Simple pleasures
My greatest success
It sounds counter-intuitive, but increasing
the amount of space for growing plants in
the garden has made it easier to look after.
The plants work together: they are
happy in each other’s company and knit
together so there’s little bare soil with
fewer opportunities for weeds, and
I don’t need to be outside constantly
with the watering can.Different shapes,
heights and
textures keep the
garden interesting
long after the
flowers fade.
Below: drawing
a plan and writing
a list of plants
you like is a good
way to start
I love f lowers. Seeing plants grow from
shoot to bloom to seedhead, and noticing
changes in the garden, day to day, and
week to week, fills me with joy. It’s difficult
to feel connected to nature when you only
see it through a car window or from under
an umbrella on the walk to work, but I’m
incredibly aware of it in my small city plot.
The garden established very quickly,
in less than 12 months, but it never gets
unruly. I planted what I planned to do
in spring and was outside enjoying it
by early summer.Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’ Achillea ‘Terracotta’
Eryngium
agavifoliumPerovskia
‘Blue Spire’Eryngium
agavifoliumSalvia ‘Amistad’Salvia nemorosa Achillea ‘Summerwine’ Achillea ‘Terracotta’
‘Amethyst’My ‘wild’ border
A pop of colour, loved
by pollinatorsTall planting
at the frontFirework
seedheadsLimited colour
paletteRepetition of shape
creates rhythm