A Week in the life of a Garden Designer

Why is it that January appears to go on and on forever, but as soon as February appears it is almost over? My favourite time of year is spring, and February usually brings the start so I will forgive the random weather we have, including the snow.

As with many of my working weeks, this one is full of variety. I start with a day of paperwork and invoicing, emails and preparation.

Day 2 is an outside day. Pruning some winter shrubs and a small hazel, Corylus ‘Purpurea’.  Some general tidying up and weeding that should have been done last year.  It is actually a really mild and lovely day. I was serenaded by a robin, well that’s what I like to think, but in reality, he was probably quite cross with me for messing with his shrub.

The most exciting thing today was that I uncovered a hedgehog’s nest. It looked like a very big pile of leaves which I thought was odd, and when I gently started to look, I discovered a hedgehog sized dip in the ground underneath. Fortunately, after some research I think it was his summer nest, so it was unoccupied, and I didn’t upset him too. I left it there just in case it is needed again this summer.

On to some tree planting next. An old dead one had to be dug up. It was a fairly young tree, but I suspect the heat from the very hot summer we had in 2022 had not helped it establish. We often think that watering is the key on hot summer days, but some plants just cannot take the heat and there is not much we can do about that*. But tree planting is one of my favourite jobs. It is so satisfying to think the tree you plant should be there for so many years to come.

Another day of planning and preparing orders for gardens to be planted next month. This is really enjoyable to do, working out what to put in planters. How best to design some new beds. Re-designing some old beds.

Next week I will be doing some last minute mulching, starting to cut back deciduous grasses, I may prune a wisteria and its time to place some orders.

 *There is plenty we can do about climate change, but not about the heat a plant will tolerate.

Helleborus hybridus