How I work
Beautiful gardens, naturally
High standards and a living garden aren't opposites. Here's how I actually work.
I have a strong preference against synthetic herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers. Not as a principle to lecture people about — because in most small gardens there's a better answer, and the better answer usually lasts longer.
Spraying a weed kills the weed. Working out why that patch keeps growing weeds — compacted soil, too much shade, bare ground over winter — stops it coming back. The second one is more interesting, and it's less work over a few years.
What I do differently
Feed the soil, not the plant
Most struggling plants are telling you something about the ground they're in. Compost, mulch and leaving the soil covered do more over a season than a bottle of feed does in a fortnight.
For example: A mulch of home-made compost in early spring, rather than granular feed in June.
Hand weeding and mulch before anything else
Most weeds in a domestic border are a bare-soil problem. Get something growing or something covering the ground, and the problem shrinks every year instead of coming back every spring.
For example: Bark or compost on a newly cleared border, rather than leaving it bare.
Leave something for the wildlife
A garden can be immaculate and still be alive. Usually that's a corner left long, a hedge cut at the right time of year, or seedheads left standing over winter — none of which stop the rest of the garden looking sharp.
For example: Not cutting a hedge between March and August if there's a nest in it.
Companion planting where it earns its place
Some combinations genuinely help — with pests, with pollination, or just with using the space better. Others are folklore. I'll tell you which is which.
For example: Poached egg plant near the veg for hoverflies, which eat aphids.
Right plant, right place
Half of garden problems are a plant in the wrong spot working very hard to stay alive. Moving it is usually cheaper and more effective than propping it up.
For example: Moving a hydrangea out of full afternoon sun rather than watering it twice a day.
Where I'd make an exception
I'm not absolutist about it. If there's Japanese knotweed, or a serious infestation that's going to cost you a hedge, I'll tell you honestly what the options are — including the ones I'd rather not use. What I won't do is reach for a spray as the first answer to an ordinary garden problem, or use anything without telling you.
Questions people ask
Want a gardener who'll explain what they're doing?
Give me a ring. I'm happy to talk through anything you're unsure about.