Jill did the planting design as well as the planting itself and we are really thrilled with the end result. It feels like we’ll have just to right amount of colour with low maintenance!

Overall, we are delighted with the extension and it’s setting in the new garden and would highly recommend Jill to anyone looking to solve a problem with their outside space.

The coming of spring is usually heralded by the appearance of these wonderful flowers.  It’s a prelude to a year of abundance and signals the end of winter as we look hopefully foward to the coming year.  But you don’t have to walk in the park to see this – you can create this in your own garden.  But now is the time to do it.

Here are some great examples of bulbs for your garden

Eranthis Hyemalis

Sometimes known as the Winter Aconite Eranthis are small tuberous perennials with cup-shaped flowers held above a collar of deeply lobed stem leaves.   E. hyemalis grows to 10cm in height and is one of the most welcome sights flowering in the late winter garden.

This joyful little plant prefers a moist but well-drained soil and thrives in any aspect, exposed or sheltered.

Tulip Christmas Marvel

In early spring, the intense fuscia pink of Tulip Christmas Marvel is perfect for pots and in the border – their strong stems stand up well to wind and rain.  The satin smooth petals make these excellent for cut flowers.  The beautiful colour looks amazing when planted in numbers

Anenome Blanda Blue

Also known as Windflower A. blanda will open it’s petals to the sun.  Originating from South East Europe and Turkey, this spreading perennial is great for naturalizing in a spring garden.  It has brightly coloured tepals arranged daisy-like around central yellow stamens.  It produces solitary flowers in deep blue, white (A. blanda White) or pink (A. blanda Pink Star) and spreads quite quickly to form clumps.

Allium Purple Sensation

This plant is suitable for the dry garden and produces stiff, upright stems which bear a tight sperical purple flower head. Flowering in May and June, the stunning balls of purple can float elegantly in the contemporary garden, or sway snugly with cool blues and whites in the cottage garden. Plant amongst grasses or other planting as the leaves start to die back when the flowers are at their best.

Easy to grow in fertile well-drained soil. Add grit in clay soils to improve drainage.

Frtillaria Melagris

Sometimes known as The snake’s head fritillary this plant is one of the most treasured gems in the British Wild Flowers hall of fame. Its linear grey-green leaves are  followed in spring by nodding heads sometimes of pure white, or more frequently marked with a delicate chequerboard pattern in shades of purple.

It is found growing naturally from southern England to western Russia. This species is suitable for rock gardens, raised beds or woodland gardens.

It prefers humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade.

‘It’s All in the Delivery’ is a new innovative magazine featuring the journey of the garden we created for The Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul and the ongoing relationship that’s developed along the way . . . .  download the pdf article

That’s a pity because this restricts the potential for your garden to just a few short weeks.  But did you know that in fact your garden can provide plenty to enjoy and look forward to throughout every month of the year.

With some clever planting there are numerous extremely attractive shrubs and plants that can provide striking colour for late summer and autumn. This is the last hurrah for your garden so here’s your chance to delay the onset of winter just that little bit longer.

Some of these plants have a very long flowering period and offer repeat flowering throughout the season.  Imagine seeing a vibrant injection of riotous colour in an otherwise neglected border or bed.

So if you’re not quite ready to give up on your garden just yet, here are some ideas for you:

Acer palamatum ‘Osakuzaki’

This is one of the best Japanese Acers for Autumn colour and a striking focal point. It beautifully complements the foliage of surrounding trees as their leaves begin to fall amidst the rich abundance of rust, terracotta and saffron yellow leaves of Autumn.

Rudbeckia occidentalis ‘Green Wizard’ (Coneflower)

This fantastic flower provides dramatic blue/black cones and supported by soft green ‘petals’ which are in fact sepals.

Ceratostigma willmottianum (Chinese plumbago)

This plant offers showers of unusual striking cobalt blue flowers, a rare colour in late flowering plants.  The dainty flowers are a lovely contrast to some of the heavier blooms of Echinaceas (coneflowers) and Heleniums.

Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’ (Sneezeweed)

These flowers offer cheery copper-red blooms which flower right through autumn.  When everything else is begining to die down, these exhuberant flowers have an incredibly long flowering season.

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’ (Zebra Grass)

Graceful and striking – our name’s sake!  Their attractive spikey leaves give height to any border and their late spidery flowers are the colour of dusky-pink satin.  As well as looking good you can hear them whispering gently in the autumn breeze.

