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Sustainable Gardening Ideas

March 23, 2018April, August, Container Gardening, December, Don't Miss, Easier Gardening, February, January, July, June, March, May, More Gardening, November, October, Saving Money, September, Sustainable Living, Urban Outdoors, WildlifeAgastache 'Black Adder', Agastache 'Blackadder', bare root planting, bees, birds, butterflies, Calendula officinalis, Centaurea cyanus, Clematis cirrhosa, compost, container gardening, Cosmos bipinnatus 'Cupcakes Blush', crocus, daffodils, Dahlia 'April Heather', Dahlia 'Classic Rosamunde', dahlias, Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill', David A. Bainbridge, Eranthis hyemalis, erigeron karvinskianus, Erysimum 'Bowles's Mauve', fallopia japonica, fruit, gardening tools, Geum 'Prinses Juliana', Geum 'Scarlet Tempest', Geums, grass, green roof, hedges, hedging, Helianthus annuus, herbs, hoverflies, Impatiens glandulifera, lavender, lawns, Lonicera x purpusii 'Winter Beauty', mulching, mycorrhizal fungi, National Plant Collections, Nigella damascena 'Double White', Plant Guardians, Plant Heritage, pollination, ponds, Primula vialii 'Alison Holland', recycling, Rehmannia ‘Walberton’s Magic Dragon’, Rhododendron 'Prinses Maxima', Rhododendron ponticum, Rhododendron ‘Orakel’, Rhododendron ‘Sun Star’, Salvia 'Love and Wishes', Salvia nemorosa 'Crystal Blue', sarcococca confusa, school gardening, Sedums, snowdrops, soil, Solidago 'Goldenmosa', sustainable gardening, Symphyotrichum novi-belgii, Tithonia rotundifolia, trees, vegetables, Verbena bonariensis, water features, wild flowers, wildlife gardeningPumpkin Beth

I love our planet, I love plants and nature. I want to protect our environment. I want to live more sustainably. Sustainability is not a new desire for me, it is something that I have always aspired to. Firstly though I must tell you that I am far from perfect, I make mistakes and I am always learning. I want to improve, I want to make changes to live more sustainably and to live ethically.

Jon Housley and ‘500 Years of Covent Garden’

June 19, 2017Interviews, More Gardening, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Urban Outdoorsapple trees, Arnold Laver, Carpinus betulus, Digitalis 'Dalmatian White', green roof, hedge, hedging, Hortus Loci, Jon Housley, Jonathan Stockton, JPH Landscapes, Lee Bestall, Lupinus 'Blossom', Lupinus 'Rachel de Thame', Malus domestica, rhs chelsea flower show, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017, RHSChelsea, Silver Medal, Silver Medal Show Garden, Taxus baccata, Tiarella, Tiarella 'Skyrocket'Pumpkin Beth

The Sir Simon Milton Foundation Garden: ‘500 years of Covent Garden’ in partnership with Capco, was sponsored by Capco Covent Garden and The Sir Simon Milton Foundation. This Show Garden was designed by Lee Bestall and built by Jon Housley, of JPH Landscapes.

Garden designer Lee Bestall, took inspiration from Covent Garden’s rich heritage and this area’s distinctive and alluring, iconic character, for his design for The Sir Simon Milton Foundation Garden: ‘500 years of Covent Garden’, which was built by Jon Housley, for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017.

Lee Bestall and ‘500 Years of Covent Garden’

May 27, 2017Interviews, More Gardening, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Shows & Events, Urban Outdoorsapple trees, apples, Carpinus betulus, Chris Beardshaw, Feng Shui, hedge, hedging, Hortus Loci, Jon Housley, JPH Landscapes, Lee Bestall, Lupins, Lupinus, Lupinus 'Blossom', Lupinus 'Rachel de Thame', Malus domestica, Paeonia lactiflora, rhs chelsea flower show, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017, RHSChelsea, Rosa 'A Whiter Shade of Pale', roses, Show Garden, Silver Medal, Silver Medal Show Garden, Taxus baccataPumpkin Beth

The Sir Simon Milton Foundation Garden:’500 years of Covent Garden’ in partnership with Capco was sponsored by Capco Covent Garden and The Sir Simon Milton Foundation and designed by Lee Bestall. This Show Garden was built by JPH Landscapes.

