and was certain that I would be more at home with Vanessa, Duncan and Angelica than with my own, troubled family, Of course, they were gone by then, or were old and entirely unreachable. In any case, they could hardly be expected to understand an antipodean girl for whom seasons themselves had little meaning, and who’s dreaming of their endless, English summers had little basis in complicated reality. Their lives and homes and gardens existed entirely in my imagination – a refuge and an extravagance – until I came to live in England in my mid-twenties. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />I became a gardener – I mean a career gardener – after my children were born. I know that those early years - poring over pictures of Charleston Farmhouse and Sissinghurst Castle, envying their owners ability (and means) to live a life proscribed by art, dedicated to beauty, entirely subsumed by self – were formative. I learned then that a life can be built outwards from a place, that if you get the structure right, the rest will follow. <br /><br />My daughter is now at Sussex University, studying English (Virginia Woolf, Katherine Mansfield…) and I intend to visit Charleston again next time I visit her. I wonder if I can convey to her what a refuge this place was to me once, what a comfort and an inspiration, or explain that it is possible to imaginatively inhabit somewhere you have never been? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-size: xx-small;"><b>C<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">harleston Festival 2012 © Charleston Trust.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> Charleston Farmhouse is now managed by The Charleston Trust – a charity set up in 1980 to restore and maintain the property and it’s collection for the benefit of the public. It is open 27th March – 27 October. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> Charleston holds an annual literary festival, and this year the dates are 17-26th May. For details of tickets click <b><a href="http://www.brightonticketshop.com./" target="_blank">here</a></b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> The house is situated near the village of Firle, in the Lewes district of East Sussex. Click<a href="http://www.charleston.org.uk/" target="_blank"> <b>here</b> </a> to find out more. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author Julia Little <b><a href="http://www.lupingardens.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lupin Gardening Ltd</a></b></span></div>
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-67631722498594415042013-02-19T02:50:00.002-08:002013-02-21T08:03:44.607-08:00Frosty February’s Winter Flowering Treats <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These <span style="font-style: italic;">Crocii</span>, just popping their lance shaped heads through the ground, are great naturalised in a lawn and a classic sign that spring is on the way!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic;"><b>Hellebores</b></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> or<i> Christmas Roses </i>come in an array of flowering colours, from pure white, through speckled pinks and mauves to almost black. These plants are ideal for a shady border and one of my winter favourites. For a fantastic selection of <i>Hellebores</i> you must pay a visit to <b><a href="http://www.ashwoodnurseries.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=7">Ashwood Nurseries</a> </b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>Helleborus argutifolia</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic;">Helleborus orientalis </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">‘Early Purple Group’</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic;"><b>Aurum italicum</b> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">has all-year interest. It has white hooded flowers in early summer and berries in autumn. The variegated arrow shaped leaves, appearing in winter make great ground-cover . </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: #666666;">Aurum italicum</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Another good ground cover plant for trailing over a wall is </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic;">Vinca difformis</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">. This variety with its pure white flowers can be used to brighten up a shady area.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Daphne</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">bholua</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;"> 'Jacqueline Postill' </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">This evergreen upright shrub smells delish! So plant it somewhere where you have to regularly walk past it to take in its heady aromas.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Cornus </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">A versatile species that can be grown for its foliage, flowers or brightly coloured stems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">Cornus alba </span><span style="font-family: Arial; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">’Sibirica’ is grown for its striking red stems, (achieved by cutting back in spring to encourage new growth), is a great addition to a large shrub border and looks wonderful when caught by the light of the low rays of the sun. Plant with an evergreen backdrop of dark greens and golds and mix in a light green plant such as a Hellebore to add contrast .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">Other popular varieties grown for their stems include </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">Cornus alba</span><span style="font-family: Arial; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;"> ‘Elegantissima’, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">Cornus sericia </span><span style="font-family: Arial; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">‘Flaviramea’ (golden barked) and a real show stopper </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">Cornus sanguinea</span><span style="font-family: Arial; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;"> ‘Midwinter Fire’ (fiery red!). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Cornus sericea '</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;">Flaviramea'</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Cornus alba </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;">‘Sibirica’</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Cornus mass</i> is a shrub or small tree and this variety bears groups of small bright yellow flowers on bare stems. This is an ideal plant for an informal border or screen.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lIBIglI5Gug/USNGyu18iKI/AAAAAAAAAYc/l489faa86-A/s1600/cornus+green.jpg"><br /></a></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lIBIglI5Gug/USNGyu18iKI/AAAAAAAAAYc/l489faa86-A/s1600/cornus+green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">Mahonia x Media </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">‘Charity’</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Mahonia</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">Often associated with municipal planting this plant should not be overlooked in the domestic garden. It has scented lemon yellow flowers in dense spikes that appear above dark green leaves. It is a very useful evergreen addition to a winter border . The architectural </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">Mahonia x Media </span><span style="font-family: Arial; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">’Charity’ is a lovely variety, its statuesque form can make a wonderful feature plant. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">Hamamelis x intermedia '</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">Jelena' </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Not always thought of as a winter plant, this early flowering species </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic;">Rhododendron </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">praecox bares rosy lilac flowers which will liven up a small garden during February. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Another variety that flowers over Winter is </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic;">R. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">‘Christmas Cheer’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">And last but not least…</span></h4>
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<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;">A collection of Winter flowers would not be complete without the mention of the ubiquitous snowdrop. This delicate little white flower is as robust and hardy as they come. It will melt your heart and always cheer you up on the coldest of days. If you want to try a different variety, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic;">Galanthus elwesii</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">, is a larger variety or a similar plant that follows the flowering period of Snowdrops choose </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic;">Leucojum vernum</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For places to see snowdrops now <b><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/9869994/The-best-places-to-see-snowdrops-in-2013.html" target="_blank">click here</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Its almost worth planting a selection of these worthy plants near your house, to give you hope in this darkest and longest of months!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">Author <b>Melanie Smith </b><b><a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/" target="_blank">Gardenplan Design</a></b></span></div>
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-15503411383906086942013-02-12T02:54:00.000-08:002013-02-21T07:46:34.953-08:00Rhubarb reminiscences and other stuff about Rheums<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have always had a patch of rhubarb in the garden and I remember, as a small child, being marched down the garden by granddad, who was a keen vegetable gardener, to the rhubarb patch. I used to suffer from terrible all-over heat rashes and he was convinced that a stick of this plant would cure me… “sort your blood out our Mel” he would chunter. Chinese medicine does use rhubarb to purge the system and to encourage the liver to detox, so maybe there was some truth in his traditional country remedy. It became a real treat to go down the garden, break off a stem and dip each mouth-full in the handful of sugar I had been given to sweeten it. At the time I thought It was the best medicine I’d ever had, not sure it cured the rash but I definitely felt better from the experience and attention! </span><br />
