Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.9, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Jack Wallington | Nature & Gardens nature, landscape and garden design in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://www.jackwallington.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Why it's time to rethink our most sustainable usable surface](https://www.jackwallington.com/jack-on-lawns-rethinking-this-sustainable-usable-surface/) - I seem to be thinking about lawns more than is healthy, and I'm not the only one. I'm trying not to use the term 'turf war' but it feels appropriate, and everyone seems to be sticking their trowel in. Over the last few years the lawn has come under attack, pulled one way and the - [Five years of Hebden Bridge](https://www.jackwallington.com/five-years-of-hebden-bridge/) - "Time flies when you're having fun," Chris said when I asked him what I should write for this post, along with it's been "five happy years." That's the time that's passed since we moved here to the day, on 20 February 2021. A quarter of our relationship, 11.3% of my life lived in Yorkshire. Though - [How our long border has evolved over time](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-our-long-border-has-evolved-over-time/) - I've been looking back over my old photos while planning our garden for the coming year and with hindsight the garden's gradual evolution is interesting, to me at least. Our long border in particular (which is not long at all at only 6 metres by 1 metre) surprised me by how much it has changed - [Ban peat: legislation shouldn't be this hard](https://www.jackwallington.com/legislation-shouldnt-be-this-difficult/) - The UK horticulture industry's growth is currently being harmed by the Labour Government's inaction in implementing the heavily supported peat compost ban (view and sign the latest petition here). This ban has been 26 years in the making, or longer. While the Labour Government recently committed to the ban, they also said "when time allows". - [How to grow pink oyster mushrooms without plastic](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-pink-oyster-mushrooms-without-plastic/) - I've recently been getting into growing edible mushrooms at home, including the delicious lion's mane fungi. What strikes me is the large amounts of single use plastic involved for certain mushrooms; home kits come in plastic wrappers; professional kits come in multiple components wrapped in plastic; it's suggested for sterility to use single use plastic - [Should we stop comparing fungi to apples?](https://www.jackwallington.com/should-we-stop-comparing-fungi-to-apples/) - I love fungi, looking for them in autumn is one of the things I look forward to most all year. You don't even need to identify them to enjoy looking at them, in their wonderful colours and shapes. However I have increasing concerns about over picking of fungi from the wild. I don't want to - [How to figure out if a compost brand is good or not and the brands of peat free compost I use](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-figure-out-if-a-compost-brand-is-good-or-not/) - Around the world the vast majority of plants on earth grow in a mix of mineral soil and composted organic matter - only those in peatland grow in peat. Over the last ten years I have grown almost every plant and crop available to home gardeners more than successfully in peat free compost using a - [Renewables and protected natural habitats - thoughts on Walshaw Moor energy park](https://www.jackwallington.com/renewables-and-protected-natural-habitats-thoughts-on-walshaw-moor-energy-park/) - I bloody love wind turbines! They look beautiful - modernist windmills generating future electricity for minimal cost. They are one of the greatest symbols of hope that humanity has ever created. More energy pulses around the earth in the form of wind and solar than humanity will ever need - and people have invented the - [September gardening ideas: end of summer](https://www.jackwallington.com/september-garden-ideas-end-of-summer-month-ten/) - Throughout my life, people have described, without fail, sunny spells in September as an Indian summer. At what point do we decide that actually, it's simply still UK summer? It may be the end of the season, blurring into autumn, but our climate is changed and with it, our seasons. I love this time of - [July gardening ideas: mid summer](https://www.jackwallington.com/july-gardening-ideas-mid-summer-month-eight/) - I like to think of midsummer's eve, the summer solstice, as the top of a mountain we glide off, riding the warmer air as we coast for the next few months toward autumn. It's the best time of the year and there's no reason to despair at shortening days when we have so many long - [Why the UK needs a national map of potential wind farm, solar farm and housing sites](https://www.jackwallington.com/why-the-uk-needs-a-national-map-of-potential-wind-farm-solar-farm-and-housing-sites/) - Update May 2025... Since I posted this article and sent it to various Government departments and MPs, the Government's Department Natural England has now released an interactive map of peatlands across England, this is a fantastic new step in understanding land across the UK to make more informed decisions. Blog post explaining the new data - [Allotment month 12: proof is in the potatoes](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-12-proof-is-in-the-potatoes/) - It's been a year since I was given my 125 sq metre allotment and what a wonderful, soulful, reflective, fun, heartening year it has been! It's been a hell of a lot of hard work which, while not converting into an equal output of produce, has satisfied my need to grow-our-own tenfold. Before and after When I - [Small garden design: consider how you will use your outdoor space](https://www.jackwallington.com/small-garden-design-consider-the-use-of-space/) - What's most important to you and your small garden: planting? A place to sit? A place to dine? A place to sunbathe or play sport? No matter the size of garden, the place I always start is with the question: how do you want to use the space? You probably already have some ideas about - [April gardening ideas: spring is here](https://www.jackwallington.com/april-gardening-ideas-spring-is-here-month-five/) - In the UK, early April is my marker in the year when I know everything needs to be ready and most seeds need to be sown. Choose any week or weekend in April for this purpose to block out a number of days to get everything set for the year ahead. This blitz of action - [January gardening ideas: mid-winter](https://www.jackwallington.com/winter-january-gardening-ideas-month-two/) - I love winter, especially on cold crisp days when the world can be seen with such clarity. These are the months to prepare and plan, to prune, weed and add dormant plants ready for the burst of life in spring to come. Preparation Weeding: now is the best time to get into plantings and weed - [March gardening ideas: signs of spring](https://www.jackwallington.com/signs-of-spring-march-gardening-ideas-month-four/) - You know spring is on its way as daylight hours lengthen, temperatures warm and while the snowdrops (Galanthus) and early Crocus tomassianus are finishing, daffodils (Narcissus) and the wave of other spring bulbs are hitting their stride. Ready, steady, wait... then sow! Begin sowing seeds indoors: there's no escaping that March and April are the - [February gardening ideas: end of winter](https://www.jackwallington.com/winter-february-gardening-ideas-month-three/) - I really love the end weeks of winter, which in the UK is February and very occasionally stretching into the first week or two of March, particularly in the northern regions, where our garden is based. It's a time before gardens really start growing but much is actually now happening and this month gives you - [1,000 Landscapes Project](https://www.jackwallington.com/1000-landscapes/) - Over the last few years I've been learning to draw and paint landscapes better, and across 2025 I aim to accelerate that practice by attempting to create 1,000 Landscapes. Inspired by Calderdale with its twisting and turning hills and valleys, where every view is unexpected and every day different, I think of it as the - [Britain has an arts funding crisis](https://www.jackwallington.com/britain-has-an-arts-funding-crisis/) - Everyone loves art in one form or another, from music to writing, dance to drawing, garden design to poetry, acting and performance to comedy or processions. In the UK, we've been proud of our art scene, it's a huge part of our culture. Driven by artistic talent nurtured lovingly at the heart of our communities, - [Can the UK re-introduce pet licences?](https://www.jackwallington.com/can-the-uk-re-introduce-pet-licences/) - There's something about the partnership with pets that I love, when the animal is put first, as they should be, it can be wonderful for them and the people who look after them. It feels like a relationship with parts of nature that humanity can continue to explore over the coming millennia. But when pets - [Our escape to the country](https://www.jackwallington.com/our-escape-to-the-country/) - In May 2024 Chris and I were filmed for a small segment on BBC's Escape to the Country. Nicki Chapman wanted to pop over to ask how our move back in February 2021 had gone to give some advice to another couple thinking of moving to the area near us. It rained quite a bit, - [How to grow tomatoes in a polytunnel](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-tomatoes-in-a-polytunnel/) - Recently Chris and I were saying how fantastic our polytunnel has been, it’s a few years old now, is as good as new, and allows us to grow a range of crops better than would be possible without it. In particular, tomatoes, which we both love. Any polytunnel or unheated greenhouse are used in pretty - [Artist spotlight with Charlie Ford](https://www.jackwallington.com/artist-spotlight-with-charlie-ford/) - I'd like to introduce you to Charlie Ford, if you don't already know him. Charlie Ford is one of my favourite artists, we met when Chris and I