Planning a garden
- Blog
- Garden Advice
- Planning a garden
- Horticulture & Plant Ideas
- Wildlife Gardens
- Grow Your Own Fruit & Veg
- Garden Services
- Portfolio
- Garden Design Styles
- Pruning Guides
- Propagating & Growing Plants
- Lawn Care
- Hedge Care
- Summer Gardening
- Spring Gardening
- Autumn Gardening
- Winter Gardening
- Garden Tools & Equipment
- Tree Planting & Care
-
New Build Gardens Design Guide: Transform Your Blank Canvas 2025
You’re probably ready to get stuck into creating your dream new build garden oasis. You have this brand-new green space that could become something amazing. It may resemble the new build example below closely. Then it hits you. You have no idea where to start, and every idea you have doesn’t quite work or leaves […]
Read more -
The Best Raised Beds to Buy 2025: That You Can Build at Home
Raised beds are quite simply the game-changer for modern gardening, especially in smaller gardens or where the soil is poor. Whether you’re struggling with rocky or sticky soil, want easier access to your plants, or simply fancy a more organised approach to growing your own, raised beds offer the perfect solution for easier garden growing […]
Read more -
Top 25 Coastal Plants, Shrubs and Trees for Garden Design: Tough and Beautiful Seaside Heroes
Dream of creating a stunning coastal garden but worried about battling relentless winds, salt spray, and sandy soils? Perhaps you’ve moved to a beautiful seaside location only to discover that your favourite garden plants simply won’t survive the harsh coastal conditions. Maybe you’re standing in your windswept garden, wondering if you’ll ever achieve that picture-perfect […]
Read more -
DIY Garden Paths: Materials, Methods, and Mistakes to Avoid
As an award-winning garden designer, I love creating beautiful paths that guide people around their gardens. However, new gardeners often struggle to design or choose the right materials for garden paths. This guide will help you discover the professional secrets to creating stunning garden paths that last for decades, plus the seven costly mistakes that turn DIY […]
Read more -
15 Late Summer Herbaceous Perennials That Out-Compete Weeds and Are Great for Wildlife
August arrives, and suddenly your garden feels tired. Spring’s enthusiasm has worn off, summer’s peak has passed, and you’re left staring at gaps where earlier perennials have finished flowering. Meanwhile, the weeds seem to have endless energy, popping up everywhere you don’t want them. Sound familiar? I’ve been there too, and it’s exactly why I’ve […]
Read more -
11 Plant Placement Mistakes That Ruin Good Garden Design
You’ve chosen beautiful plants, spent good money on quality specimens, and carefully planned your garden design. Yet something’s not quite right. The garden looks off. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone! Even experienced gardeners can fall into plant placement traps that sabotage their best intentions. Let me, the Garden Ninja, walk you through the […]
Read more -
How to Plant a Hedge: Beginner gardening guide
Before we roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty, let me give you the essential information you need to know about planting hedges. I’ve spent over thirty years working with hedges in gardens across the country, from exposed coastal sites to sheltered urban plots. These are the fundamentals that will determine whether your […]
Read more -
How to design a front garden: plants, layouts & ideas guide
A well-designed front garden can transform the look of your home, boost curb appeal, and provide a welcoming space for visitors. But designing a front garden isn’t just about gorgeous garden design aesthetics—it’s about functionality, planting schemes, encouraging wildlife to our housing estates and making the best use of space. After all, the front garden […]
Read more -
How to Create a Pond or Water Feature in Your Garden: Ultimate Beginner’s Guide
Adding a pond or water feature to your garden is one of the most beneficial landscaping projects you can undertake to help out Mother Nature and bring some peace to any garden. Who doesn’t love the tranquillity of hearing moving water or watching newts, fish, birds and insects go about their daily lives using the […]
Read more -
Is Garden Design Expensive? Behind the Costs of Garden Design
One question I get asked frequently on this site is, ‘Why is garden design expensive?’ and my answer is that garden design isn’t expensive; it’s good value for money given the vast multidisciplinary skills that go into making a successful garden design. Garden designers should not be cheap. Combining plant knowledge, design skills, project management, […]
Read more