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<b>Growing Rhubarb </b></h4>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_VxYqtRH0wc/URUGa12OXBI/AAAAAAAAAXk/J_vOrMvdci0/s1600/Picture+040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_VxYqtRH0wc/URUGa12OXBI/AAAAAAAAAXk/J_vOrMvdci0/s400/Picture+040.jpg" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For a novice vegetable grower, there isn't really an easier plant to start with than rhubarb. It is a very easy crop to grow and needs little attention. It is very hardy, (mine was popping up in the snow last week), and all it needs is fertile soil, some sunshine, a bit of space and hey presto! you will be reaping the rewards when little else is ready for harvest. 'Victoria' is a great variety to grow! Once planted divide every three years and then leave picking for one. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At present I only have a small garden and I grow Rhubarb in a pot. I know this is not ideal, however, I keep it well fed and watered and it has rewarded me with enough sticks for a pie each year! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A rhubarb forcer, a decorative terracotta pot or an old chimney pot placed over the crown, will encourage the rhubarb to grow taller, sweeter and more flavoursome stems. 'Timperley Early’ is the variety most commonly forced. In terms of aesthetics and design, forcers are also a lovely feature in a garden, giving form and contrast to the blousey leaves. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Left to its own devices I think the plant, with its large green leaves, stunning red stems and large flowering stems covered in masses of creamy flowers, is an attractive addition to any garden. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Find out about the different varieties of edible Rhubarb</span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.rhubarb-central.com/rhubarb-varieties.html">here</a></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ornamental Rhubarb </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are a fan of its form and you are not bothered about eating it, (ornamental garden varieties are poisonous), you might like to grow one of the domesticated cousins from the rheum family. They exotic looking plants have fantastic architectural foliage and are ideal ‘statement’ additions to a bog garden or moisture retentive areas of the garden, as they thrive in wet conditions. If you do not have this type of soil you can create the right environment using a plastic liner buried beneath the plant's roots. A word of warning though give them plenty of space as they will soon take over! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Here are a few varieties you might like to consider;</b></i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rheum palmatum 'Atrosanguineum' </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This bold architectural plant is ideal as a ‘feature’ plant, having attractive form and foliage. It has large, palmately lobed leaves that open in rich purple, fading to dark green with purplish undersides. The flowers stand high in large erect panicles and are covered in masses of small crimson flowers. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><b>Rheum palmatum v. tanguticum </b><br /><br />This huge exotic looking variety will take over so give it lots of space. It has large toothed palmate leaves with green tops and very intense purple reverse, producing new, freshly coloured leaves throughout the summer. The flowers are tall spires of tiny creamy coloured flowers that bloom in early summer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A red variety similar to the above having colossal, divided leaves. The leaves begin reddish bronze maturing to become dark green with purple undersides, turning red in the autumn. Maroon flowering panicles appear in the summer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b>Another ornamental Rhubarb, which is also a striking architectural perennial, is grown mainly for its heart-shaped leaves with red-purple leaf undersides. The tall flower spires made up of masses of tiny flowers are also attractive. <br /><br />All that talk of Rhubarb has made me yearn for a scrummy Rhubarb crumble served with lashings of custard! Must pop out and buy some of this fantastically versatile vegetable, hopefully it will be in the shops </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">soon</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author <b>Melanie Smith <a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/">Gardenplan Design</a></b></span></div>
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-67890095210833971772013-01-31T06:06:00.000-08:002013-02-21T07:52:06.874-08:00After the snow its business as normal this week for the Lupin gardening team <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week has seen a full return to garden maintenance work for the Lupin lady gardeners. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today we are in Henley-in-Arden, in a garden we have been developing for several years (see photos). It was redesigned and implemented by the usual team - Mel at <a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/">Gardenplan</a>, Mick at <a href="http://www.avalonlandscapes.co.uk/">Avalon Landscapes</a> and planted by <a href="http://www.lupingardens.co.uk/">Lupin</a>. We maintain this garden on a quarterly basis and it seems to have come through the winter. Nice to see the end of the snow, though rain apparently on the way...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Malin and Anka are in Edgbaston today, maintaining the garden of a lovely Australian woman - it's the only place we go where we are offered vegemite toast and tea at break time... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anka and Natalie are in one of our favourite gardens in Moseley. We have maintained this garden for ten years, and it always has great structure and interest across the seasons - even in the coldest months. This winter flowering clematis looks beautiful on a cold, clear day...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three gardens today - two in Moseley and one in Bearwood. Natalie is at Clarence Rd, Moseley in a garden we have been maintaining for about five years. The shady front garden had a makeover last year, with the stipulation from the owners that it had a 'japanese-y, zen' feel... </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are interested in finding out more about things to do in the garden in February, follow the </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://bit.ly/WhpYyn">link</a></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to see Dan Pearson's suggestions.</span><br />
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-50865190348921377152013-01-28T09:57:00.000-08:002013-02-21T07:55:37.417-08:00Viburnum opulus attracts a special winter visitor to the garden – right on cue for ‘Birdwatch’!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was the RSPB ‘</span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Big Garden Birdwatch</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">’ this weekend and I thought that the contrary birds would, as in previous years, lie low and only visit in small numbers, frustrating the people who were on their annual bird monitoring mission! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, they did this as I predicted, but to compensate we did have a fantastic treat a first time sighting - a new visitor to our garden! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was early on Saturday morning and the local fox had paid us a visit and gave a bark prompting an early garden viewing. At first, without the binoculars, I thought these birds were pigeons. However, on closer inspection they were definitely not, as they had a stunning yellow beak and a speckled chest, some of the features of a thrush, a bird that unfortunately eludes us. These birds, four in total, were taking it in turns to feast on the Viburnum opulus berries. (I am now so glad that I was lazy and didn’t remove them earlier to make a jelly). These beautiful birds, still to be identified, were very nervous and moved off at the slightest sound. Out came the bird books and even after much deliberating we still didn’t have a definite identification, but it was a bird clearly form the Thrush family. Thank goodness for Internet images as a positive match was made. The Fieldfare family had paid us a visit on this important day of bird watching! Apparently, according to the RSPB, they will visit gardens if snow covers the countryside. Living in urban Birmingham, we were lucky to catch this winter visitor! Oh! and thank you Mr Fox for your little bark to alert us to looking out on Saturday morning! </span></div>
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<span style="language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Fieldfare in our Viburnum, well disguised with its beautiful plumage.</span></b></span><span style="language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="language: EN-GB; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Viburnum berries the day before the visit, looking like snowy meringue<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>buns!</span></b></span><span style="language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click to find out more about the </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/f/fieldfare/index.aspx">Fieldfare </a></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Click </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/gbw/gardens-wildlife/gardening/plants-fruit-seeds">here</a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to find a list of plants for attracting birds to your garden.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Btitish Trust for Ornithology - Birds and Garden Berries Study begins on Sunday 30th September 2013 and survey packs are being sent out just ahead of this. If you would like to take part in the study or find out more about the project then please <a href="mailto:gbw@bto.org"><b>email </b>them here.</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author Melanie Smith <a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/"><b>Gardenplan Design</b></a></span><br />