first moved to Hebden Bridge at his exhibition at Wainsgate Chapel, an artist hub that we volunteer at. I was immediately drawn to Charlie's precise, contemporary style. - [9 reasons why biodiversity is essential to climate and human life](https://www.jackwallington.com/9-reasons-to-restore-nature-now/) - Throughout my life I've felt the same question from society, sometimes people actually ask me it, other times I can simply tell people think it because of the way they behave with a lack of care for life. The question is... "What's the point in protecting nature?" To me the answer is both obvious and - [19 things at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024](https://www.jackwallington.com/19-things-at-rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2024/) - The vibe this year during Chelsea press day was very much relaxed, enjoyable and a sense that Chelsea had a small bit of its mojo back after a couple of post-pandemic years. It was of course helped by a glorious sunny day. Perhaps Chelsea this year felt better because some of the pressure to be - [Allotment plan 2024](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-plan-2024/) - This week I finally plucked up the enthusiasm to work out the plan for our allotment in 2024, shown below. I rotate the crops in light green, and I've moved some of the perennial stuff at the bottom around. Mainly to move the perennial veg up the slope making it easier to care for, and - [Five examples of when not to prune](https://www.jackwallington.com/five-examples-of-when-not-to-prune/) - I've been watching all of the posts on social media recently instructing us to prune this and prune that. You'd think if you didn't prune something the world would end! Now, I hold my hands up to being guilty of contributing to this great prunathon with articles on the topic. It is true, that one - [Small garden design: become familiar with your outdoor space](https://www.jackwallington.com/small-garden-design-become-familiar-with-your-space/) - For twenty years I lived in small flats with the tiniest (and often non-existent!) outdoor spaces, from rented rooms with metre wide shared balconies to others with only space for a windowbox. Eventually, in our thirties we were able to save enough of a deposit to buy our own flat which came with a small - [13 tips to help allotment newbies... by an allotment newbie!](https://www.jackwallington.com/13-tips-to-help-allotment-newbies-by-an-allotment-newbie/) - Taking on an allotment for the first time is exciting and scary. I know because I've just done it - I've had my first allotment for a year and guess what, it was fine :) Yours will be too. Below are some of my tips for allotment newbies to help speed you on your way to fruit - [How to grow ferns from spores](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-ferns-from-spores/) - Ferns are very easy to grow from spores and although it takes a number of years, it's rewarding and you can grow huge numbers of ferns for free! Grow along with me following the below steps. Join my Wild Way newsletter Basic biology of fern reproduction Ferns are among the most ancient of plants and - [The importance and benefits of keeping fallen leaves around plants](https://www.jackwallington.com/the-importance-and-benefits-of-keeping-fallen-leaves-around-plants/) - One of the pieces of advice the gardening world has got wrong over the years is about picking up fallen leaves from around plants. While it makes sense to sweep autumn leaves from paths to stop slipping and to rake it off of lawns to avoid shading damage to the grass, it is incorrect to - [How to coppice hazel for bean poles and pea stick supports](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-coppice-hazel-for-bean-poles-and-pea-stick-supports/) - Hazel's true name is Corylus avellana, it's one of our best known wild trees all across Europe. It's been closely tied to humans because of its use in building, fencing and thatch. To grow stems that are straight and roughly the same size, our ancient ancestors struck on the woodland craft of coppicing, to cut - [How to grow organic purple sprouting broccoli and cook it](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-and-cook-organic-purple-sprouting-broccoli/) - It wasn't until I started growing my own vegetables I even clocked that purple sprouting broccoli existed. In the supermarkets you can readily buy the green types and I had - wrongly - assumed these were just normal broccoli, picked younger or something. In fact, sprouting broccoli is an entirely distinct cultivar in the Brassica - [Sustainable plant nurseries](https://www.jackwallington.com/sustainable-environmental-plant-nurseries/) - I have always bought my plants from as many independent nurseries as I can, the passionate, talented growers who make our gardens so wonderful and diverse. While it's impossible to always buy plants that have been raised in peat free compost or without pesticides, I've been making an increased effort to focus on those that - [Infected cuts and bites from gardening](https://www.jackwallington.com/infected-cuts-and-bites-from-gardening/) - WARNING THIS POST CONTAINS SOME GRAPHIC PHOTOS OF AN INFECTED BITE On Tuesday, during a photoshoot for Gardeners' World magazine, something in our garden bit me, but it was a nothing bite, tiny and I forgot about it. Later in the week, I was down in London to meet my literary agent and I noticed - [Why I will no longer be drawn into the false narrative on peat free compost](https://www.jackwallington.com/jack-on-composts-why-i-will-no-longer-be-drawn-into-the-false-narrative-on-peat-free-compost/) - I will no longer be drawn into the false narrative on peat free vs peat compost comparisons. Over the last ten years I've been using peat free compost in increasingly large quantities each year to grow every type of vegetable and the majority of ornamental plants available to gardeners, including a number of acid loving - [17 reasons to avoid fake lawns - how bad is artificial grass for the environment?](https://www.jackwallington.com/17-reasons-to-avoid-fake-lawns-how-bad-is-artificial-grass-for-the-environment/) - I never design gardens with fake grass for aesthetic, experiential and environmental reasons. That said, some of my clients do still choose to install it, as do some of my friends and family, which makes this blog post a tad awkward to write. I don't mean to make people feel bad for choosing astro turf - [How to take hardwood cuttings for free plants](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-take-hardwood-cuttings-for-free-plants/) - Many trees and shrubs can be grown from hardwood cuttings, roses being one of the most common examples. Exactly as you'd expect, hard wood cuttings are lengths of woody stems covered in bark and usually planted in the dormant season when leaves have dropped between late-autumn through to late-winter. Every year I cut back my - [How to grow chillies and peppers from seed organically](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-organic-chillies-peppers-for-the-unadventurous-palette/) - Chillies and peppers are a really easy to grow, easy to use and easy to store set of edibles. Both chillies and peppers are closely related, grown in a similar way. They love warmth and for chillies, reward with giving it back! Chillies can pack a lot of heat, but come in a range of - [How to grow onions and shallots organically from seed](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-onions-and-shallots-organically-from-seed/) - Growing onions and shallots organically from seed is easy, cheap and fun. In this post I will detail each step from seed packet to plate, you can grow along with me! Sign up to my Wild Way newsletter for updates on this and other grow along posts. I used to grow onions from sets but - [How to multiply snowdrops like a pro - planting and dividing](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-multiply-snowdrops-like-a-pro-planting-dividing/) - Snowdrops are one of my favourite flowers in the garden, the regular Galanthus nivalis is about as perfect a plant as can exist. With a beautiful white flower with green markings that, unusually, hangs upside down on a fine stem, coupled with narrow pale green leaves. Regular snowdrops are inexpensive so you can buy quite - [How to grow annual Persicaria orientalis from seed](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-annual-persicaria-orientalis-from-seed/) - One of the Persicaria we're not judging on the RHS Persicaria Trial Forum is Persicaria orientalis because it's an annual while the rest are perennial (trials are on hold for now due to lockdown). For inexplicable reasons this plant is also called Kiss Me Over The Garden Gate. It's fast become one of my favourite - [How to grow hardwood cuttings](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-hardwood-cuttings/) - Hardwood cuttings are an easy way of taking pieces of woody stem of shrubs, some trees and climbers to grow new plants. It’s done when plants are dormant in winter, when they’ve dropped their leaves. Use hardwood cuttings to grow more Buddleja, hydrangea, elderflower, cornus, jasmine, honeysuckle, gooseberries, roses, figs and currants. Check online to - [How to create carpets of colour, Cluny House Gardens, Scotland](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-create-carpets-of-colour-cluny-house-gardens-scotland/) - One sunny afternoon in late-April, while working on a remote landscape design in Scotland, I took the opportunity to pop into Cluny House Garden in Perthshire. What I discovered is nothing short of remarkable. A private hillside garden open to the public, Cluny is a heavily sloped and densely shaded woodland garden where seedlings are - [Early spring flowering plants at Stillingfleet Lodge Garden and Nursery, York](https://www.jackwallington.com/stillingfleet-lodge-garden-and-nursery-york/) - Stillingfleet Lodge, on the outskirts of York, is a garden that has been managed organically for wildlife for the best part of 50 years, recently named the most Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable business at the York Tourism awards 2023. It