flowerpotman Traditional wildlife friendly landscape gardeners
Being Eco friendly dosn't mean turning into Eco "Worriers" It's more about caring for our environment and trying to use sustainable products in our patio and decking, creating gardens we our family and visitors and wildlife can enjoy.
Something low maintenance, cottage garden, paved patio or decked area to relax, children's play area, herbaceous borders, vegetable plot, raised beds, sensory garden*,a nature pond or water feature creating a wildlife friendly area and pond. Contact Mike, mobile 07770 344656 night 01934 636410 mailto:mike@flowerpotman.com Landscape gardeners & garden designers
Landscapers in Weston super mare, Bristol, Bath, Taunton, Yeovil, Bridgwater, Portishead, Clevedon, Nailsea, Wells, Somerset, Devon,London .
Mike discussing a soggy area drainage problem and how to open up this end of a lovely garden in Yeovil area, Somerset
We installed a french drain system draining to a soakaway. The mix of flagstones and Decorative gravel allows run off into the drainage system
The steps (our clients design) opened up the area and a rainy day in Yeovil area, Somerset tested the garden drainage.
Digging the soakaway for land drainage in Bath in Somerset
No job is to small, gravel and turf in Bristol
Or to big clearing concrete in Somerset
Decking in Wells.
Lawn turf laid over lawn drainage in Somerset
Garden and Landscape Design Plans Garden design, Planting Plans, Companion planting, Hard landscaping, landscape designers
First stage Garden design plan for illustration only
Design stage Landscape design plan (illustration only)
THE FIRST VISIT Meet up and talk over your ideas and have a look at the site and agree a meeting to prepare a detailed brief and the basis of the design. Site Survey. We will usually carry this out but for large scale changes in levels a report by a Land Surveyor may be needed.
DESIGN This meeting sets out the proposals for the garden, including areas of hard landscaping and planting. The plan is discussed and agreed with you and any changes will made at this stage. After agreeing the outline a Layout Plan is drawn up showing the position of the main features and how the garden is to be set out and constructed. Its the basis for us or a landscaper of your choice to build your Garden from and costs about £600
CONSTRUCTION Construction Drawings - if necessary, separate drawings can be provided of water features etc. Contractors - If you choose your own landscape gardeners, we can monitor the work and visit the site on a regular basis to ensure that work is being carried out to our design.
PLANTING Planting plans will detail the name of each plant, position, spacing for planting and quantities required and cost about £150. Supply and Planting - We can source the plants, and if required plant them.
MAINTENANCE GARDENERS We can arrange the services of local maintenance gardener for gardens we have worked on the landscape in Weston, Bristol, Bath, Taunton, Yeovil and Wells area.
We just want to talk about our own landscape design ideas and get a price for the construction work. I can work to your own landscape design and will be pleased to give a free quote.for garden landscape construction only .
Herbaceous border added colour to this garden in Weston super mare
Designers and landscapers quotes "R" free
Herbaceous borders are an informal mix of old fashioned cottage garden plants, Fox gloves, Pinks, Lavenders, and many more. Herbaceous borders are ideal planted bordering the patio or decking, attracting birds and butterflies. Wherever possible as traditional landscape gardeners and garden designers, we choose plants that offer nectar and pollen. the old cottage plants, because they attract bees and butterflies and most are perennials or self seeding .
A Cottage garden is good for you when you are feeling a bit tired and low. Wander in with a bottle or two of red wine, close the gate, sit on the old bench in the shade of the white Lilac bush and enjoy its sweet perfume, gather a bunch of the sweet pea that sprawls over the dry stone wall. Let your eyes follow the red rambling rose weaving and spreading its welcome over the doorway to your home, take a sip or two or three of the wine. It wont take long before you see again how perfectly shaped and coloured the Hollyhocks and Wallflowers are and how cool the grass and flagstones feel and how painters, writers and poets would be inspired by your gardening skills in creating such an oasis of colour, scent and texture,
Cottage garden, Sensory or English country garden planting plan for Spring and Summer with some colour for Autumn and Winter. prices start at £150 (first meeting is free) now also in Bristol,Taunton, Yeovil , Wells and the Bridgwater area.
A cottage garden, unplanned mass of colour?