The ‘500 Years of Covent Garden’ The Sir Simon Milton Foundation Garden in Partnership with Capco.

Lee Bestall took inspiration from Covent Garden, with its rich floral heritage and charismatic character, for his design for The Sir Simon Milton Foundation Garden:’500 years of Covent Garden’ in partnership with Capco, which was created for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017.

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2017

January 6, 2017Easier Gardening, Indoor Gardening, January, More Gardening, Other Shows and Events, Saving Money, Shows & Events, Urban Gardening, Urban Indoors, Urban Outdoors, Vantage Point, Wildlifeapples, birds, hedge, hedges, hedging, Rosa rugosa, Rosa rugosa 'Alba', roses, rspb, RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, trees, Viburnum, Viburnum opulus, Viburnum opulus 'Compactum'Pumpkin Beth

Life can be busy and stressful, it’s not always easy to make time to stop, relax, and appreciate the beauty of nature. If you’re looking for some time out, a lovely and relaxing activity that you can take part in this month is the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2017 – spending a restful hour watching and counting birds.

Hedges often provide food, shelter, and a nest site for garden birds.

November in the garden

November 4, 2016Advice for November, Vantage Pointbare root planting, bulbs, daffodils, hedgehogs, hedges, hedging, moving plants, mycorrhizal fungi, spring flowering bulbsPumpkin Beth

Each season is so distinct, yet so very special, offering us various gifts and opportunities until the moment has passed and the next season arrives with its offerings. November might seem like a quiet period in the garden, but this month offers us the valuable chance to move any plants that aren’t growing well, or indeed any that have grown rather too well and have now outgrown their current situation.

How to help Hedgehogs

May 1, 2016April, August, December, February, January, July, June, March, May, More Gardening, November, October, September, Sustainable Living, Urban Gardening, Urban Outdoors, Wildlifefences, gardening for hedgehogs, hedgehogs, hedges, hedging, meadows, slugs and snails, The Royal Botanic Gardens KewPumpkin Beth

I love hedgehogs! Hedgehogs are so endearing and entertaining, every time I have seen or encountered a hedgehog has been such a special and uplifting moment. Each hedgehog I have seen shuffling along or snuffling about has touched my heart, lifted my spirits and brightened my day.

Sadly nowadays there are many threats to hedgehogs – they’re in danger as they try to cross our busy roads, but even away from the roads, hedgehogs face many dangers in our own gardens, because of these dangers, hedgehogs are becoming more scarce, and these delightful, charming, and loveable creatures are now endangered.

Chris Beardshaw and The Healthy Cities Garden

August 6, 2015Interviews, More Gardening, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Shows & Events, Urban Gardening, Urban Outdoors, Vantage PointAcer Campestre, Anna Gillespie, Boveridge, Buxus sempervirens, Camassia, Chris Beardshaw, communal gardening, communal gardens, Dan Pearson, Deepdale, garden design, Gertrude Jekyll, Geum 'Prinses Juliana', Gold Medal, Gold Medal Show Garden, Hare Spring Cottage Plants, hedging, iris, Iris 'Mer du Sud', Iris 'Sable', Irises, Keith Chapman, Keith Chapman Landscapes, Let Heaven Go, Lupins, National Plant Collections, Plant Heritage, Poplar, rhs chelsea flower show 2015, RHSChelsea, Show Garden, the morgan stanley healthy cities garden, Thomas Mawson, Todds Botanics, TrustPumpkin Beth

I caught up with award-winning garden designer and horticulturalist, Chris Beardshaw, at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show, to find out more about his design and the concept behind his Gold Medal winning, Morgan Stanley Healthy Cities Garden, which was designed by Chris, for the community in Poplar, South East London and exhibited at the 2015 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Gold Medal winning RHS Chelsea Gardens 2015

