RHS Chelsea

May 22, 2018 by Samantha Willis

Chelsea Flower Show May 2018

This year was another inspiring year for people and Garden Designers. As a Garden Designer in Oxford I was impressed by the amazing diversity of gardens this year which was thoroughly enjoyable. Equally the flowers in the gardens this year were a great selection of plants and pallets.

VTP Capital Garden

I would not normally like a concrete garden and it is not often required for garden designers in Oxford but smooth concrete was greatly admired in the VTB Capital Garden – Spirit of Cornwall. Whilst not a traditional garden for this time of year with the Rhododendrons and Magnollias or even granite it did portray Cornwall. As a Cornish person I was quizzed by my friends before I knew the story of the garden as to it’s location and I did guess correctly.

The lush sub tropical planting is an element of Cornwall and it was depicting the Hepworth Garden. The metal path leading from one concrete seating platform to the pavilion was inspired and reflects the sound wave of music. This was a beautiful garden where less certainly is more.

Skin Deep

I also loved Skin Deep Garden. Each concrete block was designed to represent people with various skin conditions. The more you looked at the blocks the more you noticed different textures, with the added influence of the sun and the shadows of the plants dancing on the blocks this garden was a constant source of wonder. Whilst quite structured this garden was surprisingly relaxing, inviting you to sit on the blocks and enjoy the plants that were billowing around the blocks. But there is no sitting in the gardens at Chelsea no matter how inviting. So well cone Robert Barker for the design.

Garden Designer in Oxford

If you too are inspired for Chelsea and need a little help from a garden designer in Oxford please don’t hesitate to give me a call Samantha Willis 0771 858 6105

Beth Chatto

May 16, 2018 by Samantha Willis

Beth Chatto – someone I admired

It is with great sadness that I heard that Beth Chatto has passed away. She was an incredible lady, an inspiration to many garden designers. I myself have her book The Shade Garden and also the Dry Garden. My books are greatly thumbed through, a must have for garden designers.

I had the pleasure of walking around one of Beth Chatto’s show gardens. It was designed to demonstate a low water usage garden for The Prince of Wales Start Garden Party in 2010, encouraging sustainability. It was an enormous treat for me to walk around such an inspiring garden.

I also treasure a hand written note I received form Beth Chatto. She encouraged us garden designers and plant enthusiasts.

I have not made it to Beth Chatto’s gardens yet but as a garden designer in Oxford I have to make the journey. I recently purchased some plants from the nursery to add to the shade garden I created recently so if you are looking for inspiration go to their nursery and plant something to remember a great lady of horticulture.

Peony Plants in your Garden Design

May 8, 2018 by Samantha Willis

Peony Plants in your Garden

Peony lactiflora ‘Boule de Neige’

A Peony is a great plant for the garden it is happy in sun and semi shade. I cannot exclude a Peony from my garden. I know people say that they don’t flower for very long six to eight weeks but they are worth it. Once the flower has passed away I also enjoy it’s leaf structure in garden. They work well in cottage style garden design or equally planted en mass in a more formal garden design.

As a perennial plant the Peony lies dormant in the ground over winter but the moment the Peony starts to show it’s lovely red leaf stems in the garden in Spring they provide excitement. Now the leaves have turned green and the buds are fattening up and promising a show.

Which Double Peonies in a Garden Design

Paeonia lactiflora was originally brought to Europe in mid 18^th century and it’s from this first white cultivar that the other varieties have been cultivated. I like the double petalled ones who’s stamens also look like petals. Paeonia lactiflora ‘Boule de Neige’, has large broad white flowers growing to about 100cm while ‘Duchesse de Nemours’ is a double white that grows to 80cm and has been awarded an RHS AGM. These white ones look fantastic in a border that has dappled shade.

The Paeonia lactiflora ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ is a soft double pink. However if you’re looking for something a bit more vibrant Peonia lactiflora ‘Karl Rosenfield’ has beautiful crimson red flowers giving a fantastic splash of colour. If there is one wow factor Peony plant it has to be Paeonia lactiflora ‘Bowl of Beauty’. This one makes you stop and stare, it a double with bright pink petals with a creamy centre. Whilst it might not suit everyone’s garden I do love to see it as it’s confident showmanship, it makes me smile.

Nurseries for Peonies

Kelways nursery is one of the oldest nurseries growing Peonies for over 100years

Kelways Plants Ltd

Picts Hill, Langport, Somerset TA10 9EZ

Telephone:01458 250 521

Email:sales@kelways.co.uk

I’m sure you’re local nurseries will also sell them.

If you’re looking for a garden design around Oxford, don’t hesitate to give Samantha Willis 0771 858 6105

Honesty for a Cottage Garden Design

May 5, 2018 by Samantha Willis

Prepared by Samantha Willis garden designer near Chipping Norton.

The first signs of summer are here, birds are singing their hearts out and I’m looking at my vase of Honesty ‘Lunnaria annua’ picked on a walk this week. The result of a seed that escaped the confines of a garden. ‘Lunnaria annua’ is a lovely plant that should be considered for a cottage garden design . It has a lovely purple flower with white in the center and deep purple veins glowing to the outer petal. Unfortunately it has no smell but this doesn’t deter the insect’s interest.