sat at the top of my list of local gardens to visit when we moved - [How to grow Lysimachia atropurpurea 'Beaujolais' from seed](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-lysimachia-atropurpurea-beaujolais-from-seed/) - A number of years ago RHS Chelsea Flower Show was filled with a new flower, Lysimachia atropurpurea 'Beaujolais'. Grown among grasses, the foliage dissolves with snaking blackcurrant purple and pink spires rising from the froth. Everyone was talking about it and I was hooked, ordering seeds from Chiltern Seeds to sow that spring. In our - [5 steps to a floofy patio that controls weeds organically and permanently](https://www.jackwallington.com/5-steps-to-a-floofy-patio-that-controls-weeds-organically-and-permanently/) - Do you have a patio that constantly has weeds coming up between the slabs? Perhaps some of them have tough chunky roots squashed into the tight cracks and it's impossible to get them out? There's no need to turn to weedkiller thanks to my five step plan to go from weedy to flower-filled floofy in - [How to prune salvias and when to do it - three pruning groups](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-prune-salvias-three-pruning-groups/) - A group of plants I grow a lot in my own garden and in my clients' garden designs is the perennial Salvias. Salvias are part of the mint family, the Lamiaceae and you can see they're related both in the look of the leaves and also the shape of the flowers. It's the scent that - [From West Yorkshire to Pembrokeshire (via East Sussex) and back, with everything in between](https://www.jackwallington.com/from-west-yorkshire-to-pembrokeshire-via-east-sussex-and-back-with-everything-in-between/) - For our summer holiday this year Chris and I spent most of the week in Tenby, Pembrokeshire on the south west coast of Wales. I'd mixed up our dates however, which meant first we had to travel to the other side of the country to do a talk at the Charleston Festival of the Garden - [How to remove ground elder organically](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-remove-ground-elder-organically/) - I love lots of plants people call weeds (see my book) but there are some plants that can be problematic in gardens and worth removing, such as ground elder, Aegopodium podagraria. Ground elder is a beautiful plant, with attractive green leaves and white umbels of flower that look like short cow parsley in early summer. - [Atmosphere and wonder at York Gate Garden, Leeds, Yorkshire](https://www.jackwallington.com/york-gate-garden-leeds-yorkshire/) - Chris and I visited York Gate Garden on the outskirts of Leeds in Yorkshire and were blown away by the creativity of this wonderful place. Comparisons aren't helpful as they can set wrong expectations but York Gate had some of the same magic I feel at Great Dixter in Kent, albeit on a smaller scale. - [We're moving to Hebden Bridge](https://www.jackwallington.com/were-moving-to-hebden-bridge/) - I'm excited to share that after twenty years of living in London, Chris, Rumbles and I are moving to Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire where we've just bought a farm from a really lovely couple. The Calder Valley is where Chris grew up, his family still live there, and it's been my dream forever to - [How to grow organic tomatoes including heirloom tomatoes](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-organic-heirloom-tomatoes/) - Tomatoes sit atop everyone's grow your own lists, and if they don't, they should! Relatively easy to grow - with a few quirks - tomatoes are highly productive plants that can produce enough fruits in summer for salads, chutneys and sauces. This is true even in small spaces. About tomatoes The tomatoes we recognise today - [Lady's slipper orchid, Cypripedium calceolus](https://www.jackwallington.com/ladys-slipper-orchid-cypripedium-calceolus/) - It's been a long time coming but this year I visited one of the reintroduction programme sites for one of the UK's rarest wildflowers, a wildflower so exotic looking it's hard to believe it grows on our damp island. On an east facing slope a little further north of where we live in the Kilnsey - [11 Things at Chelsea Flower Show 2023](https://www.jackwallington.com/11-things-at-chelsea-flower-show-2023/) - It feels like the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has finally found its feet again after having the rug pulled from under it by the pandemic. Gardens were big budget, the nurseries were out in force in the tent. For me, this year was all about the main avenue big show gardens, when previously I was - [Peat free plants at Tissington Nursery, Peak District](https://www.jackwallington.com/peat-free-plants-at-tissington-nursery-peak-district/) - "People come to us specifically because we grow in peat free compost," says Mairi Longdon, who runs Tissington Nursery in the Peak District, specialising in peat free perennials. I'd stopped off for a break on a long journey, finding myself in a magical little village that's part of the old estate, like stepping back in - [How to prune a Cordyline australis](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-prune-a-cordyline-australis/) - Here's my guide to pruning / pollarding a Cordyline australis: chop it down to whatever height you want and it will grow back. Easy. That's it. But I guess I should expand a little bit given there is so little information on the subject. (Join my newsletter for weekly gardening tips!) Why pollard a Cordyline - [Review: Netatmo home weather station](https://www.jackwallington.com/review-netatmo-home-weather-station/) - When we first bought our old flat and garden in London way back in 2013, Chris bought a little weather station called Netatmo to measure the temperature in the garden and different parts of the house to help me understand the environment to grow plants. Then he bought the rain gauge attachment to measure rainfall. - [June gardening ideas: summer (month seven)](https://www.jackwallington.com/june-gardening-ideas-summer-month-seven/) - Summer! Well, if the weather behaves. It often feels like summer has stop-started into action at some point in May and, come June, there is no denying its arrival. Alliums and ox-eye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare) bursting into flower and a rush of upward vertical grass growth is nature telling us the warm season is here. - [August gardening ideas: high summer (month nine)](https://www.jackwallington.com/august-gardening-ideas-high-summer-month-nine/) - Late-July and August will always be 'real summer' to me, with the hottest heatwaves, the driest soils and lingering hot nights. Hoes at the ready people because it's the best time to keep those veg patches looking neat, and there are some key things that must be done now, but mostly, it's the time for - [October gardening ideas: autumn (month eleven)](https://www.jackwallington.com/october-gardening-ideas-autum-month-eleven/) - There is no denying that autumn is upon us as the shorter days bring colder weather, blustery rain storms and smoke from cosy fires fills the damp leafy air. On calmer days there is much to love about this time of year, the variety of colour from plants is at its greatest as gold, bronze, - [November gardening ideas: start of winter (month twelve)](https://www.jackwallington.com/november-gardening-ideas-start-of-winter-month-twelve/) - It's a tale of two parts to November; the first half can feel a lot like the height of autumn with mild days but at some point in the month, the harder frosts will arrive and the leaves will fall. At which point, winter is upon us. Investigate autumn colour It's incredibly hard to appreciate - [November gardening ideas: start of winter (month twelve)](https://www.jackwallington.com/november-gardening-ideas-start-of-winter-month-twelve/) - It's a tale of two parts to November; the first half can feel a lot like the height of autumn with mild days but at some point in the month, the harder frosts will arrive and the leaves will fall. At which point, winter is upon us. Investigate autumn colour It's incredibly hard to appreciate - [December gardening ideas: mid-winter (month one)](https://www.jackwallington.com/december-gardening-ideas-mid-winter-month-one/) - You may be wondering why December is 'month one' in my calendar when typically it's seen as month twelve. It's because December is the month when the northern hemisphere, where I live, has the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night. To me, this is the real New Year because it signifies the start - [May gardening ideas: end of spring (month six)](https://www.jackwallington.com/may-gardening-ideas-end-of-spring-month-six/) - May is the month when all plants start growing rapidly, resulting in lush, immaculate leaves. Everything feels fresh with endless possibilities and as a gardener, there is probably no better feeling than that. Now is the time to care for your seedlings, taking them onto maturity and to get into a rhythm or repeated extra - [How to make a micro wildlife pond in a pot](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-make-a-micro-wildlife-pond-in-a-pot/) - When we open our garden for charity on the National Garden Scheme one thing people always comment on is our micro pond with its miniature pink waterlily. Ponds sound complicated but actually they're really easy and none are easier than a micro pond! Here (and in my book A Greener Life) I'll explain how to - [Dividing a Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ plant)](https://www.jackwallington.com/dividing-a-zamioculcas-zamiifolia-zz-plant/) - I've had a Zamioculcas zamiifolia for some years now. In the last year, I found the magic formula and - despite rumours it is a slow growing plant - it has been growing like a rocket. So much so, it had outgrown our small flat with a further ten large leaves starting to grow! I felt adventurous and - [Growing avocados in London](https://www.jackwallington.com/growing-avocados-in-london/) - It's been widely known that avocados can grow in London for decades, I've seen the trees around the city since I moved here in 1999, including two small trees