May 21, 2015More Gardening, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Shows & Eventsa perfumer's garden in grasse, Adam Frost, Bespoke Outdoor Spaces, best in show, Big Fish Landscapes, Bowles and Wyer, chelsea flower show 2015, Chris Beardshaw, communal gardens, community garden, community gardens, crocus, Dan Pearson, Darren Hawkes, David Rich, De Stijl Movement, ferns, garden design, Gold Medal, Gold Medal Show Garden, Harry Rich, hedges, hedging, hostas, iris, Irises, James Basson, Keith Chapman, Keith Chapman Landscapes, Marcel Breuer, Marcus Barnett, perennials, Peter Dowle, rhs chelsea flower show, rhs chelsea flower show 2015, RHSChelsea, Rich Landscapes, show gardens, the morgan stanley healthy cities garden, trees, WheelbarrowPumpkin Beth

Gold Medal winning Show Gardens at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show 2015

The Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show is the most prestigious event in the horticultural calendar. At this show you’ll find inspiring gardens created by award winning designers, showcasing the hottest horticultural trends and movements, using exciting new plants alongside old favourites .

This is the flower show to come to for gardening inspiration!

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015

May 17, 2015April, August, Container Gardening, Daffodils, December, Edible Gardening, February, January, July, June, March, May, November, October, Orchids, Places to Visit, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Roses, September, Shows & Events, Urban Gardening, Urban Indoors, Urban OutdoorsA Touch Of France Garden Design, accessible gardens, accessible places to visit, Acers, Aire Valley Landscaping Service, Alliums, Andrew Louden, auriculas, Avon Bulbs, beautiful gardens, Best Artisan Garden, Best Fresh Garden, best in show, Best Show Garden, cacti, cactus, Charlie Albone, Chris Beardshaw, Clifton Nurseries, crocus, Cube 1994, cut flowers, daffodils, Dan Pearson, david austin roses, David Rich, Eden Landscape Projects, Fernando Gonzalez Design, ferns, Fuminari Todaka, Future Climate Info, garden arches, Garden Builders, garden design, garden inspiration, garden walls, gardens to visit, gardens with disabled access, Gold Medal, Graham Bodle, Greening Grey Britain, Hardy Plant Society, Harry Rich, hedges, hedging, Hewitt-Cooper Carnivorous Plants, Hillier, Howard Miller, Howard Miller Design, iris, Irises, Ishihara Kazuyuki Design Laboratory, James Basson, James Doran-Webb, Jo Thompson, John Everiss, John Everiss Design, John Tan, John Warland, Kamelia Bin Zaal, Kazuyuki Ishihara, Landform Consultants, Lee Bestall, Matt Keightley, Matthew Wilson, moss, National Plant Collections, Orchid Event, orchid nurseries, orchid show, orchids, People's Choice Award, perennials, Plant Heritage, Raymond Toh, rhs chelsea flower show, rhs chelsea flower show 2015, RHSChelsea, Rich Landscapes, Rosa 'Desdemona', Rosa 'Sir Walter Scott', Rosa 'The Ancient Mariner', rosa james galway, Rosebank, roses, Rupert's Landscapes, Ruth Willmott, S H Landscapes, scent, scented flowers, scented leaves, scented plants, Sean Murray, Sheena Seeks, show gardens, Simon Lockyer, T's Square Garden, Tatyana Shynkarenko, the morgan stanley healthy cities garden, The Outdoor Room, The Real Flower Company, Tom Raffield, trees, vegetables, w & s lockyer, W Robinson & Son, W S Warmenhoven, Walkers Bulbs, water featuresPumpkin Beth

The Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show is the most prestigious event of the horticultural calendar; with gardens designed by award winning garden designers and new plants, launched exclusively at the show, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show offers inspiration at every turn.

This year it was wonderful to see Dan Pearson back at Chelsea, his Laurent-Perrier Chatsworth Garden won a Gold Medal and the much coveted award of Best In Show from the Royal Horticultural Society Judges.