I have the Lunnaria ‘Alba Variegata’ which has a white flower and variegated leaves, it’s something I inherited in my garden and I’m always delighted when it starts glowing in it slightly shady spot, enticing me out into the garden.

If you want something a little more dramatic there is Lunnaria ‘Chedglow’ which has a dark purple flower and a dark purple leaf.

Bi-annuals
These plants are bi-annuals, so after 2 years they will die once they’ve flowered. So you can either collect and propagate their seeds and plant them where you want them or let them self seed around your garden. This year I have some appearing along my path. The beautiful round paper thin silvery seed heads follow and add extra interest to the garden in the winter.

Perennials in your Garden Design
If you’d rather have something a little more permanent for your garden design there is the lovely perennial Lunnaria rediviva. This flowers from May right through to July and does have a lovely scent. As a perennial this will die back each winter but reappear where you planted it. You can purchase these on line either as seeds or plants through various specialist plant nurseries.

If you need help with your garden design in Chipping Norton or around Oxford please don’t hesitate to contact me

Nursery suppliers
The Beth Chatto Gardens Ltd, Elmstead Market, Colchester, Essex CO7 7DB (01206 822007).

Special Plants, Greenways Lane, Cold Ashton, Chippenham, Wiltshire UK
SN14 8LA (01225) 891686

Designing a Front Garden

February 1, 2017 by Samantha Willis

Are you thinking of designing your front garden?

This is the first thing people see before they step into your house. It is also seen by people walking past. So in some cases you may want a little privacy. Whatever you want though it needs to look and feel good good and to do this you need a couple of things

All Year Round Colour

Something to look at all year round is necessary for the front garden, let’s face it bear earth is not that attractive and certainly not what you want to see all through the winter. So some good evergreen plants giving shape and structure are ideal clipped Yew, Box or Holly

Lights along the path

Lights are important, if you’re returning from work the odd plant illuminated by the garden path or the windows is a cheery thing to look at. The leaves glisten in the winter rain or sparkle in the frost. e.g. Skimmia’s, giving lovely red berries or Garraya elliptica ‘James Roof’ with its greenish flowers in pendent catkin-like racemes

You’re also are less likely to trip up and can easily open your door with lighting helping you find the key hole

Scent

Adding scent to a front garden is also a lovely idea, taking away the smell of the traffic and delighting people before they step into your house. Scents can be all year round from the winter scents of Christmas box ‘Sarcocca confuse’, to the summer smells of Lavender

If you’re looking for some help designing your front garden Samantha Willis can help you make the most of it. Samantha has nursed a lifelong love of gardening which is reflected in her award-winning designs.

Based in the Cotswolds, she regularly works throughout the surrounding locations, including Chipping Norton and Woodstock. She has also produced gardens throughout Gloucestershire and Cornwall. She can help you develop a beautiful front garden.. Her services include briefs, sketch proposals, tenders and actual construction.

From design to execution, she’ll overlook the entire process and lay the foundations for your dream front garden

Places to see Snowdrops

January 25, 2017 by Samantha Willis

Places to see Snowdrops near Oxford

I’m a garden designer in Oxford so here are some tips for viewing in and around Oxford but check out the website for other gardens near you.

Waterperry Gardens – Oxford
Welford Park – Newbury
Colesbourne Park – Cheltenham
Rodmarton Manor – Cirencester
Stars and Snowdrops – near Banbury

The last one is a little gem I discovered with my children

How to look at snowdrops

A carpet of Snowdrops ‘Galanthus‘ is quite breathtaking but take time to bend down and admire the little flowers. Colesbourne Park grows about 250 varieties and has a lovely raised area to admire some of their varieties.

Buying and planting snowdrops

When snowdrops are ”in the green’ i.e. with leaves is the best time to plant snowdrops so take advantage of the various sales of these snowdrop collectors and enjoy your own little patch next year, planting them in a shady little corner.

Chelsea Flower Show 2015

May 23, 2015 by Samantha Willis

There was a vibrancy at RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year with is dazzling array of colours in every garden. The Homebase garden had the Geum as it’s hero, Totally Tangerine and Lady Marmalade brightened up a day threatening rain.

The Sentabale garden is a delight with it’s lush planting, and pathways that lead you to the little door that will give hope to so many in Lesotho when they step through the door of their building. If you look closely the poppy from Lesotho did come out too, a lovely little orange.

The Telegraph gardens blocks of colour looked so simple, just three plants you think when you look in a block and then you see more and more plants in the same block.

The Laurent-Perrier Chatsworth Garden was beautiful, it is true most of us couldn’t have it in our garden but it just looked right in that corner of Chelsea, surely it was permanent. Iris x robusta Dark Aura was striking with it’s lovely dark stem and a lovely white flower that sprung from the garden was Paradisea lusitanica

The Lysimachia atropurpurea’Beaujolais’ appeared on a number of gardens, the M&G garden has a lovely Gypsophelia, elegans ‘Covent Garden.

