Hands up who’s making changes to their garden this summer? I wish I was able to hire someone to completely revamp it into my dream space, but our garden (and maybe yours too?) is a work in progress. Every year it gets better, as we learn what works and doesn’t. In a strange kind of way that makes it more fulfilling doesn’t it? When you put your feet up at the end of the day and think yep, we did that!
So in this post I wanted to share with you, an interview that I got to do with the garden designer Katie Rushworth, who is one of the gardening stars Love Your Garden with Alan Titchmarsh.
{Me}My garden is well loved, if a little boring in shape, with the borders round the side, any suggestions how I could modernise it?
{Katie Rushworth} Making a series of spaces within the garden always adds interest ‘garden rooms’ if you like. This can be done by using hedging, trees, low walls or plants to screen. Adding height mid garden can seem scary, but height baffles the view to the end of the garden adding instant impact and a little mystery as to what’s at the end.
{Me}The left hand side of our garden, mainly the flower bed is mostly in shade all day. The soil is awful clay. I want to add more colour and interest to it. What kind of plants would you suggest?
{Katie Rushworth} Most plants that thrive in clay soil have lush green leaves and often bright flowers. Things like Candelabra Primulas, Astilbe, Ligularia and Iris sibirica would all be suitable for here.
{Me}I would love to add a simple pathway to the summer house. Any easy and low cost ways I could do this? What shape should it be?
{Katie Rushworth} Gravel is the easiest and most straightforward way to make a path. I would suggest maybe mirroring the curve of a flower bed and widening a section so you can dress with pots or a seat. Add interest where you can, a path that just goes from A to B in a straight line can seem uninspiring but you also don’t want to end up on a wild goose chase. Creating little areas along a path to admire other sections of the garden or sit and admire some planting (designers call these pause points) they always make what could be ordinary a little more exciting.
{Me}I have recently added an apple, pear and cherry tree to the garden. I’d love to add some more edible things to the garden…maybe something the girls (8 and 14) could get involved with?
{Katie Rushworth} If you want your children to get involved then I would urge you to grow what they enjoy eating, usually it’s only then they show an interest (I have a 9 and 11 year old girls so I speak from experience) Edible flowers is always something my girls find fun, Violas look great decorating cupcakes and Chive flowers and nastursiums look so pretty in salad. Ornamentals like artichoke and fennel can also look really pretty mixed in with your plants. I allowed my kale to go to seed and flower this Spring because I just love the acid yellow flowers at this time of year just as much as I do eating the plant itself.
{Me}The right side of the our garden has around 8 rose bushes, and they seem to do really well there. What other plants would you recommend to complement them, that I could introduce?
{Katie Rushworth} I always think that lavender is a classic with roses, however not if the soil is clay here too? If that’s the case stay away from lavender and choose a variety of hardy geranium. Varieties like ‘orion’ ‘rozanne’ and ‘ann folkard’ all have a scrambling quality so are great for mingling, giving ground cover and covering any bare stems at the bottom of your rose plants. Cut them back to a few inches once they have finished their first flush of flowers in early Summer and they will reward you with lots of new green fresh foliage and flower all over again till late Autumn.
Amazing advice thank you so much Katie, we will be working our way through all of this over summer. Huge thanks to Tesco too, for our hamper of great Tesco gardening goodies, to gives us a head start doing this.
Have you checked out the range? Everything you need for making those changes to you garden, as well as an great selection of items for that alfresco dining this summer.
Favourites of mine are this set of three dip bowls for £3.00, and of course the Summer Cup, which is delicious!
These solar powered bulbs are only £10 for a string of £20, which is great value I think.
Join me next Thursday where I will be showing you a little more of my garden, summer house and conservatory.
Collaborative Post
Rebecca Beesley says
just the tips i need to read at the moment – we are turning our thoughts to improving our rather bland garden and also have clay soil so really useful to read this – thank you!