What’s looking good at the moment

The Knautia macedonia are still looking good, they are filling the borders and flopping onto the steps down to the lawn. Which means that every time I look out of the back door I get a glimpse of magenta amongst all the green. Since the weather has warmed up I’ve been able to sit out on a warm summer’s evening and enjoy the luminescent qualities of the lilac pinhead flowers on the Thalictrum delavayi. The Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ is a mass of giant white pompoms, so many in fact that I had enough to use some to create floral arrangements for my mum’s birthday celebrations.

Aftercare and Development

Warm summer evenings are one of my favourite times to give the garden a little attention. Half to an hour between the end of work and dinner feels manageable and yet there is still satisfaction from the progress made:

• Keep picking flowers to enjoy: Whether there is a dedicated cutting patch in the garden or a few extra in the borders to fill a vase with. Picking many flowers will not only mean there are some to enjoy inside but it will encourage new buds. Keeping the flowers blooming in the garden for a little longer.
• Collect seeds: As some flowers are starting to go over for the year, the seed heads can be collected, for anyone who fancies growing a few of their own for next summer. Particularly flowers such as poppies, aquilegia and calendula are easy to grow from seed. Once the seed heads have dried out they seeds can collected into envelopes and labelled, ready for sowing.
• Keep plants hydrated: Particularly with the heat we’ve had recently it is worth checking on plants to make sure they aren’t starting to wilt. Particularly any plants that have been added to the garden this year. Trees and shrubs that have been introduced to the garden within the last two to three years will need a regular watering regime. It is also worth checking on any plants that grow along the boundaries or near to the house, often these can fall within the rain shadow. An area where, even with all the downpours the rain doesn’t really reach them.
• Summer prune trained fruit: Any fruit trees that have been trained along a fence or wall or as step-overs can be pruned. To take off a few leaves and allow the sun to reach and ripen any fruit. I can already see some of the earlier varieties of apple in my own garden are almost ready to pick. A time of year I really look forward to.

Trends

Broken plans: There is a new trend for breaking up open plan living within the house, not putting the walls back up but finding ways to divide the space to create areas for different uses. This trend known as broken plans is starting to be mirrored outside. It isn’t about creating lots of outdoor rooms, more about giving the impression that an area or two has been slightly separated from the main garden. Maybe a dining area or a space to grow vegetables. The added bonus of creating such a space outside is that dividers can be as simple or as intricate  as you want them to be.

Taking inspiration from Yorkshire and my own garden

While I’m waiting for clients to return from holiday, to be able to show them their drawings I’ve been spending a little time working on my own garden, having dug out the box plants last year I’ve working on a new planting plan for the borders. A mixture of re-jigging the plants that I already have and deciding which new plants I want to add to the remaining gaps. I’ve also been researching metal frames to be able to tie the climbers to, on the side of the garden where the fence belongs to the neighbours. The roses, in particular are flopping over and once tied and pruned into shape will leave plenty of space for more plants.

Summer is also a great time of year to visit other gardens for inspiration and if they have good coffee, even better. I’m really lucky to have so many amazing gardens within easy reach of where I live. Helmsley Walled Garden is a favourite, I’m always inspired by the planting combinations. Not to mention the orchard with the unusual fruit varieties or the raised vegetable beds. The café has amazing salads, sitting either in the vine house amongst the grapes or outside by the flowers when the sun is shining.

Fountains Abbey has gardens within the grounds but most of all it is the magical quality of the ruins. Glimpsed while coming down the steps and through the trees, starting with the central tower. Swiftly followed by the ruins of the outbuildings and the main abbey. It doesn’t seem to matter whether it is the height of summer or the last of autumn light, it still draws you in.

Not to mention having one of the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) gardens not far away, Harlow Carr just outside of the centre of Harrogate. Being a garden in a valley, there are the long borders for sunny days, the woodland and the streamside garden (to mention a few). Whatever the conditions that you’re struggling for ideas for, whether it is shade or damp streamside areas they will have some inspiration. Not to mention the famous Yorkshire institution of Bettys has a branch their and a tea hut in the garden. Perfect for grabbing a coffee to wander round with.

I’ve recently been to Beningborough Hall to see Andy Sturgeon’s new garden. A Mediterranean garden that will adapt to climate change, whether that is hotter summers or higher rainfall. Or rather I’ve peered over the ropes and through the railings as it isn’t quite open. I can already see small seating areas with beautiful wooden chairs, that can often be more conducive to chatting than sitting on a bench. Not to mention the planting, can’t wait until it opens to wander through.

Creating your own secret garden

If you would like help in creating your own garden retreat, I offer a full garden design service.