by GillianPolley | Jun 19, 2014 | a woodland garden and driveway, drainage, driveway, Ecogrid, evergreen plants, Foliage Planting Design, garden transformation, Hedges, landscaping works, Lawns, linear drain, machinery, Plants, Polley Garden Design, resin bound stone, sandstone paving, shrubs, sloped driveway, soft landscaping, SUDS, SUDS compliant, trees
The final phase of landscaping is the installation of a paved circle for a sitting area, lawn and plant bed preparation. Soil preparation is the key to good strong plant growth. The plant bed area is cleared of unwanted vegetation and bricks, concrete, stones etc...
by GillianPolley | Mar 26, 2014 | colour in the garden, Edinburgh, front garden, March, Plants, Polley Garden Design, Rhododendron 'Praecox', RHS, RHS Award of Garden Merit, shrubs, Spring
For a really early blaze of spring colour, consider Rhododendron ‘Praecox’. These Rhododendrons has been flowering their cotton socks off in the established gardens in my local area. But you don’t seem to see them often in new gardens, which is a...
by GillianPolley | Mar 10, 2014 | 'garden tree', Architectural Plants, Cloud pruning, Design, Edinburgh, evergreen plants, focal points in the garden, Nikwaki, Plants, Polley Garden Design, shrubs, winter structure
Evergreen structure in the garden helps to hold a garden together especially in the winter – think of it as the backbone running through a garden. A few weeks ago I visited Architectural Plants in Horsham with a Sussex client with this in mind. Saw some great...
by GillianPolley | Jan 28, 2014 | berries, Colour, colour in the garden, containers, Design, Edinburgh, evergreen plants, January, Plants, Polley Garden Design, Sarcococca, Sarcococca confusa, Sarcococca hookeriana var humilis, scent, shrubs, winter colour, winter scent in the garden
For 8 months of the year, I would not blame you if you walked past this shrub without a second glance, it is not a showy plant, but from December to March you may well back track, as you notice a heady vanilla scent on the air. So it is an excellent plant to consider...
by GillianPolley | Jan 21, 2014 | art in the garden, back gardens, bees, berries, Birds, Cambo House, Colour, colour in the garden, community gardens, conifers, Design, Edinburgh, front garden, garden trends 2014, heathers, insects, Plants, Polley Garden Design, Potager, RHS, sculpture in the garden, seats in the garden, shapes, shrubs, urban green spaces, Vegetable growing, winter scent in the garden
Trends come and go, in 2014 navy blue is the new black I am told. I guess I have always taken such predictions with a pinch of salt. In garden terms heathers and conifers have been out of fashion for years, but I don’t dismiss any plant so easily. So here we go for...
by GillianPolley | Dec 16, 2013 | Birds, Chimonanthus praecox, Christmas, Colour, Edinburgh, Hamamelis, holly, Jobs to do in the garden, Noel Kingsbury, Piet Oudolf, Planting - A New Perspective, Plants, Polley Garden Design, Prairie planting, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, scent, shrubs, Viburnum bodnantense 'Dawn', winter colour, winter scent in the garden
The season of Advent is here and it is great to concentrate on the beauty of the winter season and fun things to do outside: – wrap up well and visit winter gardens and enjoy winter walks on good weather days – you will always find something in flower at...
