by GillianPolley | Jan 27, 2019 | 1930's house, 2019, Acers, autumn, autumn colour, autumn colour in the garden, back gardens, box balls, bulbs, Colour, Colour 365 days a year in your garden, colour in the garden, container growing, containers, Copper Mango Ltd, Copper Mango Photography, cyclamen, December, Design, design balance, designing your own garden, driveway, Edinburgh, Euonymous alatus 'Compactus', evergreen plants, February, Festive plant container, focal points in the garden, front garden, front garden/driveways, garden inspiration, garden transformation, garden views, Grasses, gravel, Hellebores, herbaceous perennials, Iris reticulata, January, Japanese gardens, long flowering period, low maintenance plants, March, Mixed bulb planting, O-Karikomi, O-Karikomi gardening technique, October, outdoor furniture, Polley Garden Design, Sarcococca, seats in the garden, shapes, shrubs, Spring, spring blossom, spring colour, summer flowering plants, winter, winter colour, winter scent in the garden, winter structure
How many plants do you have in bloom in your garden in January? You will be astounded to know Tresco Abbey Gardens in the Scilly Isles had 289 on the 7th January. Aah – to have their climate. But even as winter is upon us, in Scotland it is possible to have...
by GillianPolley | Jan 24, 2018 | 're-wilding', back gardens, Colour, container growing, containers, Design, design balance, Edinburgh, evergreen plants, fire pits, front garden, garden inspiration, herbaceous perennials, herbs, indoor plants, insect habitat, insect hotels, insects, meditation, outdoor kitchens, pizza ovens, Plants, Polley Garden Design, Potager, Potager gardens, Raised wooden beds, safe haven, shapes, shrubs, sustainability, Top garden trends in 2018, Vegetable growing, wildlife, wildlife habitats, winter colour, winter scent in the garden, winter structure
‘Haven’ is often a word associated with our gardens. Studies have shown people are healthier and less stressed when they are close to nature, and people are using their gardens to enjoy family life, relax, exercise and mediate in. This trend...
by GillianPolley | Nov 2, 2017 | 2017, a woodland garden and driveway, Acer, Acer palmatum Dissectum Garnet, autumn colour, autumn colour in the garden, back gardens, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, colour in the garden, Edinburgh, Euonymous alatus, Euonymous alatus 'Compactus', focal points in the garden, front garden, Fuchsia Mrs Popple, garden inspiration, Grasses, herbaceous perennials, Kniphofia rooperi, long flowering period, low maintenance plants, October, Polley Garden Design, september, Stipa gigantea
With winter almost on our doorstep, it is a good time to cast a critical eye over your autumn garden and judge if you are making the most of the stunning colours of autumn. This final blaze of colour is a joy to the eye and spirit and with a little careful...
by GillianPolley | Jan 30, 2017 | 2017, apples, back gardens, bare root fruit trees, bees and insects, bulb planting for insects, bulbs, colour in the garden, community gardens, container growing, Copper Mango Photography, Design, designing your own garden, Edinburgh, evergreen plants, fire pits, fire places, front garden, fruit trees, garden inspiration, garden trends 2017, gold, health, herbaceous perennials, indoor plants, insect habitat, insect hotels, insects, Keukenhof Park, low maintenance plants, Mixed bulb planting, naturalistic planting, outdoor furniture, outdoor kitchens, outdoor sitting areas, pears, pizza ovens, plums, Polley Garden Design, Potager, Potager gardens, Raised wooden beds, rear garden patio, rear garden terrace, safe haven, seats in the garden, shrubs, soft fruit, Top Garden Trends for 2017, wellbeing
The desire for a healthy lifestyle continues with nearly 39% of us spending more time in our garden and 45% of us seeing our gardens as an extension of our homes. Growing our own fruit, vegetables and herbs in our gardens, allotments or with others in community...
by GillianPolley | Dec 6, 2016 | 'Lelystad' bulb mixture, 2016, autumn colour, back gardens, bees, bees and insects, bulb planting for insects, bulbs, Crocus, Edinburgh, front garden, Holland, JUB Holland, Keukenhof Park, long flowering period, Mixed bulb planting, Muscari, Narcissus, Plants, Polley Garden Design, shrubs, spring colour, Tulipa fosteriana Orange Emperor, windy conditions
After my flying visit in the spring to the Keukenhof Park just outside Amsterdam, inspired by seeing 7 million bulbs in bloom. I wanted to add more bulbs to my own garden – albeit in a much smaller way! Packing a very big punch were large borders of mixed bulbs,...
by GillianPolley | Sep 16, 2016 | 2016, apples, back gardens, bare root fruit trees, bees and insects, cooking apples, Design, designing your own garden, fruit trees, pears, plums, Polley Garden Design, Potager, Potager gardens, Raised beds dimensions, september, soft fruit, soft landscaping, Stepover fruit trees, Vegetable growing
Potager gardens originated in 16th Century France arising from kitchen gardens of monasteries, growing vegetables, fruit, flowers and herbs together in symmetrical geometrical garden beds planted in groups rather then rows. Plants are chosen for both their good looks...