Arts and Crafts Gem – Le Bois des Moutiers
An early example of Edwin Lutyens domestic architecture - with a Gertrude Jekyll garden, the only one in France, Varengeville-sur-Mer, near Dieppe. Our visit was a bit late in the season to catch [...]
Le Jardin Plume
Took a trip to Normandy to see Le Jardin Plume. It does not disappoint. This is a proper, well proportioned, elegant garden. Its hedges are crisp and its planting exuberant. Even on an [...]
September Gardening Tips
A September flower border designed for rich colours, contrasted with silvery herbs and wispy grasses. Love your insects: September is the month butterflies and bees are active in the garden. Look [...]
Lake and meadow landscape design
There are two areas of meadow, both from seed sown in the wet autumn 2012. One is a wildflower mix with grass and the other a pictorial meadow called 'Purple Haze' which has [...]
Wilmslow garden design in summer
August brings out the flowers in this garden which was only planted in April. Sunshine has made all the difference. That and the owners working hard to keep up with the watering. [...]
August Gardening Tips
After all that lovely sun the rain does come as something of a relief to those of us looking after pots or anything newly planted. Hydrangeas are the flowering stars of this month, [...]
July Gardening Tips
Meadows are looking great this time of year. This month’s tips include some advice on how to maintain a wildflower meadow if you have one, and some suggestions of a planting mix which [...]
The Dower House garden, Morville
Cheshire Gardens Trust visited Katherine Swift's garden, the Dower House, Morville. The sun shone. The cow parsley was head high. Dreamy and glorious.
Before and After
A completed garden, very recently planted. The rectangular site was made to feel larger by curving the borders in and out again. There is a utility area at the back behind the trellis. Spring and [...]
New lake
This morning I stood in the sunshine and watched swallows racing and dipping over the lake in this garden on the edge of the Peak District. It was designed in the spring of [...]
June Gardening Tips
Irises and water: Irises can be confusing, there are a great many different ones but the ones that concern us here are the ones that flower from mid summer and like the damp. [...]
May Gardening Tips
The importance of an East facing bench in your garden will become apparent in May. To sit outside in the morning sun, albeit well wrapped up, with a cup of good coffee and contemplate the [...]
April Gardening Tips
“Gardeners have a lifetime of second chances - each Spring is a new beginning” Dr. Katherine Swift Green garden: At some point the snow and ice will retreat and the Spring will accelerate [...]
March Gardening Tips
March according to the saying comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Well, it can be unpredictable with lions dominating and lambs not getting much of a look-in. But [...]
High Peak Reflections Article
One of my garden designs see (High and Wild) has been featured in an article in Home Building and Renovating magazine: View the pdf >
February Gardening Tips
At last, it’s goodbye to January’s snow and there’s a chance of getting some gardening done without frostbite. Snowdrops are coming through, hellebores are flowering, and on a sunny day, go gaze at a crocus. [...]
Colour in the January Garden
It has been snowing. It is very cold, the ground is iron hard. But there is colour in the garden. This time of year shrubs really earn their keep. Mahonia has been in flower since [...]
January gardening tips
Fresh year ahead! Fresh resolve - I am going to get done all those projects that have been in mind for months past. When the good weather comes your garden will be ready and waiting [...]