Once upon a time along time ago, Cottage gardeners grew herbs (to treat common ailments), fruit and vegetables (fresh organic fruit and vedge to eat) and crops to feed the chickens ( fresh eggs for breakfast) Cottage garden and wild flowers seeded themselves everywhere (decoration and air fresheners for the cottage) . Pathways were laid between the planting areas widening now and then for wooden and some times local stone seats and benches to be placed to rest and take in the colour, feel the textures and smell the perfume in the air, relieving the day to day stresses of life ( natures anti depressants).Terra-cotta pots, old metal pails and watering cans were sometimes left to rust away around the garden.(we buy them ready aged nowadays)
Some gardening writers and a few garden designers will tell you that cottage gardens had no formality, no design or planting plan, the gardens I played in and explored did ! !. Paved areas to sit, pathways through the fruit and vegetable plots and on to the chicken run, duck pond and the pig sty. Even the compost heap and the ash hill were carefully sited between to very productive plum trees. Some formality was essential because cottage folk depended on the garden for almost everything they ate, sold and swapped. "They weren't second omes in they there days, were e'm me old butt" as a landscaping gardener even older than I am once said to me . Today's cottage gardens need some structure too , pathways between the flowerbeds, herbs growing by your kitchen door in pots and tubs or in a bed, so they are close at hand for cooking and medicine. Some herbs will be planted in the vegetable patch for companion planting to combat pests (read my article). Paved seating areas to sit, relax and enjoy your garden from. It will be be a full of colour, textures and scent. Herbaceous plants are planted wherever there is a space and left to self seed to shut out weeds. Hollyhocks and other tall plants look good growing near walls and fences - but also plant them anywhere in your borders not just at the back of the border .Fill gaps by sowing Snapdragons, Poppies and Cornflowers. Try not to include modern hybrids and double flowers they are not traditional cottage garden plants and offer wildlife nothing at all. In late Autumn leave the seed spikes for the birds to eat the seeds and for the plants to self-seed . The taller spikes still add lovely autumn browns and orange colours to your garden, they also sparkle on a frosty morning and will eventually be taken down into the soil by worms, providing food for next seasons. Filling every little gap and leaving nature to do the rest will mean very little garden maintenance and weeding.
What I suppose I am saying is this. Don't be afraid to pre-plan your cottage garden. It will look better for it, Have a planting plan that will fill every gap with flowers, herbs, fruit and vegetables. Have path ways leading to paved sitting areas . Good planning and structure won't look formal. It will be a garden you, your guests, your family and our wildlife will feel comfortable in. Just like the real cottagers did, Once upon a time along time ago.
You are welcome to use this article on your website as long as you reprint it as is, You must include an active link back to my website, http://www.flowerpotman.com
Cottage garden, Sensory or English country garden planting plan for Spring and Summer with some colour for Autumn and Winter. Free quotes in the Weston,Bristol,Bath,Taunton,Yeovil,Clevedon,Portishead,Nailsea,Bridgwater,Wells and Somerset area.
changing your garden design Click for a few landscape gardeners DIY tips
Sensory Gardens
You may have seen,touched and smelt the atmosphere and aroma of sensory garden areas in parks, schools and care homes.Sensory gardens are now becoming popular in home gardens, providing a wide range of sensory experiences (smell, touch, vision, hearing) normally including a bench to sit and enjoy the range of experiences. Ask your landscape gardener and garden designer to include an area, as sensory gardens encourages us and our kids to touch and feel plants and sometimes even small structures like water features are included in the design and can appeal to more than just the 5 basic senses, gravity (changes in height, slopes), temperature, space and the changes between areas in the garden.
Here are some ideas for the different senses you can make use of in a sensory garden:
Seeing. Colourful plants which change through the seasons are a delight. Watch the changing colour of the leaves and berries. Most flowers are very colourful during the summer, whilst many trees will blossom in spring before their leaves turn to shades of gold, brown and red in the autumn. The changes in colour and appearance of wet and dry Paved pathways also add colour.Shapes are also important in a sensory garden.Crazy paving and rough-cut flags. The distinctive shape of oak and sycamore trees, flowers such as the daisy and poppy; varied fruits of fruit trees. Movement catches the eye to, so maybe add trees such as willow .A fountain or waterfall will add movement and attract birds rustling feathers as they bath
Hearing. There will be plenty of sound to listen too, the natural sounds of wind in the trees, wildlife sounds. shallow stream or a waterfall even wind chimes.
Smell. Plant a mix of plants and flowers which give off different scents. Ones you can smell without touching, honeysuckle and roses, some you will need to "get up close to" like daffodils and violets and some you will have to "get up very close to and gently crush them" mint and most herbs come to mind.
Touch. Texture is very important in your sensory garden both rough and smooth (mosses,lichens,holly leaves, rivened stone and smooth pebbles, leaves, slate) and the stuff nature will provide like frog spawn and caterpillars.
Taste. Be careful with this one ! only include berries and fruits which you are sure are safe to eat. I was given this tip by a very rich widow I know !!!
Go for it. A sensory garden will attract plenty of wildlife. Small areas or large gardens will provide habitat for wildlife and delight your senses, in a small area you would probably not plant oak trees or encourage nettles but big or small give it a try.
No area is to small, We recently created and planted a sensory garden in Bristol area using flowerpots and containers.
Mike Ballard You are welcome to use this article on your website as long as you reprint it as is, You must include an active link back to my website, http://www.flowerpotman.com
Sensory garden planting plan for your own garden for next Spring and Summer prices start at £150 (first meeting is free) now also in Bristol, Taunton, Yeovil , Wells and the Bridgwater area.
Companion planting Natural pest control for Eco-friendly Gardeneners
The colour may be different,the shape may be different but the taste will be different !!
Organic gardening is simply growing plants without the use of pesticides or herbicides, instead relying upon insects, birds, shade, sun and trying and testing a combination of all things natural. It can be fun it can be rewarding ,the taste, the satisfaction of harvesting fruit or vegetables that you know are fresh and arn't full of pesticides and herbicides. The colour may be different, the shape may be different and the taste will be different !!