a few minutes from our flat in Clapham. Earlier this week however, tropical plant enthusiast, Joe McCullough shared an amazing video on his Tropicals YouTube channel - [Meadow species spotted](https://www.jackwallington.com/meadow-species-spotted/) - I've created this page as notes for myself on what species we've seen in our meadow and how many of each. I'll be updating this over time, so it's worth popping back in the future if you're interested. Population density 5 = prolific, found in almost every metre across entire field4 = found across entire - [The Farm, Yorkshire](https://www.jackwallington.com/the-farm-yorkshire/) - In February 2021 Chris and I found ourselves moving to Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire where Chris grew up. We'd been planning the move for years but we hadn't reckoned on the responsibility we'd inherit to protect this land. We're custodians of a small three hundred year old farm 1,000ft above sea level at the - [Inspiration at Scampston Hall, Yorkshire](https://www.jackwallington.com/an-inspiring-friend-scampston-hall-yorkshire/) - Reuniting with a friend at Scampston Hall and being inspired by shrubs and views as much as perennials and detail. Recently at RHS Hampton Court I was looking at a cabbage. Garden designer Piet Oudolf came and stood right next to me looking at the same cabbage. As is usual in such situations my head's - [Review: Felco No.2 secateurs](https://www.jackwallington.com/review-felco-no-2-secateurs/) - Over the last month or so I've been trialling the Felco No.2 secateurs, which, until other brands came on the market, were the go to choice for professional gardeners. Which is saying something because secateurs are one of, if not the most important tool in a professional gardener's tool kit. But are they any good? - [How to grow organic microgreens from seed](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-organic-microgreens-from-seed/) - Microgreens are young salad crops that are grown from seed and then picked and harvested as soon as the first or second set of leaves have emerged. Best grown on a sunny windowsill, this is one crop anyone can grow, with or without a garden. Picking when so young makes them succulent and incredibly fresh. - [Allotment plan 2022](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-plan-2022/) - In our first year on the smallholding in some respects I should have done nothing but prepare areas, mend boundaries and get organised, instead I did none of that and dived into growing as much as possible. I wanted to learn the seasons, the soil and observe how plants grew in this new land. Get - [How to grow Brussels sprouts organically and cook them](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-brussels-sprouts-organically-and-cook-them/) - I used to have a mild apathy toward Brussels sprouts, boiled and soggy, I can't say I'd've rushed out to grow them... until I sliced and fried them. Fried sliced or roasted whole Brussels sprouts take on a whole new flavour explosion to the point I put them near the top of my favourite vegetables - [How to grow Brussels sprouts organically and cook them](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-brussels-sprouts-organically-and-cook-them/) - I used to have a mild apathy toward Brussels sprouts, boiled and soggy, I can't say I'd've rushed out to grow them... until I sliced and fried them. Fried sliced or roasted whole Brussels sprouts take on a whole new flavour explosion to the point I put them near the top of my favourite vegetables - [Allotment plan 2023](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-plan-2023/) - We took on our new allotment in Yorkshire in February 2021 and, with almost two full growing seasons now behind us, I'm starting to think ahead to 2023 (join my newsletter to follow along). I've learnt a lot about this new place, through some successes, some failures and, thankfully, many delicious harvests. The plot is - [Why it's time to ban non-organic pesticides from sale to the general public](https://www.jackwallington.com/why-its-time-to-ban-non-organic-pesticides-from-sale-to-the-general-public/) - Please take 30 seconds to sign the petition When I first started studying horticulture professionally in 2015, I was full of positivity and excitement for gardening, doing something that so many people love and being around nature, it was wonderful. But as time went on and I learnt more about both nature and growing, I - [Peat free compost trials 2021](https://www.jackwallington.com/peat-free-compost-trials-2021/) - Over the last 7 - 8 years I've only used peat free compost after I switched and found my plants grew exactly the same or better in peat free compared to peat. In that time I have grown thousands of plants from seed as well as permanently in large pots. If the bag doesn't clearly - [Horticulture industry bans corporations digging up precious habitats to make compost](https://www.jackwallington.com/horticulture-industry-bans-corporations-digging-up-precious-habitats-to-make-compost/) - The Government has, at long last, banned the home use of compost made from precious peatland habitats purely for the profit of a small number of large companies selling it. It means peat will no longer be used in compost sold in bags to consumers, instead alternative composts known as 'peat free' will be used, - [Review: Wikomo solar deer repeller](https://www.jackwallington.com/review-wikomo-solar-deer-repeller/) - We live surrounded by fields and woodland in which lots of roe deer live. Deer have been demonised by gardeners but I like them and enjoy having them around. That said, they will nibble anything and everything and if they like it, eat it to the ground. This year we had a regular set of - [Book review: Regenesis: feeding the world without devouring the planet by George Monbiot](https://www.jackwallington.com/book-review-regenesis-feeding-the-world-without-devouring-the-planet-by-george-monbiot/) - The first thing that struck me about Regenesis is one third of the book's pages are references to sources, largely scientific studies, giving it a solid foundation that everything within stands upon. It is a book that explores how we will feed the planet's 8 billion people in the future, in a world where current - [8 tips for better watering technique](https://www.jackwallington.com/8-tips-better-watering-technique-garden/) - 1) Water deeply When it's hot and sunny it's tempting to zip around the garden watering everything but beware, most people water too little. Watering a little bit only wets the top surface of the soil, I've seen some people water so lightly it might only wet a few millimetres of the surface. This surface - [Imagining a garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/imagining-a-garden/) - Yesterday I sat at dusk looking out from the top of our garden across the valley, the light fell slowly into darkness. First a dulling of all colour followed by the stronger lack of light. Looking out, taking the changing scene in, I relaxed and for the first time in our garden, I felt a - [7 ways high altitude gardening impacts plant growth](https://www.jackwallington.com/7-ways-high-altitude-gardening-impacts-plant-growth/) - Our London garden in Clapham was approximately 20m (66ft) above sea level, our new garden sits at almost 302m (1,000ft) above sea level. To put this into context, the Shard building in London is 310m tall. Our new elevation places us high enough to be standing above the clouds on some days. I knew this - [Can we learn from British Columbia's attitude to wildlife?](https://www.jackwallington.com/can-we-learn-from-british-columbias-attitude-to-wildlife/) - Chris and I have just come back from a two week trip around the south west coast of British Columbia in Canada. That vast land, alive with complete ecosystems, has changed me. It was a long planned visit, delayed by two years because of covid, to attend the wedding of Chris' youngest sister Lucy to - [How to grow dahlias from cuttings](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-dahlias-from-cuttings/) - Dahlias are remarkably easy plants to grow once you get to know them. One of the best things about them is their love of life, these are some vigorous plants once they are growing in the heat of the summer. This vigour for life makes it particularly easy to multiply your plant numbers by taking - [Review: Husqvarna 540i XP battery powered chainsaw](https://www.jackwallington.com/review-husqvarna-540i-xp-battery-powered-chainsaw/) - Last year I was given a battery powered chainsaw by Husqvarna to try for a no obligation review. It's the Husqvarna 540i XP model and having only used petrol powered chainsaws previously, I was interested to use one of the latest battery powered machines. I've been trialling it for over six months in a variety - [Littlebury garden redesign (part one) - Goodbye pots! Goodbye paving!](https://www.jackwallington.com/littlebury-garden-redesign-part-one-goodbye-pots-goodbye-paving/) - I've been thinking of making changes to our garden for a couple of years. The number of pots we have are getting out of hand and I dream of lifting the slabs covering the entire back portion of the garden. Our garden's hard landscaping is exactly as it was when we moved in - probably - [Gardening elbow](https://www.jackwallington.com/gardening-elbow/) - I've overdone it. Last week I injured my right arm just as the gardening season is starting. It was a silly little thing and I didn't realise how serious it potentially was at first. After a couple of weeks of heavy lifting, operating weighty machinery and other tasks in the excitement of spring preparation, my - [How to grow dahlias organically from seed and save your own dahlia seeds](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-dahlias-from-seed-and-save-your-own-dahlia-seeds/) - In the past I've grown mountains of dahlia cultivars but over the last two years I've become increasingly interested in growing them primarily from seed. I'll still grow some cultivars I'm sure, but this way I grow unique plants that wildlife love, because insects can only access single flowers over the heavily petaled doubles. 