Planning a garden

It’s easy to become disheartened when you’re halfway through a project. The beginning seems a long time ago and the end seems too far off. You’re right in the thick of it, the messy bit where everything is up in the air. It’s the classic symptom of any project, the middle bit is often where motivation […]

Planting in pots is a fantastic way for newbies to make their first steps into the gardening world. Time and time again though, I see new gardeners filling pots with a mix of annuals (plants that live for one season before dying) and hanging plants (Ivy and Fuschia are classics). The classic combinations Fuschia, Petunias, […]

Planting the Trees Winter is the perfect time for planting bare root and root balled trees. Now don’t roll your eyes, its the truth. This is the time when most trees are dormant and can be lifted safely as root balled trees or bare root. The benefits are they are far cheaper and easier to […]

Marking out the Garden Design on the ground The next phase is probably the hardest in terms of skill and accuracy with such a geometric design. Marking it on the slightly sloping lumpy field surface. I won’t lie, the marking out of any garden always starts out with bags of enthusiasm and excitement before slight […]

The Exploding Atom garden has been my muse since moving house from the non-stop Manchester Cityscape to rural solitude in Lathom, a 6 square mile sleepy historical village. Talk about juxtaposition! The move brought a new perspective on my garden designs. Rather than small awkward city spaces with multi-functions, what would I design for a […]

With careful consideration, you can create a garden that’s fit for the entire family. Whether its young children who want to play, teenagers that want to be left along with their phones or adults who want somewhere to relax. It just takes careful planning. This guide will give you my top tips on planning a […]

This small west facing garden in Bolton, Greater Manchester, had frustrated its owner due to its lack of privacy and clay soil. She had tried her best but ended up with a bit of a tangle of odd shapes, dying plants and patchy borders. She called Lee Burkhil the Garden Ninja in to help sort it […]

However, there is another thought with front garden design. Why not turn this around and actually make it a space that greets you warmly as you come home, and offers refuge, excitement, calm or invitation to your visitors? This guide will show you that you can have a functional, beautiful and environmentally sound space and […]

New Build Garden Makeover Often new build gardens are random shapes that don’t quite work with many designs or ideas. They nearly always feature hundreds of utility grids right smack bang in the centre of the lawn area. It’s a shame that the garden space is most often tiny and they give you the smallest […]

If you already have a garden structure that you’re happy with but need some assistance in what to plant where then a Garden Planting Plan could be the ideal solution for you. My garden design services always include planting plan. Please note I have stopped offering a stand-alone planting plan under my services. How does a […]