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-56172421934888718972013-01-24T08:35:00.000-08:002013-02-21T07:57:51.211-08:00National Trust Gardens to revisit and discover in 2013<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I received the new National Trust book and magazine in the post this morning, which is always exciting! After fighting over the car sticker, (I always win!), hub and I scan the book to see what’s new, making a mental list of what properties we should visit this year. I can’t remember how long I have been a member of the National Trust but it’s a very long time and the only regret I have, is that I should have taken the ‘Life Long’ membership for about £400 when it was offered way back when!<br /><br /> I never tire of the Trust’s gardens and regularly visit local properties, which have become like old friends and part of the extended Mel Smith estate!,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1326964357"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hanbury-hall/">Hanbury Hall </a>,</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/packwood-house/">Packwood House</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/packwood-house/"> </a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dudmaston-estate/"><b>Dudmaston</b> </a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">are great for walks and garden visits. I have watched with great pleasure and admiration the reconstruction of Hanbury’s laid out parterres, sauntered through Packwood’s clipped yews, which have great presence, so much so that I imagine they might come to life and dance around the garden at night! Dudmaston has so much to offer both inside and out, the great modern art collection and the lovely walks. My first priority for a visit here this year will be the Dingle Snowdrop walk, which is lovely.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been truly inspired by
the National Trust gardens that I have visited over the years; offering an
inordinate variety of historic styles, quirky designs and copious plant
collections, that delight the senses. So heavily impressed are they in my subconscious,
I’m certain that any garden I design will have a bit of National Trust in there
somewhere!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Here are a few of my favourites;</span></b></h3>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle/">Sissinghurst Castle</a></b></span></h4>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were truly spoilt with the amount of choice on our long weekend garden tour of Kent and East Sussex. Sissinghurst Garden, Great Dixter (not NT), Batemans, Nymans, Petworh House, Bodiam Castle, Ightham Mote (Chartwell and Quebec House on the way back home) were all paid a visit. <br /> <br />I think that Sissinghurst was my favourite, however, Great Dixter was a very close second. Vita Sackville-West’s serene white garden is a real contrast to the explosive colour-packed borders of Christopher Lloyd at Great Dixter. At Sissinghurst I loved the use of hedges to create rooms and to add order to the chaos of the herbaceous planting and the use of planters to create focal points.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sissinghurst - Planter</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sissinghurst - White Garden</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sissinghurst - View from above </span></b></td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/coleton-fishacre/">Coleton Fishacre</a></span> </b></h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This garden is a wonderful bonus to a fantastic house! its intimate 30’s style gardens, near the property, showcase tender exotic planting and expand downwards through a glade taking you on a magical journey though a fantastic selection of trees and shrubs that lead to fantastic costal views. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coleton Fishacre - View to sea</span></b></td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/westbury-court-garden/">Westbury Court Garden </a></span></b></h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love the formal layout of this Dutch water garden. A beautifully designed and unique pavillion forms the anchor to elegant canals lined with clipped hedges.</span>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hidcote/">Hidcote</a></span> </b></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Who could fail to love this place
- made up of a series of garden rooms all with their own distinct feel, which are
yours to discover and revel in. I would like to visit this garden in winter to try
to better understand the complex structure of the space.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/powis-castle/">Powys Castle</a></b> </span></h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my faves, I love to slowly walk along the Italian style terraces overhung with organically clipped Yews, statues and fantastic views across the garden and beyond into the welsh countryside.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/re-visit%20http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/biddulph-grange-garden/">Biddulph Grange Garden</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> – a long awaited re-visit </span></h4>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">This eccentric Victorian garden has an eclectic mix of gardening styles from all over the world and is a wonder to behold. I would like to take inspiration from the Chinese garden; re-familiarise myself with its temple, bridge and the plant specimens. I am in the formative stages of a major project creating a Chinese Garden so therefore this is top-most must see for 2013! </span></h4>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/buscot-park/">Buscot Park</a></b> </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">This handsome Georgian stately home has extensive gardens which boast glorious contemporary and classical water features. I am keen to see the new water feature ‘Faux Fall’ by <a href="http://www.davidharber.co.uk/">David Harber</a>, who’s metal stone and glass creations are a wonderful addition to any garden. </span></h4>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/woolbeding-gardens/">Woolbeding Gardens</a></b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 800;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This modern, as in 20th century, garden looks temptingly interesting with its colour-themed garden rooms plus a landscaped garden which houses a Chinese-style bridge and waterfall. Maybe a weekend in West Sussex needs to be planned, as this will also help with my research of Chinese garden features. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/glendurgan-garden/"><b>Glendurgan Garden</b></a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 800;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This sub-tropical garden near Falmouth has to be worth a visit if we can manage to squeeze a holiday in Cornwall this year. And in the words of Craig Revel-Horewood – it looks ‘A-Maze-ing’ Well there is a fantastic maze there! <br /><br /> <br />For National Trust’s recommendations for their top winter Gardens to visit <b><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/places/gardens-and-parks/view-page/item631371/">click here</a></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope that you are inspired to visit a few of the gardens that I have highlighted in this blog and a big thank you to the National Trust for all the pleasure you have given me over the years!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author Melanie Smith - <a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/"><b>Gardenplan Design </b></a></span></div>
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-42094230019852041772013-01-14T06:28:00.000-08:002013-02-21T08:00:33.955-08:00Winter garden planning - you know it makes sense!<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you haven’t started thinking about your garden for this summer then now is the ideal time to get stuck in! My advice is that preparation and planning is what is crucial, so time spent carefully thinking about what you want from your outdoor space will make your garden the best it has ever been. Winter time is difficult for those of us who love to spend time in our gardens. We try to cheer ourselves up by endlessly flicking through those seed catalogues, which are by now heavily embossed with biro ticks or rushing out to the garden centre the minute the weather starts to pick up to buy trolleys full of plants, which turn out to be wholly unsuitable for the space you don’t really have! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hold fire on the quick fix plant buying - it can turn out be a costly mistake; start thinking instead about the structure and functionality of your garden and putting a plan together. Snuggle down on the sofa and start making lists of plants and plant combinations that you would like to include and look at books, other peoples gardens and the internet for inspiration. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What to consider</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Structure </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Winter is a great time to look at the structure of your outdoor space as there is less foliage about to distract your views. Structure is the key to any well designed garden, it is the backbone that holds everything together. A good framework is crucial to make sure that all the elements you would like to include work in harmony with each other. Structure is the well-proportioned layout of borders, patios and lawns, the positioning of garden buildings, pergolas, planters, sculptures and even architectural plants. Trees, hedges and fences are also important structural elements and should be carefully selected and placed. The best advice is keep it simple, use strong shapes and lines and use plants to soften. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Use</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What you want from your garden and how you use it is also very important. Understand how, when and who uses the garden. Does your patio area take advantage of the late afternoon sunshine? Is it big enough for your family and friends to sit comfortably to enjoy alfresco dining? Think about the view from your house, can you see the bird feeders or is next doors overpowering planting scheme distracting you? Can you move through the garden with ease or are the pathways blocked, uneven or too tight? Its not fun to fight your way past that group of overgrown shrubs, which could incidentally be taking up space that could house a lovely gazebo!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;"><b style="background-color: white;">Are shrubs taking over?</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Gazebo is beautiful addition to the garden</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> and a focal point!</span></span></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Here are some questions you may like to consider:</b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you have adequate space for entertaining and is the patio in the right spot?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you need pathways to get to parts of your garden?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you considered focal points and vistas?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are your eyes distracted by the neighbours loud planting scheme?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you need to cut back or remove overgrown plants?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you making the most of the space you have?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you need a covered area or gazebo to dodge the sun (more likely the rain)?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are the borders wide enough?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are the border and path shapes too fussy?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you need more or less storage?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is the garden being taken over by children’s play equipment?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you have all-round interest?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you looking for more privacy from a busy street or neighbours?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is this a space suitable for small children or teenagers to be comfortable in?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What time of day will you be using the garden? Morning, afternoon or evening?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Would you like to attract more birds and butterflies?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you trying to create a view/s from inside the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">house?</span></li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;">Does your garden lack form and structure?<br /><br />A simple curve will add form and structure to your garden...</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Lawn and border planning will give you</b></span></span></div>