1) - [Californian superbloom](https://www.jackwallington.com/californian-superbloom/) - In March 2019 Chris and I were in California visiting a couple of our good friends. We knew the time of year was right for us to catch the Californian and Nevada deserts in flower, the fast growing annuals and ephemeral plants growing and flowering within a number of days of rains to set seed - [How gardening and nature help me cope with stress and anxiety](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-gardening-nature-help-me-cope-with-stress-and-anxiety/) - This is a topic I find difficult to put into words. I've been putting it off for almost a decade but have always felt it needed to be shared at some point to help others who might need it. To cut to the point, everyday I struggle with managing stress and anxiety, brought on by - [Adapting an established garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/adapting-an-established-garden/) - When we moved to Yorkshire we inherited a beautiful mature garden and key to that is a main garden space by the house, which is huge compared to what I'm used to but actually about the size of most regular gardens across the UK outside of cities. It's in this area, enclosed by very old - [You say native, I say indigenous?](https://www.jackwallington.com/you-say-native-i-say-indigenous/) - Let's discuss racism in gardening and science terminology, what we actually mean by terms like invasive and why or if they even matter. What's your view? Read on and please share in the comments. As an ecological grower and landscape designer, and a lifelong conservationist, I'm increasingly finding myself wedged between the gardening world and - [An introduction to wild orchids the alien wonder beings](https://www.jackwallington.com/an-introduction-to-native-wild-orchids-the-alien-wonder-beings/) - People tell you that magic isn't real, that Utopia is impossible. They're talking bollocks. I know because I've seen it. Little glimpses of wonder, scientifically explainable yes but magical in feel. From glowworms, to jungle-like wild clematis vines swinging from trees, and wild flowers beyond imagination. All here in the UK with hundreds of thousands - [10 UK weeds to grow for wildlife](https://www.jackwallington.com/10-uk-native-weeds-to-grow-for-wildlife/) - My book Wild about Weeds looks at the wildlife value of many weeds I feel are some of the most beautiful, concentrating on how to integrate these wild flower wonders into stylish gardens - it's a design book. Readers have asked me a lot about the best local plants labelled weeds for wildlife, which I - [Why the obsession with lawns?](https://www.jackwallington.com/why-the-obsession-with-lawns/) - Let's break this cycle: the UK is brainwashed about lawns. If you use your lawn that's great, a beautiful lawn has a purpose and nothing beats sitting on neatly mown grass filled with daisies and other flowers. But if you aren't using it, why do you even have it? A lawn by the rules of - [Review: Spear & Jackson Traditional Stainless garden tools](https://www.jackwallington.com/review-spear-jackson-traditional-stainless-garden-tools/) - I was given a set of Spear & Jackson's Traditional Stainless series of garden tools to trial last year and over the course of six months or so, I've really put them through their paces! I really like the look of them, with their wooden handles and steel ends, which also means eventually the handle - [Key features of our new Premiere Polytunnel](https://www.jackwallington.com/premiere-polytunnel/) - I'm really excited because we've been given one of Premiere Polytunnels premiere range products and I thought I'd talk you through its features ahead of a busy and hopefully productive growing season. I've been looking forward to trialing this after Premiere Polytunnels came recommended to me by a number of fellow professionals. All photos by - [Banning peat composts - the facts](https://www.jackwallington.com/banning-peat-composts-the-facts/) - The UK Government is planning to ban the sale of peat based composts to gardeners in England and Wales by 2024, and its use by businesses, such as for growing plants to sell, shortly after. Instead people will grow in peat free composts and homemade compost. This follows a disastrous failure to move away from - [Pot's Growing On: six months in person, twelve in mind](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-six-months-in-person-twelve-in-mind/) - We moved in six months ago but I started thinking about our new garden a year ago when we put in an offer to buy it. Since moving it’s been a huge learning curve, mainly around managing the land - how long it takes to mow the grass, how long hedges take to cut, how - [What we can learn from the best urban street plantings](https://www.jackwallington.com/what-we-can-learn-from-the-best-urban-street-plantings/) - Our parks, streets and town centres used to be filled with displays of annual flowers, but as council budgets have been slashed over the years, annual displays largely vanished. Environmental impact of throwaway plants isn't exactly great, so in a way, this is a good thing. But street plantings are back! Reincarnated as low maintenance, - [Review: Stihl HLA 86 telescopic, battery powered hedge trimmer](https://www.jackwallington.com/review-stihl-hla-86-telescopic-battery-powered-hedge-trimmer/) - Earlier this year I was given a battery powered Stihl HLA 86 telescopic hedge trimmer to put to the test, and here are my full thoughts after a number of months trial on our farm. This is a tool for anyone who has particularly tall or wide hedges where extra tool length is a benefit, - [How to collect and store seeds and why](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-collect-and-store-seeds-and-why/) - I find the process of collecting and saving my own seeds increasingly rewarding. In fact it's one of the core guiding principles of my wild way approach: to save and grow as many plants as possible from collected seed. Especially important to me in our new garden in West Yorkshire. I love the plant lifecycle - [Midgley Open Gardens, near Hebden Bridge](https://www.jackwallington.com/midgley-open-gardens-near-hebden-bridge/) - I've been visiting Chris' family for the past 15 odd years or so near Hebden Bridge and always wanted to go to the Midgley open gardens near by. Now we actually live in the Hebden Bridge area ourselves, this year we could finally make it! And it didn't disappoint, from a large garden with a - [How to suppress weeds using Mulch Organic's biodegradable paper weed matting](https://www.jackwallington.com/organic-mulch-biodegradable-paper-weed-suppressant-matting/) - Mulch Organic gave me a roll of their heavy duty organic paper mulch weed suppressant matting this week to trial in my new allotment on our farm. To date I've used weed suppressant matting to cover my old allotment's soil to kill weeds by starving them of light. This works really well for killing annual - [Listening](https://www.jackwallington.com/listening/) - It's been four months since we moved to our little house on a very big hill and I already feel a changed person from this place, not only the house and garden but the land around and beyond. I wanted to be more connected to nature but I hadn't comprehended how that changes every second - [A quick look around our new farm](https://www.jackwallington.com/a-quick-look-around-our-new-farm/) - In late-February 2021 we moved to our new farm and in the few months since we've met many lovely people and started to become familiar with the land. This year is about understanding the place and what plants are here. In the future our plans are in some respects unambitious, I'd like to keep a - [Meadow (part one)](https://www.jackwallington.com/meadow-part-one/) - When we bought our new house there was one feature that jumped out at me more than any other that made me want to move here, it wasn't the bedrooms or the kitchen, it wasn't even the beautiful garden. It was the meadow. Approximately 2 acres in size, on a south west facing slope on - [Review: Henchman 4.2m tripod ladder](https://www.jackwallington.com/review-henchman-4-2m-tripod-ladder/) - Henchman sent me one of their 4.2m tripod ladders to trial for an unbiased review. To cut to the chase, they are incredible, not something I thought I would ever say about ladders. Read on to find out why... I've been particularly keen to try Henchman ladders after they came highly recommended by my fellow - [Review: Stihl RMA 448 TC cordless battery lawn mower with Stihl Connect](https://www.jackwallington.com/trial-stihl-rma-448-tc-cordless-battery-lawn-mower/) - I've been given a Stihl RMA 448 TC cordless battery operated lawn mower to trial in our new garden in Yorkshire. Here I'll share my first impressions with you and in a few months I'll update the page with my long term findings after Mowwy and I have had a chance to get to know - [Review: Spear & Jackson traditional garden hand tools - hand trowel, fork and transplanting trowel](https://www.jackwallington.com/trial-spear-jackson-traditional-garden-hand-tools/) - Having used Spear & Jackson's hand tools on my allotment in London for a number of years and loved them, I was very excited when I was given a new set from their 'traditional' range to try out. Initial impressions The set comes with a hand fork for weeding, a trowel for general digging from - [Why do we find botanical plant names hard to learn?](https://www.jackwallington.com/why-do-we-find-botanical-plant-names-hard-to-learn/) - Every day I hear or read someone struggling with how hard botanical plant names are to learn. Usually from horticulture students being forced to learn them for exams or people starting to get into gardening, suddenly exposed to the likes of Eurybia divaricata, wondering why we can't just call it a white wood aster. Why - [Dividing a Pilea peperomioides](https://www.jackwallington.com/dividing-a-pilea-peperomioides-plant/) - How to divide Pilea peperomioides to give to your friends and family while keeping the Pilea legend alive. The Pilea legend Never buy a Pilea peperomioides. Don't. Shops will hate me for saying