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I really appreciate not being tied down when the
weather's like this: I spend a fair amount of time out on site and
it's always a pleasure to wander around a garden in the autumn
sunshine whether it's a blank canvas or the finished article. Snow
is a disaster, you can't see the wood for the trees, so I'm hoping
not to have a repeat of last winter.
I've been to visit some very different projects in the last few weeks,
all exciting. Quite large projects, too: some of it is more landscape
design than garden design but that's ok. I have a very good surveyor
if the site's too large for me to handle: he's called Anthony Watkins and
his site's here.
He's a lovely helpful chap, prompt and efficient, and I've found him to be
very good value too. And no, I'm not on commission (I really must have a word with
him about that!).
A really nice couple for whom I designed a garden a couple of years
ago asked me back to have a look and advise them on some further
planting and a bit of tinkering. I took the opportunity to take a
few photos:
I'm really pleased with how it's come on in the last
couple of years. I love the attention that they've paid to the
alpine planting in the dry stone wall (which was pretty much a blank
canvas when I left them last). I'm also very impressed with how my
whitebeam arbour has come on - you can see it on the right hand side
of the top right photo - the trees are really starting to grow
together now and before long we'll be able to remove all the
supports. My clients are quite right when they say that the real
success of the garden is the way we've managed the many levels (the
whole garden slopes some six metres): it gives constant visual
interest and defines the space. I grant you that my clients in this
case are keen gardeners, but this garden is by no means unmanageable
and I can certainly create a similarly effective garden for you with
lower-maintenance planting if you wish.
Commercial plug: I supplied all the furniture you can see too; I've
got quite a few companies who will do me a good trade discount that
I can pass on to you. It's a given that I can supply the plants too;
with the exception of the specialist alpines which are a particular
interest of my clients, I supplied almost all the plants you can see
too. You would scarcely believe how much discount I can offer under
garden centre prices - though you need to buy in bulk, obviously. |
