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 | Feb 21, 2014 | Colour, colour in the garden, Cornus, Edinburgh, February, focal points in the garden, Plants, Polley Garden Design, Spring, winter colour
Is your garden looking rather drab and tired today at the end of winter? Then add some colour with Cornus or dogwoods, a varied and good value group of plants. They are tough useful shrubs and trees, many shrubs with strongly coloured stems in coral red, orange,...
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 | Jan 13, 2014 | A Linear Focus, Colour, colour in the garden, Design, Edinburgh, Harmony Ridge Designs, January, Polley Garden Design, winter colour
There is nothing like being put on the spot – or in January’s “Red Hot Chair’ by Jane Chrumka of Harmony Ridge Colours to talk about design and the colours clients love and hate. To read the interview,...
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...