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Don't DIY it, call in a professional?</h4>
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For the inexperienced, bringing all these elements together can be daunting and I haven’t even touched on the lighting, planting and the seemingly endless choice of pavers and gravels!</div>
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Don’t make the mistake of thinking it is easier to tackle the garden piecemeal at either the planning or building stages as this can result in costly mistakes; features can be incorrectly positioned or scaled, budgets are blown on one area rendering you unable to complete the project. Materials are often arbitrarily selected and fight for presence instead of creating a garden that flows and pleases. The good news is that employing an expert can actually save you time, money and a whole lot of stress in the long run.</div>
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A holistic approach is the only way forward and if you want your garden to be a success in terms of improving your enjoyment of your outdoor space and enhancing the look and value of your property, then employing a garden designer will be money well spent. A garden designer will bring their trained eye, and extensive knowledge of plants and materials along with their flair and a few trade secrets. Working within your budget they will provide a paper plan to scale which will reflect all the things that need to be considered, as stated previously, to create a wonderful space that you will enjoy. The plan will allow for any problems or concerns to be sorted out prior to the work being completed. Contractors will also be able to quote accurately from a scaled drawing. </div>
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<b>So strike while the iron is hot—be prepared for spring and summer and start creating that wonderful garden you have always dreamed of!</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"></span></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author Melanie Smith -</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/"><b>Gardenplan Design </b></a></span></div>
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-6888295416968048402012-11-26T04:15:00.002-08:002013-02-19T02:58:41.578-08:00FutureScape the best bits...<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kempton Racecourse was the venue for this year’s <b><i>FutureScape</i></b> Landscape and Garden Designer trade exhibition and seminar programme. I went along with Avalon Landscapes’ very own Mick and Dan, to see what was new and interesting and hopefully to learn something too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Here are my highlights of the show...</b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lighting</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;"><i>Collingwood</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> delegation, both on the stall and in their purpose-</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">built lighting demo van, were most obliging and demonstrated quite a few light fittings for us. I thought the Starstrip lighting systems would be ideal to use in the decking edge recess on our roof garden project. Another fittings, that took my eye, produced dramatic star like darts of light emanating from a central source. Although not rated for outdoor use, these could be used to great effect in a garden room. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Their decorative LED mini ground lights (pictured right) are sweet and would look good on step risers.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial;"><i>Hunza’s</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"> exterior range is understated, smart and incredibly robust. LuxaR kindly ran through the technical details and innovations which make them a longer lasting and even better product to specify.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was great to finally meet the people from Londonstone. Steve Walley, the MD, is a great guy, easy to deal with and passionate about his products. We regularly specify their materials and we are really pleased with the level of service and quality of products that we get from this company. It was also good to see samples of even more stone landscaping products. The Buff sawn sand-stone supplied by them for our recent two level terrace project, looks elegant and sophisticated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />The <b><i>Wyvale East</i></b> team were there - Lupin, the horticulturalist company that I constantly collaborate with, are now using them, and judging by what was on display they look like a good supplier. We look forward to testing them out on further projects.Will have to keep them in mind when I have to specify two large and knurled Olives for my roof terrace garden project.<br />A trained Camellia, on another stand, caught my eye, I will have to sneak that into a design somewhere and a cloud clipped specimen tree took me straight back to my visit to the royal palace in Bangkok.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Decking </span></h4>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CVMqfQYs2QY/ULNQk2VuQ8I/AAAAAAAAAO8/ug50Z3ljfDU/s1600/Decking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CVMqfQYs2QY/ULNQk2VuQ8I/AAAAAAAAAO8/ug50Z3ljfDU/s320/Decking.jpg" width="236" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The decking from <b><i>QTD</i></b> was stylish and they specialise in supplying eco-friendly, heat modified softwood deck boards as well as kiln dried and air dried IPE. On their stand they had samples of thermo treated Oak Ash and Iroko which were beautiful products, really showing off the lovely grain of the wood.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the <b><i>Exterior Decking</i></b> stand we received chapter and verse on the pitfalls of roof terrace installation, very useful - as I’m right in the middle of designing one!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Design is in the Detail</i></b>—This Q&A session with Janine Pattison, Andrew Wilson, Anne-Marie Powell and John Wyer, eminent designers, horticulturalist, authors and lecturers proved to be very useful and interesting. They addressed some of the issues currently facing designers and people in the industry—pricing, tweeting and inspiration, It’s good to get out of the office and realise that you are not alone!!! Note to self; must attend more of the seminars next time - They are valuable and inspirational!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And finally my getaway vehicle!</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This playfully decorated Smart car looked great covered in fake grass. For some reason this product was represented heavily at the show. I have yet to understand why it’s become so popular. I have to confess that I have specified it for one garden, where the client’s son was a keen footballer and he constantly decimated the lawn. I don’t think that you can beat the look and cost of quality turf. I know they have improved the appearance of artificial grass, but don’t expect to see it in my own garden any time soon!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author Melanie Smith -</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/"><b>Gardenplan Design </b></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-74944686347955459162012-11-07T06:50:00.000-08:002013-02-21T08:02:41.565-08:00The latest collaborative project from Gardenplan Design and Avalon Landscapes; A two level terrace in Edgbaston <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The terrace is finally complete - hurrah! We are waiting for the garden furniture to arrive from Spain and the planters to be filled and put in place. All this along with the maturing planting, will give the clients the outdoor space they're looking for.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />Everyone, the client included, is really pleased with the results and the space feels light, bright and airy. The split level paved area, formed in beige sawn sandstone gives a contemporary feel and is a complimentary extension of the client's newly built kitchen/living space.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />I am very delighted that the clients have now asked me to design the rest of their garden; I am confident that adding more interest into the borders and paying careful consideration to the views beyond the patio will enhance their experience of the garden further. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author Melanie Smith - <a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/"><b>Gardenplan Design </b></a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1351821594"></span><span id="goog_1351821595"></span><br />The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-60892124614011753352012-11-06T05:29:00.000-08:002013-02-19T02:54:58.436-08:00Berry Delicious<span style="font-family: Arial;">Plants with berries, fruit or coloured seeds can add blasts of sensational colour and interest to an autumn/winter garden; here’s a small selection.</span><br />
