greencube garden and landscape design, UK

greencube are loving the quartz paddlestones from CED (stone suppliers) , we have used them as a cobbled paving at Hampton Court Flower show back in July 2010, we have seen them in gabions at RHS Hyde Hall and greencube have now specified them to create a retaining wall on two interlocking large curves, very exciting, very organic and a new use of material! It looks like a modern dry stone wall, very linear in pattern, its tied into a concrete block wall. I'm looking forward to seeing this project completed. It's also great micro habitat, lots of little holes and cracks for beetles, solitary bees and hibernating insects. Greencube garden at Hampton Court 2010, using Quartz paddlestones   Paddlestones in gabions at RHS Hyde Hall

Another busy week which started with a delivery of 360 plants to set out ready for the landscapers to plant in a garden in Sevenoaks. 800 bulbs planted in the rain in a garden in Chislehurst that greencube designed last year, there will be a fantastic show next spring, looking forward to returning to see the display and take some more photos. We have also returned to a garden in Shenfield which Greencube designed back in the spring which is near to completion and put the proposal of planting ideas together. We are going to plant this garden in November. Three very large planters creating division and zones, each of which are 4 metres plus in length, we have used Brazilian slate and Millboard Decking, a huge contrast from its original layout (tiny terrace and slope to boundary fence) and a great social space, utilising the topography to its maximum advantage. I will return next summer to get some photos for the website as it will look great when the plants have settled in and in ful

I have been very busy this week finishing a design for a garden in Sevenoaks, I started a front garden design in Oxted, a survey in Tunbridge Wells as well as planting a garden in Sevenoaks (thankfully I had two helpers for the planting job and they both did a brilliant job) and so today has been a day of pottering in my own garden, plenty of cups of tea and recharging before next weeks work. Including cleaning my greenhouse, recycling 1000's of empty pots to a local nursery who welcomes them with open arms and harvesting the last of my courgettes and chillies. I have just placed an order for bulbs, 3000 of them in total to be planted out over the next couple of weeks in four of the new gardens built this year. I have chosen a miniature daffodil Tete-aTete, some Alliums (Varities) Sensation and Nigrum), Tulipa Ballerina, Tulipa Lilac Time.

I have been carrying out a spot of plant trials in my own garden. Trialling the more common and readily available Rudbeckia fulgida var. 'Goldsturm' with the less popular not so common Rudbeckia fulgida deamii. Deamii wins !!! I planted them in the same border, next to each other, therefore same aspect, soil and water availability Goldsturm finished flowering 2 weeks ago, deamii still flowering and looking great, I also prefer the leaf on deamii. I know which Rudbeckia I'll be opting for in my next clients garden!

The pictures speak for themselves, images taken at  National Trust, Sheffield Park  last year at the end of October, keep an eye on the weather and if you feel inspired go check out the wonderful spectrum of Acer palmatum's, Parrotia persica and Euonymus alatus providing a wonderful Autumnal display.  A 265 acre parkland originally set out by Capability Brown, views and vistas galore, very special and inspiring! Some of these photos have been printed and are decorating our walls at home, the light was good and colours were amazing. Mike is using a Canon 50D with 100-400mm (with image stabiliser) lens and I have his off casts!!! Canon 20D with 24-85mm lens.

We seem incredibly busy designing gardens on difficult slopes at the moment, for example we have just delivered a design for a garden with an 8 metre climb in Sevenoaks and another garden in Leigh with a 3 metre climb. Both of these gardens currently are swallowed up by the steep bank and the feeling of the home being engulfed by the hillside, currently quite oppressive! Always interested in textures, contrast and materials that work with its surroundings are all high on the agenda, I have recommended light reflective walls and paving to ensure the space feels lighter and brighter. Gabions have been favoured in the Sevenoaks Garden with a deck that sits midway breaking up the steep climb, although our choice of stone filling has yet to be made. Sets of steps and landings with viewpoints and places to sit and rest have also been included. Glass ballustrades to keep the views open are included. Greencube embraces these difficult gardens as we find them challenging and interesting t