Zebra Grass can help with any planting ideas whether it’s to enliven a tired border, bring interest to your garden all year round or perhaps planting for a particular occasion. We can also carry out the planting for you.

Call us on 01621 788718 / 07734 069609 or email jill@zebragrass.co.uk

Here’s how to create your very own cat friendly garden…

Now some people might scoff at the idea of a garden designed specifically for cats, but we’ve just created a cat friendly garden for one of our clients, and it’s been a big hit.  We’ve even had feedback from the cats themselves.

If you’re looking for some puurrrrfect ideas that cater for your feline friends here are our recommendations:-

Provide Shelter and Shade

Cats love shelter for several reasons.  They might like somewhere to hide from the local cat bullies.   If your garden is more lawn than plants, it doesn’t give a cat many options if they need to hide from other dominant cats who stray into your garden.  This is particularly so if you don’t have a cat flap and your cat has no-where to go during the day or when you are out.  Shelter can also provide welcome respite from heavy rain for instance or if it’s snowing.

Ideas for shelter include providing a solid structure, e.g. a wooden bench.

Some cats have light coloured fur and thus cannot tolerate direct sunlight because it burns their skin (particularly their ears).  So you need to provide some shade during hot dry spells.

Plants for Shelter and Shade

Evergreen shrubs and hedging will give your cat something to sleep or hide beneath throughout the year (and unavoidably also to stalk prey from!).  There are many shrubs to choose from but a few examples are Abelia, Ceanothus, Escallonia, Photinia and Viburnum tinus. 

Do your cats like to climb?

All cats like to climb and sharpen their claws.  Suitable structures to provide both of these would be a pergola or vertical sleepers. Either of these can also double as the perfect scratching post.  You could even provide a plank to enable your cat to easily make it over the fence.  Cat toys and feathers can be attached to give your cats something to play with. For our client we incorporated a coloured cat ramp to match the fencing! Scratching posts also help cats to stretch and limber up after a long sleep.

Cat friendly planting

Cats love Nepeta cataria (Catnip or Catmint).  The chemical nepetalactone is a sedative that can trigger a euphoric response in cats.  Create a bed of Nepeta and turn it into a cat sanctuary.  Your cat can roll around in it to it’s hearts content.  Nepeta can tolerate sunshine or partial shade and is good for dry areas.  Cut and dry it to make cat toys.

Other Nepeta plants commonly called Catmint are also liked by cats such as, Nepeta x faassenii and Nepeta racemosa

Grass – some cats eat grass to help with their digestion either to cough up fur balls or indigestible bones & fur from prey. However, there is no known evidence that cats need grass or that certain types of grass are better than others. Avena sativa (common oat) is sold as cat grass but it is really the young fresh shoots of many types of grass that are suitable.  So set aside a patch of lawn where the grass is allowed to grow a little longer near the edges – and if it’s in the sunshine even if your cat doesn’t eat it he / she can curl up in it for a catnap.

Plants to Avoid

Believe it or not, some plants are toxic to cats. But cats are fussy eaters and usually know which plants to avoid.

Coleus canina otherwise known as ‘The scaredy cat’ plant – gives off a smell that cats don’t like

Lillies unfortunately are very toxic to cats.  It can be fatal if any part of the plant is injested (because it causes kidney failure). If the cat brushes past the plant the pollen can stick to their fur. If the cat then licks their fur, this could have serious consequences. All lilies should be considered potentially poisonous but the most dangerous are the Tiger Lily (Lilium tigrinum), Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum), Stargazer Lily (Lilium orientalis), Rubrum Lily (Lilium speciosum), and Japanese Show Lily (Lilium lancifolium). So avoid planting Lillies or bringing them into the house.

Toilet Habits

Like we prefer the softness of Aloe Vera loo paper, cats like a nice soft soil to dig.  So if you want to discourage your cat  from pooping in your (or your neighbours) beds, provide a small sand pit not far from your catmint bed.  It will need to be cleaned out regularly but your cat should really appreciate the ‘en suite’ facilities.

We’ve discovered that cat friendly gardens actually encourage cats to spend more time in their own gardens, rather than straying into neighbouring gardens.  So if you like having your cat around, you can use some these strategies to help keep your cat entertained.

