Emma Atkinson: Landscape Architect & Garden Designer

'A Border with a Buzz'   Belvoir Castle Flower & Show Garden  Last month I undertook my very first show border at Belvoir Castle Flower & Garden Show, where I was delighted to have received the 'Professional's Award' selected by David Domoney. The concept of the garden is centred around Bumblebees.  Having worked closely with the bumblebee conservation trust to design a space that would be solely focused on these little creatures, the garden aimed to raise awareness, provoke conversations and showcase key pollinators. The garden was designed to be replicated across homes across the UK, whether that's in pots, balconies or gardens.  A border with a 'buzz' was designed to raise awareness of the humble bumblebee, which remain in critical decline across the UK. Bumblebees, unlike Honey Bees perform 'buzz pollination' which support vital pollination of most of our fruit and vegetables. Shockingly, over 25,000 bumblebee colonies are imported fr

The Humble Bumblebee...  Shrill Carder Bumblebee  Bees.. they are all the same aren't they? Honey, Bumble or Solitary? A few bee hives and bee hotels and the problem will be solved. This is what I believed for many years.. until a new project led me to the work of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.  Over 270 species of bumblebee exist in the UK, many of which are extremely fragile and face the very real possibility of extinction. We are fed through the media that it's the honeybee which is in rapid decline, hence the recent surge in bee keeping and hive's popping up across the country, however bumble bees face far more of a serious threat. Over 25,000 bumblebee colonies are imported from Europe by UK farmers each year to support the pollination of our crops and support food production, due to the decline in populations of British bumblebees. This is a terrifying figure, and without importing bumble bee colonies from Europe, British crops would lack the crucial pollination th

Creating Your Own Wildlife Haven  Have you spent January planning for the year ahead? What to sow, where to plant, what to move, the failures & successes? I know I have spent many of the first few weeks of January making lists and plans of plants to grow, but this year I also want to use my space to encourage more wildlife.  Outdoor spaces can be a prime resource for insects, birds and amphibians and I think it is more important than ever that we consider how we can utilise our spaces to encourage wildlife.  Whether you have balcony in the city, a small patio or large rural garden, there are many simple ways to create a refuge for wildlife, without compromising on the aesthetics or practicality of your space.  Below I have set out some key design elements that will encourage wildlife to your garden, without spending a small fortune.  1. Water: Water in the garden is always a huge plus when it comes to attracting wildlife, even tiny ponds such as a small trough or saucer can accommo

 Sowing Sweet Peas Already dreaming of the longer evenings? Me too - only 4 weeks to go until we start gaining 2 minutes of light each day! But use the time now to start planning for Springtime colour in your garden.  You can start planting your sweet peas now! This might seem very premature, but if you start planting a  few seeds now, some more over Christmas and even more on New Years day, you will have an endless supply through spring and into Summer.  The first step is to fill some pots (or empty toilet rolls!) with peat-free multi purpose compost. Sow seeds 2cm deep. The easiest way is to use the top of a pencil, place a seed into each toilet roll and cover and water the compost well. Place the seeds in a warm position, initially where temperatures are between 15-18 degrees, and wait for the seeds to germinate!  After about 10 days, shoots should to start to appear. Once shoots establish make sure you move the seedlings to a cold frame or north facing window, to avoid them becomin

Indoor Bulb Planting:   Are you feeling a little deflated now the evenings have drawn in and you are unable to spend as much time outside or in your garden?  I'm definitely feeling the effects of not being able to get outside in the evenings and spend my time pottering about the garden.  But, don't be too disheartened.. for the first time I have started to plant indoor bulbs, which can transform your home and  allow you to enjoy the colours and fragrance of Spring when it still feels like months away.  To keep it low cost, I just used what I had available in the garden - a mix & match of terracotta pots!  I am new to the world of indoor bulbs so below I have set out a few key things to remember that will help you get the best results when planting.  First of all, one key thing is to plan ahead. I didn't realise that there are two types of indoor bulbs, those that you need to chill first and those that you don't.  Bulbs that don't need chilling include Amaryllis

DAFFODIL PLANTING  It's October! Now Autumn has firmly set in, it is time to plant your bulbs for a pop of Springtime colour next year.  September & October are the months to start planting out Daffodils, Crocus and  Hyacinths, b ut it is best to wait until November for Tulips!  Daffodils (Narcissus) are one of the most popular spring-flowering perennial bulbs that can be planted now, for a little springtime cheer in March. They also make perfect cut flowers to fill your home with in Spring and add to bouquets.  Daffodils are a perennial bulb, which means they come back year after year despite remaining dormant for a large proportion of the year and requiring very little maintenance.  Whether you have a large garden or small balcony, you can always have a go at planting daffodils! How to plant bulbs in a container?  Below I will take you through a few very simple steps of how to plant bulbs in containers.  When planting in pots, bulbs can be planted less deeply and closer