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<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">'Profusion'</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Love it or hate it, this shrub (in my humble opinion) is a great addition to an autumn/winter border, It looks sensational combined with a showy white mop head Hydranger too. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">If you are looking for something different, and out-of-the-ordinary, this is the plant for you; its unusual purple-violet berries, look a tad artificial, as if a mad crafter has snuck into your garden overnight and glue-gunned, nail varnish painted, purple polystyrene balls to one of your plants! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I love its iridescent quirky attributes, which always bring a smile to my face and cheer me up on a cold autumn </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">day! </span> </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5VKDJ0-QqIs/UJkGZMLqz6I/AAAAAAAAAKk/Cwr0ISuDMzE/s1600/Cotoneaster+horizontalis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5VKDJ0-QqIs/UJkGZMLqz6I/AAAAAAAAAKk/Cwr0ISuDMzE/s400/Cotoneaster+horizontalis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This ‘tough as old boots’, common-or-garden shrub should not be overlooked; It will grow almost anywhere and seedlings will appear in the smallest of cracks and crevices often deposited around the garden by birds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its wonderful self supporting arched branches, carry berries both along the main stem and its fish bone spurs. This architectural plant has a clean and defined open structure, which makes it so perfect for planting against walls. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In spring small insignificant pinkish flowers are borne which are irresistible to bees. These are followed by berries which ripen to a rich, primary red. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The small leaves will eventually fall off in winter, leaving berry studded branches which are a feast for the birds.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; language: EN-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0IxGMUCQD8U/UJkGXu9W0AI/AAAAAAAAAKU/BO_adWtpVjk/s1600/Berberis+Upton+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0IxGMUCQD8U/UJkGXu9W0AI/AAAAAAAAAKU/BO_adWtpVjk/s320/Berberis+Upton+House.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tjw515NFO5Q/UJkGVGlNMuI/AAAAAAAAAKE/yn47G3p1lN8/s1600/Berberis+Upton+House+close-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tjw515NFO5Q/UJkGVGlNMuI/AAAAAAAAAKE/yn47G3p1lN8/s200/Berberis+Upton+House+close-up.jpg" width="190" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This showy Berberis is a 1930’s species, yet to be identified and I spotted it, (well you could hardly miss it!), in the tiered garden at the National Trust’s Upton House near Banbury. This plant’s firework-like display looks like panicles of deep pink flowers from a distance. However, on closer inspection the branches are tightly packed with clusters of small, perfectly formed pink shiny berries, spirally twisting around each stem. This show stopping plant would hold its own in any garden.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(if anyone can identify this plant call Upton House direct 01295670266 they will be so pleased to hear from you).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other Berberis to consider;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Berberis wilsoniae—coral pink berries</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Berberis verruculosa - Black berries</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b> Aurum italicum</b></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">T</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">his plant is ideal for under planting in a shady area. Its attractive veined, spear-shaped leaves that appear in winter, act as brilliant ground cover when other plants have died back. In summer it has exotic looking white hooded spathe with a pencil like yellow spadix, rising up from its throat. The flower is then followed by its piece de resistance in autumn; Groups of upright stems appear with orange berry studded heads, looking to my mind a bit alien lolly pops (not to be eaten as they are poisonous).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This indigenous shrub is great value as it has interest throughout the year; white flowers in early summer, followed by lovely hanging clusters of berries These ripen from pale green through soft subtle oranges, arriving at the most magnificent, luscious lipstick-reds in autumn. As an added bonus its leaves also have purple tinged autumn colour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right now the berries look like shiny red Skittle sweets, looking tempting enough to eat, sadly they are inedible raw and slightly toxic. However, according to a notice I spied at Winterbourne gardens, they can be cooked to make a jelly, as a substitute for cranberries (hence one of its common names is the European cranberry bush). I will have to experiment and get the old maslin pan out!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For smaller gardens you may wish to opt for </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">Viburnum</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">opulus</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 'Compactum' .</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Others to consider...</span></b></h3>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roses</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are two lovely example ofroses that bear hips; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rosa ‘Madame Pierre Oger’ and Rosa rugosa</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;">Sorbus Cashmiriana</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">A small tree with hanging bunches of white berries.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Spindle Tree - Euonymus europaeus</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This shrub has the most stunning seed heads of bright pink and orange.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Bu59-zB88Q/UJkGahx_m8I/AAAAAAAAAK4/qJGFwgG9vcU/s1600/Euonymus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Bu59-zB88Q/UJkGahx_m8I/AAAAAAAAAK4/qJGFwgG9vcU/s200/Euonymus.jpg" width="149" /> </a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uCXhEra7TSk/UJkGZyDYNpI/AAAAAAAAAKs/q9_WLEYm1g0/s1600/Euonymus+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uCXhEra7TSk/UJkGZyDYNpI/AAAAAAAAAKs/q9_WLEYm1g0/s320/Euonymus+2.jpg" width="247" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Bu59-zB88Q/UJkGahx_m8I/AAAAAAAAAK4/qJGFwgG9vcU/s1600/Euonymus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So think on..</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">f you want to get colour and interest into your garden this autumn and winter, don’t just think of foliage </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">colour but also think berry colour. You will be surprised at the variety and you definitely won’t be disappointed!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author Melanie Smith - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/"><b>Gardenplan Design </b></a></span></div>
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-81311408682480728392012-09-04T07:13:00.000-07:002013-02-19T02:55:40.926-08:00Project: Terraced Patio Edgbaston - Designed by Gardenplan Design and constructed by Avalon Landscapes <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Week 3</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The terrace is finally coming together after a frustrating spell of bad weather. We, including the clients, are all really pleased with the results so far and the space is already feeling light, bright and airy. The split level paved area, formed in beige sawn sandstone to give a contemporary feel, is a complimentary extension of the clients newly built kitchen/living space. The wall will be rendered over today and tomorrow, which will progress the job nicely.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bespoke bullnose stone step tread with light fitting in riser</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UD_-76zQrCw/UEYDKUPdL0I/AAAAAAAAAJg/hfIx1JXdNWg/s1600/2012-08-23+London+stone+bull+nosed++treads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UD_-76zQrCw/UEYDKUPdL0I/AAAAAAAAAJg/hfIx1JXdNWg/s320/2012-08-23+London+stone+bull+nosed++treads.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Block wall, to be rendered and painted, incorporating vertical windows to get a glimpse of the garden beyond</span></b></td></tr>
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Author Melanie Smith -</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/"><b>Gardenplan Design </b></a></span><br />
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-18682958469544154002012-08-21T05:16:00.001-07:002013-02-21T08:16:10.191-08:00Wildflowers in Vogue<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.58cm;">Wildflowers
are truly in vogue and have popped into my world on a number of
occasions this year, leaving me both open-mouthed with delight and
transported back to my childhood and my fascination with my local
flora. As a child I lived in a small Derbyshire Village surrounded by
hay meadows. I would spend hours searching out different varieties
and identifying them for my pressed flower collection. I also liked
to pick small posies of Clover, Penny Moons, Hair Bells, Yarrow,
Buttercups and Lady's Smock, to give to my mum. In Summer there was
always the ubiquitous bunch of wildflowers on the kitchen window sill
spilling its ring of pollen.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I
have been constantly surprised by wildflowers this year; not only on
account of their sheer beauty and abundance but also encountering
them in situations that I would never have imagined. I nearly crashed
my car at the end of Broad Street as I craned my neck in disbelief to
catch a glimpse of the central reservation full to bursting with the
riotous colour of wildflowers. Birmingham City Council, steered by
Sarah Raven's campaign to encourage and preserve our wildlife by
planting indigenous wildflowers, experimented with the inclusion of
meadow planting in this year's '</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>Birmingham
in Bloom</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">',
display. I hope they decide to persevere with using wildflowers, as I
find them a welcome change to the omnipresent and over-showy bedding
plants.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.58cm; margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Then
there were the Olympics! Never mind the lightning displays of the
likes of Usain Bolt, and the mighty achievements of Team GB. What
about the Olympic Park itself where the area equivalent to more than
ten football fields have been planted with wildflowers from Norfolk.