We can’t thank you enough for the transformation of our garden. When we first saw the plans we weren’t really convinced that it was for us, but since it has been finished – I must say we both get a lot of joy out of being outside. We weren’t sure initially that we would adapt to the change, but we love running up and down the garden, jumping over the little hedges and generally having fun. Gabby quickly learnt to go up the wooden posts, but I am not so sure. We are often to be found in the morning sunning ourselves on the wooden seat, and would just  like to say having a continuous fence all at the same height is a delight. Not that we don’t enjoy the plants as well, we love to hide behind them and jump out at each other and do enjoy our daily nibble on the cat nip – all in all we couldn’t be happier and don’t know why it wasn’t done for us years earlier!

We are both particularly pleased that on your initial visits you identified who were the important residents and designed the garden around us.

Thank you both for the design and being so considerate of our needs

Gabby and Tommy

When you initially came to visit we really didn’t know either what we wanted or what was possible. Our attempts at replanting our front garden had led us to the decision that when it came to the back garden we definitely needed help.

We gave you a blank canvas of some up and down lawn, a fence of different heights and styles, a garden shed and a tree. From that you have created a purfectly designed masterpiece. I still don’t know how you came up with a design that we fell in love with from the conversations we had, as we really had no idea of what we wanted. Throughout the process you have both been really helpful explaining your vision – and I am so pleased that we trusted the decisions to you, as you know I really wasn’t sure about the fence colour, but now that it is done it really does add the finishing touch.

The garden has gone from an area where we mowed the lawn once a week, to an area we are frequently found sitting in and enjoying, as there is so much more to enjoy and see. We really enjoy the different areas of the garden, and now utilise the whole garden, in many ways the garden has become an extension of our home. From the innovative remote controlled lighting
to the handmade slate water feature, the garden is a delight, and we are enjoying watching the plants grow, with the wildlife the flowers are attracting.

It is now a garden we can invite friends into rather than an area out the back of the house.  I know we kept extending our budget, but I must say I think it was money well spent and the garden will give us a lot of joy for the years to come.

As anybody looking at the before and after can see, you have achieved a remarkable transformation of our back garden, that both of us along with the most important residents – Gabby and Tommy can enjoy and watch mature.

Thank you,

Dianne and Sue

Irish Sky Garden: Designed by Diarmuid Gavin

Diarmuid drew the crowds with his Avatar inspired floating garden.  His unique cocoon pod floated above the verdant mounds of Box and gentle grasses which were reflected in the round pools below.  The pod, dripping with vegetation, provided stunning views across the show ground and would have been a cooling shelter away from the hustle and bustle of Chelsea – just a shame we couldn’t get in!

The Chilstone Garden: designed by Heather Appleton,

Here is an example of Urban Classical design.  Love it or loathe it I thought this was a real eye catcher  The cool subdued colours of the planting – frosted greys, silvers & purples worked brilliantly against the vibrant turquoise of the garden carpet.

Monaco Garden:  designed by Sarah Erbele, for Prince Albert of Monaco

Here is a life-size replica of a roof garden from Monaco.  Stunningly cool composition of
architecture and planting.  It promoted the use of eucalyptus decking, a beautiful hardwood which is fast growing and totally sustainable.  Lavender has also been cleverly employed for a green roof.

In this blog we discuss the possible drawbacks with recreating your dream garden.

It’s that time of year again.  Once more crowds will flock to The Chelsea Flower Show.  Eager gardeners and avid horticulturalists will soak up the latest trends, and marvel at the giddying array of new gizmos as they seek inspiration for their own gardens.

The Chelsea Flower Show is the showcase for Gardening and the RHS.  With its fabulous show gardens, great ideas and trend setting products.

But if you’ve seen a show garden that takes your breath away – how can you take the concept home and transplant it in your own patch of land?  Let’s look to fashion for the first problem with this.

Picture yourself at London Fashion week as a gorgeous top model takes to the catwalk promoting this year’s ‘hot off the rail’ designs.  You might be thinking “I want that outfit!” But before you get your cheque book out, think. Will that outfit look the same on you?  Because, like it or not – we are all shaped differently.  One design might not look the same on you.

Transfer that to garden design and you can immediately see your first problem here can’t you? To recreate a show garden in all it’s glory needs careful thought.   To achieve show garden perfection can be a challenge.  Few plots start with a perfect rectangle and favourable conditions.

A garden should be a marriage of the visual and the sensory – but you might need to make some compromises if you’re seeking horticultural heaven in suburbia.

