Winter flowering Sarcococca confusa

Winter flowering Sarcococca confusa - sweet box

Plant of the week

One of my favourite plants for dry shade is the robust, glossy and winter flowering Sarcococca confusa an amazing plant that tolerates a very dry position where little else would survive. An evergreen glossy plant that can be clipped into an informal hedge. If I stand under my pine tree in my garden adjacent to my neighbours conifer hedge (i.e incredibly dry, shady and sandy soil) I can smell sweet vanilla scent from the Sarcococca flowers. The flowers are followed by a black berry. When our clients say "You'll never find a plant to grow under there, it's far too dry" we know we can !

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Sculpture in the garden, greencube designs a sculptural ball garden

I'm still out taking photos of all the gardens that have been constructed in the last year and last night I visited our clients in Borough Green, Kent to photograph this garden. We designed the terracing around this very beautiful home and picked up on the existing buff coloured stone detailing that formed the sills and frames around the doors and windows. A complimentary colour of yellow granite was finally chosen (Yellow Granite paving from CED) and a sculptural border of yellow granite balls (from Rock Unique) underplanted with Ilex crenata balls and Libertia grandiflora. Oak benches and oak arches have also been included and some division of zones created by deck laid flush with granite. This scheme fuses well with the house and setting. I will return in August to take further photos when the garden furniture is in place and hopefully get some night shots, lighting not yet fully completed at time of visit. Greencube planted this garden in two phases, the trees, ro

Practical storage solutions in our gardens in Tunbridge Wells and Folkestone

Storage in a garden is a common requirement but often forgotten or positioned too far away for practical use. Greencube have installed solutions in 2 of our gardens this year without the need for an ugly shed. The built in seating has doubled up as a great practical storage solution so that the cushions, hand tools and firewood for the brazier are readily available.

But my favourite is most definitely the Telegraph Garden

Designed by Cleve West, a magical space with walls retaining at seat level, so wherever you walk you can pause, sit and enjoy, I managed to gain access to Cleve's garden and even had a brief chat with him. I loved it even more once in the space. The star plant at the show for me is most certainly Dianthus cruentus, with its crimson flowers which looked wonderful in amongst the cotswold stone, with its elegant stems and deep red flower. The statuesque columns, the wonderful dry stone walls and planting that had space, looked natural and certainly did not look like it was only planted a week ago!!!! The play with water with the water pipes and channel through the garden with stone stepping stones, all beautifully executed and inspirational.

greencube garden and landscape design, UK

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