It took two years of experimentation to ensure the best display
possible and timed to the minute to produce a ribbon of gold around
the stadium. This shows true innovation and showcases the creator’s
sustainability and ecology policy while forming the future legacy of
the site.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
This to me is a true British achievement! </span>
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t_IfaXiU1lM/UDN5eesE4JI/AAAAAAAAAIU/CJXi0TasYdc/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t_IfaXiU1lM/UDN5eesE4JI/AAAAAAAAAIU/CJXi0TasYdc/s320/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8v7SsSWfXHo/UDN5hDLBQnI/AAAAAAAAAIc/3GkWEPLKSrs/s1600/photo+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8v7SsSWfXHo/UDN5hDLBQnI/AAAAAAAAAIc/3GkWEPLKSrs/s320/photo+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.58cm; margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.58cm;">Read
more about the Olympic planting to encourage wildlife here in an
article from the <b><a href="http://www.londonthenews.com/news/Press+Releases/20120513/32051414/Olympic-Stadium-Wildflower-Meadows-Sown-to-Flower-Gold.htm" target="_blank">London News</a> </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.58cm;"><b></b></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.58cm;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.58cm; margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">On
holiday in the Gower Peninsular, earlier this year, I was astounded
to see the rich variety and the sheer numbers of wildflowers that
this area enjoys. I was to be truly inspired by the plant
combinations in terms of colour and form. Pyramid Orchids (Anacamptis
pyramidalis), in carpets of wild thyme, greeted me on the beach by a
caravan park, not realising how beautiful and elegant they were. Sea
Holly (Eryngium maritimum), Sea Spurge (Euphorbia paraliasis) and Sea
Bindweed (Calystegia soldanella) clung to the seemingly inhospitable
sand dunes. The bright cerise pink of the Bloody Crane’s-bill
(Geranium sanguineum) and the intense yellow of the Common
Bird’s-foot-trefoil were an eye catching duo, one example of the
many pink/purple and yellow plant combinations that I was to see on
the Gower. On the coastal hills there were Spikes of Foxgloves
(Digitalis) towering above the Bracken and numerous plants, including
species of wild orchids that I had never seen before soaking up in
the boggy conditions of the Whitford Nature Reserve.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TsNooJl6RVc/UDN5XuC8zNI/AAAAAAAAAH8/YVkdSt4wJoI/s1600/Common+bindweed%2528Convolvulus+arventis%2529.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TsNooJl6RVc/UDN5XuC8zNI/AAAAAAAAAH8/YVkdSt4wJoI/s200/Common+bindweed%2528Convolvulus+arventis%2529.JPG.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HYXqZn9Hj4M/UDN5LyUqj-I/AAAAAAAAAHQ/R7LzlVHMrv4/s1600/20120701_145329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HYXqZn9Hj4M/UDN5LyUqj-I/AAAAAAAAAHQ/R7LzlVHMrv4/s200/20120701_145329.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zI2DTK3JNZA/UDN5S6HRUCI/AAAAAAAAAHg/49kXxw4isXM/s1600/20120703_164222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zI2DTK3JNZA/UDN5S6HRUCI/AAAAAAAAAHg/49kXxw4isXM/s200/20120703_164222.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zphPhnYr2gs/UDN5EkPVLPI/AAAAAAAAAG8/n_k6FoRKz8k/s1600/20120701_121332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zphPhnYr2gs/UDN5EkPVLPI/AAAAAAAAAG8/n_k6FoRKz8k/s320/20120701_121332.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wRkpMH3o2QA/UDN5IY6IioI/AAAAAAAAAHI/KIosFX_f_lM/s1600/20120701_145132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wRkpMH3o2QA/UDN5IY6IioI/AAAAAAAAAHI/KIosFX_f_lM/s200/20120701_145132.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.58cm;">A
field encountered on a walk bore a sign that declared it was '</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.58cm;"><i>Nitten
Field</i></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.58cm;">',
a planting experiment to determine what types of plants attracted
which specific birds and insects. This experiment had been running
for ten years and its 110 plant species attracts over 400 types of
insects and is regularly visited by greenfinch, yellowhammer, linnet,
pipit, goldfinch, skylark, chaffinch, reed buntings, bramblings and
house sparrows and other winter visitors. It is proving to be a very
worthwhile experiment.</span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Read
more about Nitten field here; </span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 0.58cm; margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.gowersociety.org.uk/nitten_field2012.html">http://www.gowersociety.org.uk/nitten_field2012.html</a></b></span></span></u></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.58cm; margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.58cm;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sfG2Vg1wqOo/UDN5byVtmYI/AAAAAAAAAIM/CzFZz4TfSw8/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sfG2Vg1wqOo/UDN5byVtmYI/AAAAAAAAAIM/CzFZz4TfSw8/s320/photo+(1).JPG" width="239" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And
finally a field in Barlow, the next village to where I was brought
up, a meadow which has been planted with wildflowers, causing quite a
stir, with local people talking about it and flocking to see it.
Local artist Diane Gilder had wondered what to do with the land next
to her studio 'The Art Room'. Her artistic interest in flowers lead
her to work with a local farmer to trial a wildflower meadow and the
results have been stunning, with each year bringing a host of
different flowers and colour combinations. I look forward to seeing
what next year brings and congratulate Diane on bringing the beauty
of a wildflower meadow back to the Derbyshire countryside. </span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.58cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XTeAoCrkJy8/UDN41f3lUfI/AAAAAAAAAGk/QDjThV7a5Uw/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XTeAoCrkJy8/UDN41f3lUfI/AAAAAAAAAGk/QDjThV7a5Uw/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.58cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.58cm;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.58cm;">When
you think about it this is a reflection of the rarity of such a
feature. In a rural setting wildflower fields are as much a novelty
as roadside verges in the urban setting of Birmingham.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">See
more pictures</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.dianegilder.co.uk/photogallery.htm">http://www.dianegilder.co.uk/photogallery.htm</a>
</span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">click
Art Room Meadow Barlow Field and click Art Room Meadow Barlow </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">S</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">ince
the Second World War more than 97% of our wildflower meadows have
disappeared and along with it so has much of our wildlife. </span><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Wild
flowers are vitally important to pollinating insects such as bees,
butterflies and hoverflies.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">A
wildflower meadow is also a great way to encourage biodiversity in
the garden. It will attract; insects, birds, moths, frogs, and small
mammals,. I will certainly be encouraging my customers ,wherever
possible, to dedicate some of their garden to growing wildflowers.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.58cm; margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Useful
links </b></span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.58cm; margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">How
to grow a wildflower meadow</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.58cm; margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<u><a href="http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=436"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><b>http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=436</b></span></span></a></u></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.58cm; margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<u><a href="http://www.foxleas.com/meadows.htm"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><b>http://www.foxleas.com/meadows.htm</b></span></span></a></u></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.58cm; margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<u><a href="http://blog.habitataid.co.uk/how-to-make-a-wildflower-meadow-part-one/"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><b>http://blog.habitataid.co.uk/how-to-make-a-wildflower-meadow-part-one/</b></span></span></a></u></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.58cm; margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<u><a href="http://www.foxleas.com/meadows.htm"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><b>http://www.foxleas.com/meadows.htm</b></span></span></a></u></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.58cm; margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<u><a href="http://blog.habitataid.co.uk/how-to-make-a-wildflower-meadow-part-one/"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><b>http://blog.habitataid.co.uk/how-to-make-a-wildflower-meadow-part-one/</b></span></span></a></u></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<u><a href="http://grasslands-trust.org/advice-gardeners?gclid=CLmggLHu7LECFQMhtAodl1kA3Q"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><b>http://grasslands-trust.org/advice-gardeners?gclid=CLmggLHu7LECFQMhtAodl1kA3Q</b></span></span></a></u></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.58cm; margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">Wildflower
and grass seed mixes sold by Hillier Nurseries
</span></span></span><u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://meadowanywhere.com/">http://meadowanywhere.com/</a></b></span></span></u></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></u></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Author Melanie Smith - <a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/"><b>Gardenplan Design </b></a></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></u></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.64cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.64cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.64cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.64cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.64cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-2068187193633965642012-08-18T10:55:00.002-07:002013-02-19T02:57:23.099-08:00Interesting plants for your garden in August<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;">Here are a collection of photographs taken in my garden today, 18 August 2012, of flowering trees,shrubs and perennials. You may wish to use these plants to add interest to your own garden.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
