landscape and garden design in Clapham, London
A year ago I experimented with nipping out the growing point of my Aeonium ‘Zwartkop‘ to make it branch. It worke
In the air but importantly, not quite here. Yet on mild sunny days the signs of spring are all around us and, here in London a
Three years ago almost to the day I wrote this blog post about discovering the existence of Dr Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward’s
Toward the end of autumn I find the battle against couch grass and other weeds relentless and with the coming winter, I just s
After an incredibly busy end to 2017 when all thought of our garden went up the chimney with Father Christmas, my mind is now
Some strange ideas run through my mind and I admit this is among the strangest. Last year I had to replace a section of fence
Zinnias are odd. Almost unlike any flower I’ve come across before, they just do not look or feel real. Like a primary sc
People tell you that magic isn’t real, that Utopia is impossible. They’re talking bollocks. I know because I’
For hours now I search for you Across chalky downs of grass Jewels a plenty everywhere But where are you I ask
The last twelve months have given me the chance to explore my design likes and dislikes in my own gardens and to study combina
The interplay of nature and humanity is endlessly fascinating to observe. Nowhere is it more obvious and at the same time hidd
Can you believe I’ve had my allotment for two years?! The excitement of taking ownership still feels like yesterday to m
I could write an entire book about our little inner city garden flat in Clapham. Instead, ta da! Here’s a supersized blo
So here’s a question: throughout the year, how much time do you spend planning and thinking about how your garden will l
One of the most enjoyable days for me this year was visiting my friend Philip Oostenbrink, a fellow tropical and rare plant nu
Exciting news! My little blog has only gone and won an award. A real one! LOOK: I’m very honoured to have been given the
It’s mid-November and some of our Dahlias in the garden are still flowering, just. This follows an absolutely epic windf
Chris and I popped up to Yorkshire this weekend to celebrate my birthday and my mum’s, both on bonfire night the fifth of No
I had a rare day to myself on Sunday and I used it to wander around one of my favourite wild areas and to spend time on my all
Hippeastrum (incorrectly called Amarylis by shops for some reason) are amazing indoor plants that flower in Winter / early Spr
As an artist, through each waking day there are thousands of wonderful things that catch my eye. In that split second when eye
If like me, you may have been coasting along on a post-summer ‘put your feet up’. Well, I’ve got news for yo
How to divide Pilea peperomioides to give to your friends and family while keeping the Pilea legend alive.
A report from our brief visit to the immaculately preserved Lanhydrock house and garden owned by the National Trust.
Heligan, a garden established in the mid-18th to the 19th centuries by the Cornish Tremayne family (Wikipedia), was only ever
ONE: as Chris and I entered the Rainforest Biome for the first time it was hard not to be struck by its depth. Tops of trees c
I’ve barely spent any time at the allotment in September. Bad Wallington. This has been a terrible but unavoidable mista
London has some of the best glasshouses in the world and some of the most interesting secret smaller ones, here’s my pic
Chris and I have been huge fans of the National Garden Scheme (NGS) charity for a long time. You can read about some of the NG
It’s been three years since I first set eyes on a dinner plate Dahlia at the National Dahlia Society Annual Show 2014. T
Forget the fancy house plants you keep spotting on Instagram. You know the ones, stylish Pilea, funky Peperomias, velvety Eche
Chris pointed out this week that the best sunsets happen at this time of year, something I’d never appreciated – I
No one else but me had set foot on my allotment since I’d owned it – I’ve just never really thought anyone w
The popcorn plants on my allotment are (later than normal) finally flowering and I thought I’d share some photos of the
After August’s overcast skies, in time for bank holiday weekend the sun is back for summer round two. This ‘mid-su
We’re particularly spoilt for exciting gardens in South London with a lean toward the exotic as the more tender plants t
One of my coolest finds in London has to be the discovery of Shanks Pony Nursery in Vauxhall run by a chap called Andy (on Twi
With work, gardening, friends and family, my life can quickly be filled with wonderful things but it often means the seemingly
You know that moment in sci-fi films when the warp drive or mega lazer is powering up? That “vvvvvvoooooooo” noise
It’s usually around this time of year, just as our good ship The Garden puts its rockets into nitro that problems start
I had planned to write a more detailed article about Malibu’s national parks and wildlife. However, I can’t do it
Opening our garden to the public to raise money for the National Garden Scheme (NGS) was both an honour and a total mind-blitz
A quick reminder that we are opening our garden and flat, 2 Littlebury Road in Clapham, this Sunday afternoon (23 July)! It ma
Monty Don always says it’s important to pick only what you’re about to eat to reduce the time between plot and pla
California is a magical place, Chris and I love it. One minute you can be in the oven of a 43C desert, a few hours later atop
Sorry for the lack of updates about our garden recently, I’ve been so busy opening my garden design studio it’s be
Chris and I have just come back from a trip to LA, Vegas and Malibu visiting for a wedding. Once you enter the kingdom of plan
I can be my own worst enemy sometimes, in fact, a lot of the time. I can be so focussed that I become blinkered. At times like
A selection of photos from my perambulations over the last few months.
An upfront confession: I’ve never seen nor heard of any of Derek Jarman’s films. A film director before my ti