Val Rahmeh

Val Rahmeh is an exotic botanical garden facing the sea and protected from the winds by the mountains. the exotic botanical garden has a subtropical microclimate unique in France.  Experimental garden with greenhouse full of rare plants.. it houses beautiful collections of palm trees, bombs, citrus-fruit, edible tropical plants with altogether over 1500 species.  In 1905

Serre de la Madone garden, Menton

  http://www.serredelamadone.com This garden was designed by the same man that designed the garden at Hidcote Manor in England, Major Lawrence Johnson.  Between 1924 and 1939 he acquired seven hectares of land which he created into his ‘earthly paradise’ – a unique exotic landscaped garden (juxtaposition of different compartmental areas referred to as ‘green rooms’)

Cantilevered benches in Wandsworth

This was a typical small fairly overgrown garden.  And considering it was small it had a mass of heavy large mature shrubs in it all which had become overgrown and ‘woody’.  It was time for a change so with a very simple garden design we created an immediate sense of space, clean lines and good

Raised bed planting in Wimbledon

This garden in Wimbledon had two long raised beds on either side – one side receiving a mass of sunshine and the other side fairly shady so the planting had to reflect that. Here are some of the plants we used: The colour palette was whites/greens, pinks, soft purples, bright and soft blues:  lavenders, nepetas,

Pretty garden in Wandsworth with garden office

This is a lovely long garden with herbaceous borders on either side.  The garden is  located in Wandsworth.  Parts of the garden are in heavy shade a lot of the time and so this had to be taken into account when planting.  The owner wanted to retain an English country garden effect but also wanted

Complementary and matching plant colours!

Sanguisorba and Knautia macedonica – matching plant colours! I’ve decided this summer that I like the look of matching plant colours in perennials… cut out the contrasts and get a lovely block of colour using different plants but same tones. The combination that I like most at the moment is Sanguisorba officinalis, Knautia macedonica and

Cottage gardening – not as easy as it looks

The whole essence of a cottage garden is its wild and natural look.  So natural that it seems as though it has been untouched by human hand..it has grown out of untended ground with little help from anyone but not so!!  Most cottage gardens take quite a lot of trouble.  Where do the plants come

Caroline’s vintage garden in Wandsworth

My garden in Wandsworth is not really a very good example of my garden design as it has evolved over 20 years with almost zero input from me!  It is almost a classic case of the “cobbler’s shoes”.  However it has also had an unbelievable bashing in the last 9 months as my son, Freddie,

West Dean flowers and gardens July 2015

Caroline Garland’s Chelsea…magentas, carmines, oranges and verbascums gone mad!

I had quite a rushed trip to the Chelsea Flower Show this year, and I think I could recommend this approach!  I had to concentrate my mind and find the essentials.  There were, without doubt, some beautiful gardens, clever ideas and stunning builds and anyway who am I to sit here at my computer and

The Isabella Plantation May 2015 – takes your breath away!

Lighting up the forest in February

It was a pretty bleak day on Sunday, the first of February, overcast and rather cold and drizzly.  But if you have Jack Russell dogs there is no alternative but to go out and give them a good walk… and my mother always says “never look at rain, get into it” – you feel much