White Agapanthus and Hosta - a lovely combination<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kJ04khBzY24/UC_Q27GFkOI/AAAAAAAAAEs/uLri-xW41ao/s1600/White+Agapanthus+and+Hosta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kJ04khBzY24/UC_Q27GFkOI/AAAAAAAAAEs/uLri-xW41ao/s320/White+Agapanthus+and+Hosta.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Agapanthus and Hosta - a lovely combination</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">Verbascum chaixii - A splendid tall and upright perennial ideal for a sunny border.</span>
</h4>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NdRTVWPklt4/UC_Q_asv5GI/AAAAAAAAAE0/cKmcC1hEN8U/s1600/Verbascum+chaixii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NdRTVWPklt4/UC_Q_asv5GI/AAAAAAAAAE0/cKmcC1hEN8U/s320/Verbascum+chaixii.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Verbascum chaixii - A splendid tall and upright perennial ideal for a sunny border.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Echinops bannaticus - The bees love these tall globe thistles.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Z_Rj_1n2_w/UC_RFtCn16I/AAAAAAAAAE8/T-s5i7DRT-A/s1600/2012-08-18+Echinops+bannaticus+with+Bumble+bee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Z_Rj_1n2_w/UC_RFtCn16I/AAAAAAAAAE8/T-s5i7DRT-A/s320/2012-08-18+Echinops+bannaticus+with+Bumble+bee.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Echinops bannaticus - The bees love these tall globe thistles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Eucryphia x Nym.Nymansay - An upright flowering tree which bees love too!</span>
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<span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8OYtw9uqGUg/UC_RGr_FDKI/AAAAAAAAAFE/-0sdnLyIeOo/s1600/2012-08-18+Eucryphia+x+Nym.+Nymansay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="299" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8OYtw9uqGUg/UC_RGr_FDKI/AAAAAAAAAFE/-0sdnLyIeOo/s320/2012-08-18+Eucryphia+x+Nym.+Nymansay.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eucryphia x Nym.Nymansay - An upright flowering tree which bees love too!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h4>
</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">This is a great combination; Pittosporum 'Garnettii' and Pink Japanese Anemones - The flowers pick out the dark pink margins of the shrub.</span>
</div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VOrOAe8Xlos/UC_RIAIn_fI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/1RhTE7lCRek/s1600/2012-08-18+Pittosporum+'Garnettii'+&+Japanese+Anemones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VOrOAe8Xlos/UC_RIAIn_fI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/1RhTE7lCRek/s320/2012-08-18+Pittosporum+'Garnettii'+&+Japanese+Anemones.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a great combination; Pittosporum 'Garnettii' and Pink Japanese Anemones - The flowers pick out the dark pink<br />
margins of the shrub.<br />
<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">The Jewel like berries of this Viburnum opulus are great to watch as they change colour</span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N7u6yD_xOvQ/UC_RPGAntxI/AAAAAAAAAFY/J-RU5DspDyY/s1600/20120818_133650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N7u6yD_xOvQ/UC_RPGAntxI/AAAAAAAAAFY/J-RU5DspDyY/s320/20120818_133650.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Jewel like berries of this Viburnum opulus are great to watch as they change colour.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author Melanie Smith -</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/"><b>Gardenplan Design </b></a></span></div>
<b><br /></b>The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-71999782443344857802012-07-02T05:41:00.000-07:002012-07-02T05:41:10.674-07:00Not just for summer<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<a href="http://wartimegardening.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/elderflower-cordial-4-11105_elderflower-cordial-4_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://wartimegardening.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/elderflower-cordial-4-11105_elderflower-cordial-4_001.jpg" vca="true" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">As well as being interested in vegetable and fruit growing I have become increasingly concerned with preserving and transforming these natural treats into goodies that can be enjoyed throughout the whole year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Loving Elderflower cordial I made a promise with myself to pick and make some this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been waiting since May to find a plentiful and not by the road side bounty of Elderflower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These two tips are important, fumes from the road can damage and toxify the delicate floral notes of this flower and also it is wise to pick from trees that are bountiful in flowers so that your foraging will not compromise its future growth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Having satisfied these criteria I spent a good hour shaking and picking of all the bugs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some may find this tedious – this is where I know I have weird OCD type behaviour because I just love the preparation of food: music, my own thoughts, knowing that this care and effort is going to lead to something delicious that can be shared with friends and family - couldn’t be better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are various recipes that can be found, most say that you require citric acid so off I went to various Chemists, without any luck – and quite frankly probably being logged as a drug addict.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Citric Acid apparently is used for the mixing and consumption of illegal drugs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However did my research and found this recipe which uses lemons,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it worked brilliantly:</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Ingredients</span></span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">10 large elderflower heads<br />900g granulated sugar<br />600ml litres water<br />2 lemons<br /><br />Pick off any insects and <span class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">beasties</span></span> you see on the flowers. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Heat the sugar and water in a large saucepan until the sugar has <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">dissolved</span></span>. Strip large ribbons of zest off the lemons with a vegetable peeler, lose the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">knobbly</span></span> ends, then slice the lemon and place in a large bowl with the elderflower heads.<br /><br />Pour the hot syrup over the lemons and elderflower heads and give it a good stir. Cover the bowl with a cloth or a big plate and leave it for 24 – 48 hours. (the longer you leave the more floral notes will be achieved)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Strain the mixture with muslin or kitchen paper in a sieve and pour into sterilized bottles. I used a couple of small glass ones for the fridge which should be used within a month and a small plastic bottles for the freezer for future use.<br /><br />Apart from using it as a drink with soda water for day and the addition of a shot of gin at night, I'm looking forward to using this long after the summer has gone.</span></span></div>The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-87559830378235901872012-07-02T05:14:00.000-07:002013-01-24T05:22:51.028-08:00Mushroom foraging in Quinton, Birmingham and still here to tell the tale!<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">I have always wanted to eat wild mushrooms and other than occasional breakfast treats of wild field mushrooms that grew in the meadow alongside our family home, I am bamboozled by the information and the minutiae of detail that helps you differentiate the edible species, which would help me to forage for other types. So when, for the third year running, a ‘giant puffball’ mushroom (<span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="color: #333333;">Calvatia gigantean)</span></span> appeared in my garden</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">I was determined to pluck up ‘Bear Grylls’ type courage and sample its lovely white flesh. I was also pleased to have discovered it before the insects had made a meal of it and prior to it reaching maturity when it turns brown and dispersed its spores (up to </span><span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">nine</span></span><span class="ecxapple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span><span class="ecxapple-style-span"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">trillion</span></b></span><span class="ecxapple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span><span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">spores, according to one expert)</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">But first, I had to be sure that I had identified it correctly…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">It is easily identifiable due to its distinct appearance, a large white mass without a stem</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">ü</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11pt;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">Aptly named these mushrooms grow between 10cm and 60cm in diameter</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">ü</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">my specimen was about 5cm a lot smaller than the first one that appeared which was at least 30cm!</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">Puff balls lack gills or any other exterior spore-producing features</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">ü</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">It is found growing on domestic lawns</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">ü</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">The final identification test is to cut it open, it should reveal a dense white flesh with no spores</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">ü</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Yippee I had found myself an edible puffball!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">I prepared the mushroom by removing the outside skin and cutting it into slices. I simply sautéed it in a little oil a sprinkle of freshly grown parsley a twist of salt and black pepper and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. Served up on a slice of toast made by our local baker Albert (from the Bearwood Pantry) the fungi stayed firm and plump.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">There was one more thing to do before I ate this culinary delight… a text message to my husband asking him to call me in one hour exactly just to check I was still alive!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">The mushroom did not disappoint and was a scrummy lunch time treat especially so because it was foraged from my own small city garden!</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3mU295WOfBE/T_GQG9xAj9I/AAAAAAAAAEM/7J2i7VlpvgQ/s1600/20120628_093951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3mU295WOfBE/T_GQG9xAj9I/AAAAAAAAAEM/7J2i7VlpvgQ/s320/20120628_093951.jpg" vca="true" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">Although I survived this experience please ensure you thoroughly research any mushroom before you consider eating it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">For more information about click here </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.kew.org/plants-fungi/Calvatia-gigantea.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;">http://www.kew.org/plants-fungi/Calvatia-gigantea.htm</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">Follow this link and scroll down to find out about the <span class="ecxapple-style-span"><b><i><span style="color: black;">false giant puffball</span></i></b><i><span style="color: black;">,</span></i></span><span class="ecxapple-converted-space"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">a.k.a. the</span></span><span class="ecxapple-converted-space"><span style="color: black;"> ‘</span></span><span class="ecxapple-style-span"><b><i><span style="color: black;">poison goalpost fungus</span></i></b></span><b><i>’</i></b></span><b> </b></div>