The Dark Matter garden is inspiring and I walked away for the first time in my life knowing what Dark Matter was. Science with horticulture united in a seemingly simplistic way with the rusted steel rods and vibrant lime greens, oranges and yellows. Those steel rods are not just bent any old way though they are worked out to a mm of where the scientists say it should be. I didn’t know that any school could sign up to use the the observatory’s did you? Check out National Schools Observatory

The Artisan Garden were increadible their imagination in such a small place, the Breast Cancer Haven garden was stunning and I really did want to jump onto the woven oak leaf and relax under the canopy of leaves. The Old Forge for Motor Neurone Disease Assoc was stunning too and a major accomplishment for a young female designer

Today is the last day and as usual these masterpieces will be dismantled some to be built in permanent homes so if you haven’t managed to get there enjoy the BBC programmes and book for next year in December.

RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2015

May 8, 2015 by Samantha Willis

This year, the designers battled their way through the wind and the rain ready for the opening day of the RHS Malvern Spring Festival which was fantastic. Whilst I felt the disappointment of not doing a garden design this year, it was lovely to have the time to admire the show and catch up with friends and colleagues.

The Villaggio garden deserves the best in show, the attention to detail was incredible, the water feature was carefully considered as in Andalusia the village fountain is fed from the mountain, so when it rains it gushes and the fountain is full but in the summer it is a little trickle. With the whitewashed walls, mature olive trees and red geraniums I was on holiday.

The Floral Marquees was bustling and I couldn’t resist taking home a fern from Bowdens, Matteucia struthiopteris Jumbo, it’s lime green colour and the anticipated height of 5-8ft. The collection of plants all gathered in one area is the equivalent of a sweet shop treat for children for me, a complete delight. The skill these nursery men have producing top quality plants for the show is astounding.

I also walked out with armfuls of Clematis from the 3 Shires Garden Centre, great quality and great prices and if you need supports you can find these too.

Of course there is not only the plants but the lectures, Raymond Blanc was his usual enthusiastic self and an inspiration to us all advising us to go for taste not looks with apples, Snow White chose the red shiny apple and look what happened to her! Ok well yes she did get the handsome prince in the end but that is not the point.

This year was a treat.

Winter Colour

January 1, 2015 by Samantha Willis

Colour in the Garden

The Hellebores are great little flowers that are often hidden by their leaves and their drooping flowers. Look underneath and you find this wonderful flower from the white Christmas Rose Helleborus niger to the deep dark Helleborus x hybridus ‘Blue Lady’. The Christmas Rose flowers around Christmas time and then you can have flowers right through to March/April.

These plants are easy to look after and grow well in shady conditions. Ideally plant the paler flowers in the shadier spots to light up the darker corners. The darker flowers need to be seen and they won’t be stuck in a shady corner, so semi shade for them.

Another great little winter plant is the Cyclamen hederifolium, these hardy plants make lovely swathes of colour. If you plant them in semi-shade in a humus rich location that will not dry out in the summer they will thrive. I tend to plant mine underneath Cornus or Hydrangeas where they will get the shade in the summer to protect them.

If you’re wanting something a little more blousy and in your face the Bergenia cordifolia or Elephants Ears. This plant has wavy leaves that are about 30cms long with stems of 60cms with sprays of pink flowers. They are again an easy plant to grow and unlike the two above enjoy sunshine or semi shade. There are many varities, if you prefer white flowers Bergenia ‘Bressingham White‘ or purple leaves try B. cordifolia ‘Purpurea

Or a Bergenia that many plantsmen rate is the one raised by Eric Smith of ‘The Plantsmen’.

“Undoubtedly the best for winter effect; large, rounded, crinkled leaves have polished bronze-tinted surfaces while backs, caught in low sunlight, glow rich carmine-red. 46 cm.” BethChatto.co.uk

Lighting your garden

December 18, 2014 by Samantha Willis

Lighting your Garden

If you’re thinking of lighting your garden consider two things firstly there is the health and safety issue; can you actually get down steps or along your path and to a front door? Can you insert the keys in the lock without cursing that you can’t see a thing? Do you need lights for security reasons?

Once you’ve considered the functional aspects there is the aesthetics of lights. At this time of year lighting can really bring a little warmth and emphasises st ructure from lighting the path to focusing on key features. So whilst you may not want to sit out and enjoy your garden in mid winter you can still admire aspects of it and then in the summer you get to sit out and enjoy it.

Up-lighting trees is a beautiful feature, emphasizing the shape and texture in the winter where their branches reach into the darkness and in the summer evening it highlights the leaves gently dancing in the breeze. If you want to see a fantastic display of illuminated trees prior to Christmas visit Westonbirt Arboretum if you live near by.

Spot lighting some small shubs such as Cornus with it’s bold red or yellow stems adds some colour to the garden or focusing on statues where you can either throw light on the item or place the lighting behind it giving intrigue.

Lighting can give a magical element to the garden and enable you to focus on a particular object, in one garden we’ve used LED lights behind a water feature enabling it to float along the patio in the evening, where in the daylight it is a bold stone trough.

So now is the time to have a look at your garden, what would you like to see illuminated at this time of year? If you were looking out of your window what would you like to see?

Samantha Willis Garden Design