Companion planting, the organic landscape gardeners pest control
By growing numerous types of crops you create a habitat for beneficial insects and animals, deter problem pests, and enrich your soil. Companion planting isn't new,it can be traced back to ancient Roman times and probably all the way back to the beginning of gardening . Just to survive, just to get food on to the table the ancient gardener and farmers must have used organic gardening companion planting plans before the arrival of Eco warriors, pesticides had not been invented !!. Maybe thats why folk living in Faulkland have all got healthy rosy cheeks
Try the old tried and tested, Corn, Squash and Bean combination in a small corner of your garden andtaste the difference.
By separating crops you create a garden dependent on pesticides or herbicides, Take a walk in a local wood or a field that has been left to nature, even a disused petrol forecourt, runway or old factory gradually turning back to green and see natural harmony at work There are bugs that feed the birds, small mammals managing ground growth, and larger mammals including badgers and foxes managing the smaller ones. Every garden needs birds and wild animals. As well as being a pleasure to watch, the birds eat greenfly and caterpillars from your plants, animals (badgers and hedgehogs) eat slugs and snails . Also, as the farming countryside becomes more and more hostile to wildlife, domestic gardens are becoming an increasingly important habitat for our wildlife . This is the environment that can be created in your garden, making it harmonious for birds and the bees and providing a peaceful place to grow things to eat and a relaxing place sit with family and friends . This dosn't mean you have to let your garden become over grown with weeds, they need to be controlled, some are beneficial but all weeds should be removed before they go to seed. Being Eco friendly dosn't mean going to extremes. It dosn't mean turning into Eco Worriers , we can still have a patio or decking. It does mean caring about our environment and it does mean having a garden we and our family and visitors can enjoy or what would be the point.
Try these Eco friendly landscape gardeners tips for greenfly and slugs
Greenfly don't like lavender. Any plant that attracted greenfly I manually squish them off but also tried smearing crushed lavender leaf on the infested area it worked. Greenfly/blackfly dont like Nasturtians and Marigolds try planting them between the Broadbeans.
Because the carrot fly finds its way to Carrot seedlings by smell I planted rows of garlic between my carrots having a strong smelling plant close by confuses the carrot fly . It worked for me, try it. For the same reason Lavender and garlic are good companion plants for roses too.
Slug repellent plant? Cant think of a plant but jam jars sunk into the soil around lettuce plants and part filled with beer work, slugs love it and probably die happier than if they were poisoned with slug pellets. Safer too for birds and hedgehogs.( I dont think 'organic' slug pellets are any better ), Another good and wildlife friendly way, is to put sharp sand around the edge of pots or in rows along side seedlings - the slugs don't like crossing the sand. An Old landscape gardener I know sujjests putting copper wire around the top of plant pots is supposed to stop slugs too - I've never tried it, let me know if it works.
Encourage birds, frogs and hedgehogs into your garden, they eat slugs and snails.
Picking them up and throwing them over the wall might work for you but wont help your relationship with neighbours . Mike Ballard You are welcome to use this article on your website as long as you reprint it as it is, You must include an active link back to my website, http://www.flowerpotman.com
Compost, made from decomposed grass clippings, leaves, twigs, and branches, becomes a lovely dark, crumbly mixture of organic matter.Anyone can make good quality compost following the simple basics (How to make compost) on my tips page No garden, you can still make compost from kitchen waste. How to make a Wormery (Bin with worms in it)
Planting plans and companion planting plans for Organic gardeners and landscape gardeners to help with natural control of garden pests.
In an Emergency every second counts, make sure your house number is clear day or night. Help the Emergency Services. Taxis, Landscapers, Visitors, Doctors, Postmen find you From £10 http://www.reflectivehousenumbers.co.uk
Greener gardens: a quick guide
Controlling pests and weeds: greener choices
Saving water in the garden
More on greener gardens...
Difficult, damp corner.
The natural stone made the design easy, a water feature
Garden pond and water feature design and build Leaks in ponds repaired by flowerpotman landscapers.
&
Pond maintenance tips Algae,Safe water plants,plants to avoid in nature ponds, bog garden plants
Olivers happy no leaks in this Rock stream
The crackedpot
An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.
At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house." The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?" "That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them."
For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house." Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.
Wasps sting TIP avoid wearing bright colours or floral patterns. If you look like a big flower, you may be attracting the curious wasp looking for nectar.
Colours
you have in your flower borders say a lot about you... .Orange is sexy too its the colour off physical enjoyment and fiery passion. Wild Rabbit Control making your own compost heap. Organic gardening . Keeping dogs and cats off your garden . Plants for late summer. Urban fox humane control. Fox mange. Wasps
Garden clearance, Rubbish removal, Tree pruning, Hedge trimming, General gardening services and Garden maintenance by a gardener who knows the difference between a weed and your favorite plant or shrub 07770344656 this is a separate service to our landscaping in North Somerset,Taunton, Yeovil, Wells and Bridgwater area.