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very funny!</div>
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<span style="color: #0066cc;"><a href="http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Mushrooms.Folder/Giant%20Puffball.html" target="_blank">http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Mushrooms.Folder/Giant%20Puffball.html</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author Melanie Smith -</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/"><b>Gardenplan Design </b></a></span></div>
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-37928791629963798362012-06-11T06:33:00.002-07:002013-02-21T08:17:59.434-08:00Get a buzz from this plant….<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6csed4nQclg/T9Xzke9mlgI/AAAAAAAAAD0/vi1c-_y3AqQ/s1600/Bees_sheltering_from_rain_on_Cirsium_rivulare_'Atropureum'.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; height: 256px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 327px;"><img border="0" fba="true" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6csed4nQclg/T9Xzke9mlgI/AAAAAAAAAD0/vi1c-_y3AqQ/s320/Bees_sheltering_from_rain_on_Cirsium_rivulare_'Atropureum'.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">My plant of the week is<b> Cirsium rivulare ‘Atropureum’.</b> Although it is from the thistle family it is by no means a weed! It is an ideal plant to attract bees and butterflies into the garden and also a handsome addition to a border. Unlike other thistles you do not need to handle this one with care as this ‘garden friendly’ variety has none of the prickly attributes of its distant cousins.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In my garden bees a plenty are getting drunk on nectar from my plant and at least six varieties of bumble bee are wallowing on the plants perfectly designed landing pads. Totally oblivious of our presence we were able to watch closely as they concentrated on the job in hand and almost getting into a stupefied state, it was fascinating!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">About ten years ago this was ’The plant’ at Chelsea Flower Show and I am proud to have been a dedicated follower of floral fashion, as this plant has never let me down!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In design terms this plant is ideal to use at the back of the border as its tall heads proudly stand over one metre high; however in my garden it takes centre stage in my east facing border. Combined with Alliums, Aquilegias, Rosa ‘Iceberg’, Astrantia major and Clematis ‘Henyi’ it is the feature plant in my dark pink and white border. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Hopefully I have tempted you to consider this plant for your garden - and for the bees!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">To find out more about this plant click<a href="http://goog_793706867/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;"> </span></a><b><a href="http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=429" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;">here</span></a> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Author Melanie Smith - <a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/"><b>Gardenplan Design </b></a></span></b></span></div>
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-86212613900831433522012-05-24T11:59:00.001-07:002013-01-24T05:24:52.704-08:00Share your garden?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tiz17IZe1-E/T797EPdIKNI/AAAAAAAAADo/RWSrxWaJfU8/s1600/20120525_131136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tiz17IZe1-E/T797EPdIKNI/AAAAAAAAADo/RWSrxWaJfU8/s320/20120525_131136.jpg" width="240" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our neighbour is having problems selling her mid terraced property; feedback from the selling agent has been that potential buyers don’t not mind the small bedrooms but they have problems with the shared access to the rears of the properties! I personally haven’t a problem with this aspect of my property, and worry about those that do. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think that having a shared access encourages neighbourliness and helps to create a sense of community. (Obviously I have been lucky to have had good neighbours who I like and who respect my privacy. I’m not so sure that I would be of the same view if I had the neighbours from hell!)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My elderly neighbour, two doors down – but only a hop, skip and a jump away at the back of the house, regularly puts her guinea pig on my lawn for exercise and to eat the grass. She fetches in my washing when it rains and we regularly swap gardening tips and exchange plants. All this would be very difficult if it were not our common shared access.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Way back in the mists of time, a gentleman who had previously owned our house built a wall at the bottom of the garden leaving a gap to access the adjoining property. This was done with the sole intention of aiding a blossoming relationship with the lady of house on the next road! He eventually married her but would this have happened if he had to walk around the block?! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a garden designer, I have created quite a few gardens where access to adjoining gardens is crucial to the client and the new design, whether it is a garden gate or a hole in the hedge left for children to squeeze through. I am glad some people still think along the same lines as me and I think that the world is a better place for it!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let’s also not forget that at a slightly smaller scale, it’s equally important that the natural visitors to our gardens, such as hedgehogs, are able to use ‘wildlife corridors’ or links between adjoining gardens. Gaps in hedges and holes in fences encourage all manner of creatures to extend their territories and enjoy more diverse surroundings, turning our garden spaces into mini nature reserves! Click link for more information <b>http://bit.ly/Hedgehogroute</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So are we all too keen to put up barriers and keep ourselves to ourselves? Why are we so precious about our small plots of land remaining oh so private? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the way, my neighbour has popped round just to show off <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>my</u> </b>garden to her friend as she thinks it looks lovely at the moment!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author Melanie Smith -</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/"><b>Gardenplan Design </b></a></span></div>
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-59089969989263083542012-05-18T09:16:00.002-07:002013-02-21T08:06:55.561-08:00I’ve got the Viburnum Beetle Blues!<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f09vWyU4yYc/T7Z1wZxNxII/AAAAAAAAAC0/oijA5bbPC9g/s1600/virburnum+opulus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kba="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f09vWyU4yYc/T7Z1wZxNxII/AAAAAAAAAC0/oijA5bbPC9g/s400/virburnum+opulus.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />I have worked hard over the last few years to rid my Viburnum opulus of this dreaded beetle (Pyrrhalta viburni). I have made regular, furtive trips into the garden with the sole mission of ridding my beautiful shrub of this hideous beastie!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />It became an obsession to hunt them down; Firstly squashing the larvae with my fingers between the leaves (yuk), then dealing withthe beetle itself, I would spend at least half an hour drowning the blighters, sometimes even mid coitus (which gave me even more pleasure!). All this sounds terrible I know - but I love this beautiful shrub and over the last few years my poor specimen has struggled to produce even just a couple of flowers atop its ravaged lace-like leaves.<br /><br /><br />Now, at last! my hard work has paid off and this year I have a beautiful shrub with umpteen snowball like flower heads and not a trace of my arch enemy. What shall I do now that I have all that spare time on my hands? Shall I spend time looking with joy at my newly resurrected bush? No! - for I have just spotted a lily beetle demolishing my Lilium superbum – let the killing commence!<br /><br />For more information about the Viburnum beetle check out these links:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=556" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;">http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=556</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #0066cc;"><a href="http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/News/Top-10-pests" target="_blank">http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/News/Top-10-pests</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author Melanie Smith -</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.gardenplandesign.co.uk/"><b>Gardenplan Design </b></a></span></div>
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The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1517155712031308052.post-68010467641948760022012-04-27T04:22:00.002-07:002012-04-27T04:22:41.911-07:00Testing<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hello and testing</span>The Good Garden Collectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00130107144870744594noreply@blogger.com0