this about the houseplant du jour but you must never do it. They're extremely overpriced at £10+ a pop and more importantly, - [Fernatic: 50 fern species, 1 living wall!](https://www.jackwallington.com/fernatic-50-fern-species-1-living-wall/) - Why we created a diverse 50 species collection of ferns on one modern living wall and how we did it. I've always been drawn to ferns. If fairies and pixies exist, they will be found sitting on a mushroom under a fern in the woods. Ferns are otherworldly and ethereal. Transporting you to another time and place. In 2014 - [How to support dahlias for borders, pots and cutting](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-support-dahlias-for-borders-and-cutting/) - I've often written that in some ways growing dahlias well is the easiest thing in the world and by equal measure, tricky. If you can get past the slugs, supporting dahlias is the most challenging bit to get right. To help explain dahlia supports, I turned to Philippa Burrough of Ulting Wick, a garden open - [Beware plastic netting in lawn and wildflower turf](https://www.jackwallington.com/beware-plastic-netting-in-lawn-and-wildflower-turf/) - One of the biggest problems in designed gardens that I and people I work with come across is plastic mesh buried in lawns - it is a major pain for maintenance but also awful for the planet. Unfortunately you don't see it until a few years later when it emerges causing lots of issues. Always - [Why must nature always come second?](https://www.jackwallington.com/why-must-nature-always-come-second/) - I’m writing this because discussions online this week have kept me up all night thinking about them. I've been awake for hours and am now writing this at 5am on Saturday morning on my iPhone. You could say I should get out more but ... well, you know. Because I can’t meet anyone to talk - [Marrakesh (part one): beautiful and bonkers, on the urban garden trail in the red city](https://www.jackwallington.com/marrakesh-part-one-beautiful-and-bonkers-on-the-urban-garden-trail-in-the-red-city/) - My overwhelming impression of Marrakesh in Northern Africa is of a city greener than expected, filled with stray cats, colour and people on scooters who don't care about mowing you down. We were visiting the Moroccan desert's proclaimed 'garden city' on a long weekend with Chris' parents. Singapore usually springs to mind when you think of - [Marrakesh (Part Five): Le Jardin Secret by Tom Stuart-Smith](https://www.jackwallington.com/marrakesh-part-five-le-jardin-secret-by-tom-stuart-smith/) - One tip I'd like to share is: do not visit more than two gardens in one day otherwise the third will inevitably have the least of your attention. This is what happened when we stumbled upon Le Jardin Secret on our last day in Marrakesh. I'd wanted to find Le Jardin Secret because some of - [Marrakesh (Part Three): Islamic tiled courtyards at Bahia Palace](https://www.jackwallington.com/marrakesh-part-three-islamic-tiled-courtyards-at-bahia-palace/) - The second oldest garden we visited was by far the most visually arresting of designs. It is immaculate and inspirational. Yet it is marred by a multifaceted dark past which I find hard to ignore. Built around 1867, you will never forget a visit to the beautiful Bahia Palace. Marrakech is special. The old parts of the city - [Marrakesh (Part Four): Jardin Majorelle](https://www.jackwallington.com/marrakesh-part-four-jardin-majorelle/) - Jardin Majorelle is best known today for being owned by Yves Saint Lauren, who famously saved it in the 1980s from both disrepair and developers building a hotel on the site. It was made however by a French artist called Jacques Majorelle who began creating this unique garden and house in the 1940s. I've seen the - [Marrakesh (Part Two): blown away by ancient Islamic garden design at the El Badi Palace](https://www.jackwallington.com/marrakesh-part-two-blown-away-by-ancient-islamic-garden-design-at-the-el-badi-palace/) - I've wanted to visit Marrakesh for about ten years, drawn by its bright colours. What I hadn't appreciated is its rich gardening culture, as popular today as it was in the city's ancient past. The oldest garden we visited on our trip was that of the five hundred year old El Badi Palace next to the Riad - [How established should a newly planted garden design be?](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-established-should-a-newly-planted-garden-design-be/) - When you're having your garden designed, it's understandable to want plants to look as established as possible immediately. However what we see on TV, in magazines and at flower shows is quite distant from the reality of a newly planted garden and I wanted to explore this topic to help set expectations. In reality a - [10 no nonsense tips to jazz up your small city garden this summer](https://www.jackwallington.com/10-no-nonsense-tips-to-jazz-up-your-small-city-garden-this-summer/) - Ah, waking up to summer in the city. The sound of sirens and drunk people ringing your doorbell at 5am birds chirping. You reach for your phone to call the police yawn and leap out of bed and peer round the curtains clutching any heavy object you can find pull open the curtains to look - [Why don't we talk more about patterns in gardens?](https://www.jackwallington.com/why-dont-we-talk-more-about-patterns-in-gardens/) - I find patterns in gardens fascinating (so much so I wrote a book about them) and I find it strange they aren't discussed more in gardening because they are literally everywhere and influence everything. Pattern is as important an element in successful garden design as the core elements of colour, texture and shape and yet - [How to grow organic rhubarb and cook it - the tastiest around!](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-organic-rhubarb-and-cook-it-the-tastiest-around/) - I love rhubarb. I love its flavour and I love how easy it is to grow. I always recommend planting rhubarb before anything else if you plan to grow your own food for these reasons. As a perennial edible, it will keep coming back better than ever year after year, it is fantastic value for - [How to support vegetables and flowers](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-support-vegetables-and-flowers/) - I thought I'd jot down some quick notes about how I am supporting the plants that need it on my allotment this year. This isn't a perfect nor exhaustive explanation but it shows what I'm doing and you can explore more online and in books. Outdoor tomato stakes Some tomato plants grow as bushes but - [Allotment Month 61: December vegetables with winter salad, kale, roots and squash](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-61-december-vegetables-with-winter-salad-kale-roots-and-squash/) - My allotment needs a good weeding. It's looking fairly overgrown in parts because I haven't been down enough in recent weeks to keep on top of them, for one reason and another. But it's a good time of year to go awol because everything slows down enough to be forgiving. I began a bit of - [My self-help guide to resisting seed and plant catalogue order overload](https://www.jackwallington.com/my-self-help-guide-to-avoiding-seed-and-plant-catalogue-overload/) - It’s around about now that the seed and plant catalogues for the coming year come pouring through the letter box, as though a dump truck full of them were connected to your front door via a big funnel. If like me you’re prone to ordering one of everything, here is my guide to resistance. Don’t - [Garden Blog of the Year](https://www.jackwallington.com/garden-blog-of-the-year/) - Exciting news! My little blog has only gone and won an award. A real one! LOOK: I'm very honoured to have been given the Blog of the Year 2017 award by the judges at the Garden Media Guild (GMG), the trade organisation for garden publications, books and TV shows. I was sitting with the lovely - [Cornwall: rock and stone](https://www.jackwallington.com/cornwall-rock-and-stone/) - Chris and I feel incredibly lucky to have been away to Cornwall for a week in autumn this year given everything that is happening with covid-19. It's our only holiday of the year and we opted for a safe bet to head to St. Ives in Cornwall, one of our favourite spots and a place - [Large garden design in Clapham, London](https://www.jackwallington.com/garden-design-in-clapham-london/) - Recently finished and planted, in this large family garden in Clapham, London I lowered a third of the area to make a more usable barbecue and entertainment space with lawn on the same plane. Two new patios were added at either end. At the far end of the garden a minimalist architect designed pavilion with - [Small garden design in Clapham, London](https://www.jackwallington.com/garden-design-in-clapham-london-2/) - Over time the planting in this garden will grow to hide almost all of the fences creating a sunny and private seating spot at the end of the garden, like a clearing in a woodland. The layout is deliberately simple to create a striking and lush scene from the apartment's glass wall all year, using - [Wild about Weeds Photograph Competition 2020 - winners!](https://www.jackwallington.com/wild-about-weeds-photograph-competition-2020-winners/) - There were loads of entries into the first Wild about Weeds 2020 Photography Competition! Entries were incredibly strong with some amazing combinations of weeds in garden planting and we were blown away by the quality! A few focussed more on the weed than the photograph composition itself while in some others it was hard to - [Littlebury Road through 2020](https://www.jackwallington.com/littlebury-road-through-2020/) - This year is a difficult one for all of us in many unexpected ways, through it our garden has given me an anchor and a project to focus on. I've been developing our little urban courtyard for six years by growing everything in pots over the existing twenty year old patio. Last year I'd formed - [11 steps to a wildlife friendly allotment](https://www.jackwallington.com/11-tips-for-a-wildlife-friendly-allotment/) - I love all life and I'm sure if you're reading this you don't need any explanation as to why helping wildlife