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