Emma Atkinson: Landscape Architect & Garden Designer

 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

  A FEW TIPS FOR SEPTEMBER  Now the days are getting shorter and the temperatures are starting to fall, it is time to start preparing your plants and herbs for the next few months as we head in to Autumn.  1. Tidy up Strawberry Plants  A great way to grow strawberries is in containers or in hanging pots, but as summer comes to an end it is important all of the old foliage and leaves are cut back.  Cutting back foliage does two important things:  1. It instantly tidies up the plants by getting rid of old and tired leaves, whilst removing any insects or fungal spores that could cause problems with the plant in the future.  2. It also encourages more growth and flowers in Spring, eventually leading to more fruits!  Simply cut the plant back to the crown, removing all dead foliage and leaves. Make sure you do not 'pull' at the plant to remove growth as strawberry roots are shallow, so this may loosen the plant in the soil.  Tip: If you have lots of excess runners ' trailing sh

 5 TOP TIPS TO ATTRACT WILDLIFE TO YOUR HOME: This weeks blog provides a focus on wildlife and how we can attract more wildlife species to our garden. Even the smallest of spaces can offer a variety of different habitats for wildlife.  There are multiple ways we can introduce wildlife to our spaces using low cost, simple solutions.  Below are 5 different things to consider to encourage a diverse range of wildlife species:  1. Get your garden buzzing.. Adding pollinator plants is the solution to attracting bees to your garden. Look out for this sign to make sure your garden is bee friendly. Find out more at :   schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk 2. Create a Hedgehog Highway Hedgehogs travel up to one mile every night through our parks and gardens, but one of the main reasons their populations are declining is because our fences and walls are becoming more and more secure.  Therefore, ensuring a hedgehog can pass through your garden is very important! A 13cm x13cm hole in your fence is all they

5 HOUSE PLANTS FOR IMPROVING AIR QUALITY                House plants are a very simple, but effective way of brightening the home, increasing oxygen levels,  boosting well-being and reducing stress levels.                                                                              1. Aloe Vera This plant is essential to have in any home. Known for it’s healing properties, it will soothe any burns, whilst purifying the air of toxins found in detergents and varnishes. 2. Spider Plants These plants filter airborne toxins from air in your home. This is also a perfect plant for house plant  newbies as they are very resilient!  3. Peace Lily One of the top indoor plants for cleaning air. This plant breaks down toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and benzene. 4. Snake Plant This plant releases oxygen at night helping you to breathe better whilst sleeping, so is a great addition to your bedroom. 5. Boston Fern These plants are known for their air purifying abilities, but in particular for rem

Tiny Tips to Transform Tiny Spaces!  Having a balcony does not mean you are limited when it comes to growing plants or creating a place for biodiversity to thrive. For SO many of us balconies are our only private outdoor space, so it is important we feel confident about how we can transform these spaces into little havens of paradise!  From natural screening, lighting & herbs, here are a few low-cost simple solutions to add to your balcony, to make it your special place to enjoy.  Tips for Tiny Spaces:  Utilise vertical space  Add a few hanging pots, or trellis to your balcony as a way of adding plants without taking up additional floor space. Vertical space is essential to unlocking your garden, whilst also creating privacy. Climbers will thrive if they have something to climb up.  A wild solution to balcony screening    Do you want to add more privacy to your balcony without adding an ugly fence?  Grow climbing plants along your railing or wall in troughs or pots!  Choose floweri

  NOW IS THE TIME TO ENOY YOUR GARDEN!   August Summer is well and truly here and I think our gardens and open spaces are still feeling the affects of the heatwave all around the UK.  Now is the time to get out into your garden, sit on your balcony or go to your local park and enjoy the long evenings, as before we know it the darker nights and cooler days will be here. ​The evenings are a good time,  glass in hand,  to get out and do a spot of dead-heading if you have a garden. Half an hour or so of removing any dead flowers on your roses,  geraniums,  dahlias  and hanging basket flowers will encourage repeat flowering and keep things looking smart. Lavender will also be in need of deadheading now, but don't let those lilac stalks go to waste!  Here are 3 ways you could use lavender in your home to avoid it going to waste:  1. Lavender Tea: Discard the stalks and boil eight parts water to three parts lavender flowers. Once boiled, add the flowers to the boiling water and leave to b

August, it's one of my favourite times of the year, a month where we can enjoy the summer sun and long evenings in the garden, but we also start to see the year's crop ready to harvest.  A highlight for me is always the brambles!  Wild brambles are one of nature's delights, that populate our hedgerows across the UK and there is always joy in picking a few for a crumble or to add to a G&T!  But it is also possible to grow your own, which are formerly known as blackberries, rather than the native bramble.  Growing Blackberries  Brambles that we see across the UK are a largely invasive species that rapidly spread, however cultivated varieties of blackberry are far more civilised and tend to be slower growing, better suited for those who want to grow them, without the fear of them taking over.  Blackberry plants can be bought as bare-root plants in the winter (called stools). It is recommend they are soaked before planting and then buried in soil to the depth they were prev

  Planting Design for a New Build Garden.  Have you recently moved to a new build house?  Do you have a garden that is a complete blank canvas?  Here are a few quick steps to consider when planning what to do with your space.  1. Firstly, consider the type of soil that you have in your garden, is it loamy, silt, clay or sandy?  2. Secondly, find out where the sun rises and sets, to understand which areas of your garden will receive the most sun and which areas will be more suitable for shady plants.  3. Once you have confirmed your soil and sunlight levels, it's time to consider how you want your garden to function and who for.  Write down a list of the priorities, key plants and the type of activities you want your garden to support.  A few mood boards are always a great place to start,  to build an understanding of what works well together.  Proposed planting palette, creating a feel of the type of textures, colours and scents you would like in your garden.  TOP TIP: Try and choo

HOUSE PLANT HOW TO'S   Calathea Orbifolia  Orbifolia is perennial plant that is native to Bolivia, found originally on the forest floors of Bolivia. However, these plants are increasingly more seen across the world becoming stylish house plants. Calathea is a member of the Marantaceae or Prayer Plant family and include a number of beautiful varieties. .  Where should they live?  As a plant originally found on rainforest floors it needs to be kept in a warm (16-20 degrees) and humid room. So a bathroom would be an ideal position for this house plant!  How much light?  Keep this plant away from direct sunlight, it can cause the beautiful patterns on the leaves to fade. The best position for this plant is in partial shade or natural bright light.  When to water + feed? This plant will thank you if you can provide it with natural rainwater, saving you money on your water bills! Alternatively, water with distilled or filtered water.. these plants are very sensitive to chemicals added

5  TOP TIPS TO SAVE WATER IN YOUR GARDEN:  1.       Plant a Tree By planting 1,2 or even 3 trees in your garden it will reduce levels of C02, increase evaporation of water and help                   to provide areas of shade and shelter.             2.    Let your lawn grow. You might not need to cut your grass as much as you think! Cutting your grass to 3 inches or longer                                       improves lawn health & reduces water runoff. By letting your lawn grow you are also helping increase biodiversity                  in your garden. Look out for more ladybirds, butterflies and bees!  3. Get a water butt                Capture  rainwater into tanks for use around the garden. Use the collected water for watering plants, car washing                   or toilet flushing. A water butt is very cheap to buy, costing on average around £30 for a 200 Litre butt and saves                you money on your water bills in the long run, as well as helping the environment..