is a good thing. Frankly, we don't need to justify doing the right thing to save animals and insects, they matter. If you've ever stared at a robin and wondered who is assessing who - [Tulip flux](https://www.jackwallington.com/tulip-flux/) - Bright flowers of Tulips - sumptuous blobs of paint on an artist's palette. Mesmerising intensity of colour that pierce pin holes in the fabric of reality, pulling our gaze into their little vortices. Succulent velvet tepals on totems hover over the emerging carpet of spring green beneath. Finest among them are those with multiple depths of colour as - [There you are](https://www.jackwallington.com/there-you-are/) - For hours now I search for you Across chalky downs of grass Jewels a plenty everywhere But where are you I ask Breathe in the air of purity Of wild nature's way You're still not here or thereabouts Stare unblinking down all day Look to the beech and oak trees Help me, where to go - [Late summer in the city](https://www.jackwallington.com/late-summer-in-the-city/) - I really like to feel the seasons, feel them with all my senses. That's why our garden is carefully planted in successional layers. Not only to provide continuous colour and habitat for wildlife but to exaggerate the seasons. There are two signs that late-summer has arrived here. When the plants in our garden are of - [Sarah Raven's Perch Hill](https://www.jackwallington.com/sarah-ravens-perch-hill/) - This is one garden I have wanted to visit for many years, Perch Hill, home to cut flower expert and grower, Sarah Raven. Based in a quiet valley in East Sussex, I hadn't been prepared for how peaceful a spot it is. Surrounded by trees, you are removed from everywhere else. There is no denying - [Trials and titillations at RHS Wisley after lockdown](https://www.jackwallington.com/trials-and-titillations-at-rhs-wisley-after-lockdown/) - I love RHS Wisley. I will always credit the garden and the teams who manage it with truly opening my eyes to horticulture. When I'd booked my ticket to visit after months of covid lockdown, I was incredibly excited to be back. And it's changed so much in so many positive ways in that time. - [Review: RHS Encyclopaedia of Plants and Flowers by Christopher Brickell](https://www.jackwallington.com/rhs-encyclopaedia-of-plants-and-flowers-by-christopher-brickell/) - The RHS Encyclopaedia of Plants and Flowers is what you call a tome. It is vast. Over 8,000 plants adorn its pages with good quality pictures, descriptions and general cultivation advice. Throughout last winter I spent many hours poring over every single page, choosing plants for the coming summer. It's a very enjoyable catalogue in - [Gardening in southern England's changed climate](https://www.jackwallington.com/gardening-in-southern-uks-changed-climate/) - Where are we now, into the fifth summer on my allotment, and despite going into this year with optimism after two sun baked summers, I feel exhausted by it again. The reason is water. Water has been in short supply this year although it may appear we've had some deluges, especially in winter. Spring was - [Come back dragonfly](https://www.jackwallington.com/come-back-dragonfly/) - I spent the whole of yesterday writing outside in our garden for a new project and it's amazing what you notice by doing this. A sparrow spent the whole day tweeting and flapping around me looking for aphids and other insects. It was wonderful and somewhat irritating at times when I was trying to concentrate - [Come into my world: haphazard](https://www.jackwallington.com/come-into-my-world-haphazard/) - On my allotment two years ago I started increasing the number of ornamental plants because I found I had loads of spares, to use for cutting and to help stop weeds in areas I wasn't using. It feels like a good time to share some photos of interest to me. Most of this isn't designed, - [Allotment Month 55: vigorous legumes, squash and pumpkins, tomatoes](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-55-surprisingly-vigorous-legumes/) - Do you ever have the feeling you're being left behind in gardening? You think your tomatoes are doing well when you spot Bob's on social media are three feet taller than yours, laden with ripening fruit! You're still waiting for the first flower truss. Fear not! Gardening is not a competition - there are veg - [Gardening needs diversity](https://www.jackwallington.com/gardening-needs-diversity/) - Over the last week I’ve watched what is happening in America in horror and disbelief, largely of course because the systemic racism that exists across the world isn’t experienced by me. So, I watched, and began to educate myself and pledged to educate others. I posted a black square onto Instagram in solidarity, but I - [How to make an Aeonium arboreum branch (part three)](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-make-an-aeonium-arboreum-branch-part-three/) - I've been asked a lot over the last couple of years for an update on my Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop' and cuttings (read part one and part two) and I kept promising to write one and then forgetting. Finally though I've stopped being lazy and forgetful, and here for your delight, is an introduction to my - [What's wrong with Verbena bonariensis?](https://www.jackwallington.com/whats-wrong-with-verbena-bonariensis/) - I was going to write about Verbena bonariensis to sing its praises in long periods of drought and then I heard something odd. I was at a talk at the Garden Museum in London and an audience member asked/stated: "What would you say to all the male designers who always plant V. bonariensis and grasses? - [From plot to place: allotments benefit from a bit of character](https://www.jackwallington.com/from-plot-to-place-allotments-benefit-from-a-dash-of-character/) - Words can’t describe how much I love my allotment this year. It feels to me as though it has morphed into its own place, a destination for me to exist rather than a factory for toil and tasks. I don't know why it feels this way this year but I can guess; perhaps because some - [A right hodgepodge](https://www.jackwallington.com/a-right-hodgepodge/) - Regular readers may recall that about two years ago I started planting spare cuttings, divisions and seedlings of plants I'd grown into one end of my allotment. I've since been adding new plants I want to try as well. No plan at all, a hodgepodge. Well, I'm starting to think I should have made a - [15 best free gardens to visit in London](https://www.jackwallington.com/15-best-free-gardens-to-visit-in-london/) - Looking for maximum planty wonder without spending a penny? Then check out my fave London garden and parks below. This is a realtime list of places I've visited that I'll update regularly as I go to more and as my interests change. 1) The Barbican Nearest tubes: Barbican, Old Street, Liverpool Street, Bank. Futuristic brutalist - [From the streets: London's green spaces in Lockdown](https://www.jackwallington.com/from-the-streets-londons-green-spaces-in-lockdown/) - Everyone has been coping with the last month in their own way, surreal is a word I've been bandying around a lot, it feels the most fitting to me; we're living a strange alternative life. I'm back into something of a routine with some great design projects and we've all been gifted the most wonderful - [Pot's Growing On in April? Here come the insects, pretty things and dividing geraniums](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-in-april-here-come-the-insects-pretty-things-and-dividing-geraniums/) - I'm sitting outside writing in a t-shirt, spring is here! I mean, it has turned chilly now and I'm defiantly carrying on writing this blog when I want to get a hoodie but it was hot and sunny earlier I promise. I was looking forward to spending time in our new layout garden this summer - [Littlebury garden redesign (part two) - Breathing new life into the soil](https://www.jackwallington.com/littlebury-garden-redesign-part-two-breathing-new-life-into-the-soil/) - As I write this the country has for all intents and purposes joined the rest of the world going into lockdown for three weeks in an attempt to slow the covid-19 coronavirus. Everyone must stay inside except for food and exercise. I'm still in a state of disbelief, fluctuating from keeping it together to wallowing - [How to divide a miniature water lily](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-divide-a-miniature-water-lily/) - Not everyone has a miniature water lily but they really should! Easy to grow in any still water at a depth of about 30 - 40cm from the top of the plant's growing points (the crowns). I've owned our water lily for five years, growing in a micro pond in a wash tub which you - [Different ways to grow from seed](https://www.jackwallington.com/propagation-station-is-closed/) - I don't know how it's happened but I seem to have used up all of my pots and seed trays. I don't feel I'm growing more than last year, in fact it feels like I'm not growing enough for my allotment, yet it must be the opposite. Does anyone else ever get that feeling? To - [11 ideas to grow your way through Coronavirus self-isolation boredom](https://www.jackwallington.com/10-ideas-to-grow-your-way-through-self-isolation-boredom/) - Supermarkets have plenty of food to see us all through the coronavirus (covid-19) but in the likely event of having to go through a week or two of self-isolation, or indeed a longer quarantine, I know gardening can help. I'd like to recommend it as an interesting way to pass the time with returns in - [How to make an Aeonium arboreum branch (part one)](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-make-an-aeonium-arboreum-branch/) - Last year I ordered a small Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop' from an independent nursery off of eBay. In the summer it has a lovely single black rosette but that was it. I'd really like my Aeonium to branch. To do this, the correct advice is that you should lop the top clean off and branches will - [How to make an Aeonium arboreum branch (Part Two)](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-make-an-aeonium-arboreum-branch-part-two/) - A