When we assess whether that garden feature or those plants are right for your garden, firstly as designers we need to consider a few things:-

Context & Character of your garden

For instance, does your garden have a woodland, urban or country feel?   Does it have historical context, i.e. Victorian, Edwardian etc. What emotional response does it evoke, e.g. is it spiritual in nature?

Consistent style creates unity

Look for hard landscaping materials that complement your house, keep to a limited palette and blend with a unified planting scheme.

Balance and proportion

Think about it does your garden possess the right proportions to squeeze in a Bunny Guinness or Diarmuid Gavin creation?

Most people are attracted to things that are visually balanced.  Paradoxically, with gardens this is often achieved through asymmetrical balance.  Using different forms and textures to create a visually pleasing composition.

Right plant right place

Those plants look gorgeous but will they thrive in the soil and aspect of your garden?  Happy plants live longer, look fabulous and need less attention from you.

Garden limitations

Much like your body – many people bow to nature and accept the odd idiosyncrasy or flaw in their garden.  That could include a very large tree perhaps not best placed.  What if your garden is on a slope, spends most of its day in partial shade or full sun?  A garden designer would need to take these factors into consideration.

A Garden Designer’s role is to fully appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of your garden, and to make the best possible use of the space.  And they will often show you how to manage it once the design is complete.  After all –if you’re the one looking after it, you’d want to ensure that it will stay looking amazing once the designer has packed up and gone home.

How you use your garden > function and mood

A show garden might wow the crowds at Chelsea  but will you really be able to live with it if you’ve got 4 kids and a crazy hound? Is that realistic?  Can you honestly bring that home to Suburbia without some compromises involved?  Will it be functional enough for you in the long run?

So yes do look to Chelsea for inspiration.  If you see your dream garden and want to recreate that back home, consider these factors before you make any major decisions

Zebra Grass will be at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show – some come along and say hello!

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2011

We’ll be at the BALI Stand  – number SR/18 near the Embankment entrance.

On Thursday 26^th and Friday 27th May, between 8am and 8pm

The Structural Reform Plan (SRP) has now been incorporated into the Business Plan and can be downloaded at http://ww2.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/what/business-planning/

August 2010

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The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was set up in 1993 in response to concerns over mass deforestation – the loss of irreplaceable forests and the habitats they provide.  It is difficult not to be aware of or see the effects of this destruction as our televisions are so often broadcasting the plight of orphaned primates or the effects on the Earth’s carbon balance. 

Timber products carrying the FSC logo are sourced from sustainable, well-managed forests. There are other certification schemes such as MTCC (Malaysian Timber Certification Council), SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification). Buying products endorsed by these schemes is really the only way we can buy in confidence knowing that we are not promoting illegal deforestation.

So you’d think by now that specifying or buying timber products that are certified from sustainable sources would be one of the simplest things we can do to help protect our precious resources, wouldn’t you?, …….well either there is still a lack of awareness or we blinker ourselves and find ways to justify our product choices regardless of source…..  because I was absolutely astounded to visit a large timber yard recently and see the amount of hardwood that is NOT certified.   

Ipe, Yellow Balau, Opepe, Cumaru – non of these carried the FSC logo. The issue seems to be that the timber suppliers try to get FSC certified wood but when this becomes difficult they continue to provide the same wood from non-FSC sources, and yes of course, the non-FSC wood is cheaper.

But who should take responsibility for stopping this process – the timber yards or the consumers (specifiers and buyers)?  

Relying on the consumer to change the buying habits of suppliers is a slow process and relies on awareness campaigns and ultimately the cost of products. Given the urgency of the need to stop this destruction why are there not regulations banning the import of non certified wood into the UK?   

The Forestry Commission’s regulations for importing wood are concerned only with plant health and the prevention of bringing diseased wood into the UK. They need to be widened. Forest destruction is a global disaster but we have to stop the demand for this wood in the UK.

I design gardens because I have a love of the environment and the pleasure it provides. I went to the timber yard with the intention of using Ipe wood, whilst it looked beautiful I will not be specifying this with the uncertainty that it may have been sourced from illegal logging. Massaranduba wood however is available from FSC sources, whether this will continue I don’t know but I urge anyone buying wood, or wood  products, to always check that it comes from a recognised certified source. 

http://www.fsc-uk.org/ – Forest Stewardship Council

http://www.pefc.org/ – Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification

http://www.sfiprogram.org/ – Sustainable Forestry Initiative

http://www.mtcc.com.my/ – Malaysian Timber Certification Council

Jill Crooks