year ago I experimented with nipping out the growing point of my Aeonium 'Zwartkop' to make it branch. It worked and this is a little update on progress. Here's the plant 13 months on: The whorls of leaves on my plant have always been quite small, so that's not an effect of the branching. I - [How to grow Persicaria runcinata 'Purple Fantasy'](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-persicaria-runcinata-purple-fantasy/) - If there's one plant I can guarantee you'll see more of this year it's Persicaria runcinata 'Purple Fantasy'. One of the foliage Persicaria tribe - this one a cultivar of a species native to the eastern Himalayas - it's easy to grow in full sun to part shade and creates an exciting, attention grabbing focal - [How to protect tender plants over winter in small spaces](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-protect-tender-plants-over-winter-in-small-spaces/) - Living in a tiny one bed urban flat here in London, it proves quite a challenge for growing tender exotics. Advice is always to store these away in heated greenhouses, conservatories, a garage, shed or spare room inside, so what do you do when you have none of these things? So many people of my - [How to grow Begonia leaf cuttings](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-begonia-leaf-cuttings/) - I love leafy begonias with their wonderful patterns, colours and shapes. In fact, I can't have enough of them. The only drawback, that many aren't hardy and simultaneously don't like central heating in winter. My solution is to take leaf cuttings which is a fun and easy method of growing lots of begonias in miniature - [Allotment Month 52 - March: hunt for the best purple sprouting broccoli, forced rhubarb and colour like no other!](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-52-march-hunt-for-the-best-purple-sprouting-broccoli-forced-rhubarb-and-colour-like-no-other/) - I'm looking at my desk (on which I'm typing) thinking crap, where AM I going to put all of the seedlings this year. It's already chocca with onions, celeriac, dahlias, chillis and aubergines! If you're like me, do as I do: don't think about it. Keep sowing merrily away and trust in your ability to - [A year in vegetable, fruit and herb photos](https://www.jackwallington.com/a-year-in-vegetable-fruit-and-herb-photos/) - We're taught not to play with our food but WHATEVS, I love arranging veg to show them at their beautiful best before prepping and eating them. Below is an ever expanding gallery of vegetables shown in the month they are picked, I hope it demonstrates how it's possible to grow something to eat easily for - [Pot's Growing On in February? Peat free propagation, houseplant beautification and winter division](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-in-february-peat-free-propagation-houseplant-beautification-and-winter-division/) - Over the last few weeks I've been gradually getting ready for spring one little task at a time. I haven't had the luxury of having a full day or even half a day spare this month to work in our garden so I've been sneaking in the odd task here and there when I can. - [Does peat free compost work?](https://www.jackwallington.com/does-peat-free-compost-work/) - Between 2015- 2016 I put peat free compost to the ultimate test, I only used peat free compost for every single plant I grew. Was it a huge mistake? Peat compost comes directly dug from rare bogs and marshlands, where the peat is created from dead organic matter over thousands of years. These are rare - [From plant to seed bank, how Kew Gardens is saving the planet's flora and us](https://www.jackwallington.com/from-plant-to-seed-bank-how-kew-gardens-is-saving-the-planets-flora-and-us/) - I've been visiting Kew Gardens - like many people I'm sure - since I was a little boy and have been at least once a year ever since. Increasing to multiple times now that I'm a professional horticulturist because it's doubley useful for my work (I also really enjoy it). With each visit, a small - [What seeds to sow in January](https://www.jackwallington.com/what-seeds-to-sow-in-january/) - In the UK in January, daylight hours are still very short, outside temperatures low and likely to get lower in February. The best advice for seed sowing for the majority of people is to wait until March to sow the seeds of most plants when day light hours will be longer and outdoor weather starting - [This decade let's not lose sight of protecting wild habitats](https://www.jackwallington.com/lets-not-lose-sight-of-protecting-wild-habitats/) - Over the last year we've seen a wonderful increase in the number of people demanding action to save our planet and all life on it. From rewilding agricultural land as a better way to produce food, keeping roadside verges wild, an increase in true wildlife friendly gardens, reduction in plastic use and more. My worry - [Living on a prairie (part 2)](https://www.jackwallington.com/living-on-a-prairie-part-2/) - It's been two years since I started a prairie experiment in a small border on my allotment and I have to say I've fallen in love with it. I've grown almost everything from seed except for a couple of plants grown from plugs. Each visit to my plot has been met with fascinating insights as - [Allotment Month 49: growing up](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-49-growing-up/) - My fourth year on the allotment has whooshed by and during the very wet start to winter I popped down on a couple of dry and sunny days over the last fortnight. As a wildlife allotment it's a careful balance now of leaving the ornamentals while clearing other plants to begin the process of making - [Organic gardening pros recommend chemical free roses](https://www.jackwallington.com/growing-roses-organically/) - As a garden designer, the most popular plants requested by clients - topping lavender, olive trees and lawns - are roses. They aren't for everyone but they are for almost everyone if the number of requests is anything to go by. Roses are ingrained into the idea of the British garden, summers and perfumed bouquets. - [From the streets: Bonnington Square, Vauxhall in Autumn](https://www.jackwallington.com/from-the-streets-bonnington-square-vauxhall-in-autumn/) - Last Sunday I gave myself the morning off writing projects and decided to visit Bonnington Square on the recommendation of my friend Lucy (about 30 mins walk away from our flat). Of course, for many years I had heard about this place of tropical wonder hidden in Vauxhall, somehow involving garden designer Dan Pearson (which - [Stinging nettles, a troublesome but useful weed](https://www.jackwallington.com/stinging-nettles-a-troublesome-but-useful-weed/) - Some people have asked why stinging nettles aren't in my book Wild about Weeds and the answer is: 1) It's celebrated right at the beginning on the contents page and also in the edible weeds list at the back. 2) I didn't want to include it as a 'weed to avoid' because, although it's hard - [October is a great time to divide perennials](https://www.jackwallington.com/october-is-a-great-time-to-divide-perennials/) - One of my favourite things to do in the year is divide perennials in autumn. You can actually divide most perennials at any time, and spring and summer are good times for many while the plant is growing, but to give them the best chance autumn is my preferred moment. I enjoy dividing plants because - [Our inner city wildlife sanctuary](https://www.jackwallington.com/inner-city-wildlife-oasis/) - I grow our garden as much for wildlife as for design and plants. Wildlife adds many layers of enjoyment, interest and a dynamism to our home - like nothing else. Urban wildlife gardening success Our garden is for humans to enjoy, it's also for animals, insects and thousands of little lives to live in. By - [4 Fundamentals of attracting wildlife in urban gardens](https://www.jackwallington.com/4-fundamentals-of-attracting-wildlife-in-urban-gardens/) - The other day I was in the garden watering our fern wall during one of those still and quiet moments that are so rare in central London. Suddenly there was a rustle and I saw to my left a tiny Wren staring back at me from the fence, as surprised to see me as I were it. It - [6 Gardening podcasts worth a listen](https://www.jackwallington.com/gardening-podcasts-worth-a-listen/) - In my Telegraph column this week I highlighted a number of allotment and kitchen garden podcasts that are good for timely grow your own tips. However there are many more that I enjoy, so I've listed a few of them below. The quality of gardening podcasts has increased so much over the last couple of - [The Newt in Somerset](https://www.jackwallington.com/the-newt-in-somerset/) - On our trip to Somerset we popped into the Newt Hotel garden to visit the newly landscaped grounds. Previously called Hadspen House, it has been gardened for centuries, including by designer and writer Penelope Hobhouse. I loved walking along the wooden walkway through woodland at the entrance. Then, you enter through the main gardens which - [Reframed](https://www.jackwallington.com/reframed/) - Chris and I have just come back from a week away in St. Ives in Cornwall with a one night pitstop in Devon on the first night. It was a wonderful, relaxing bubble of a week. I'm so immersed in designing and writing at the moment I don't have time for more detailed articles but - [First day on the RHS Persicaria Trial](https://www.jackwallington.com/first-day-on-the-rhs-persicaria-trial/) - Today was a really exciting day for me as it was the first assessment of the RHS Persicaria trial at Wisley. It was a special day because I've visited the trial fields for years to look at different plant collections and to be asked to join the forum panel alongside lifelong growers is an honour. - [Allotment Month 46: tomatoes, edamame, apples, raspberries and sunflowers!](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-46-tomatoes-edamame-apples-raspberries-and-sunflowers/) - At some point I really am planning to sow my salad crops for winter, I've been meaning to do it for weeks but what with our open garden at home and having lots of crops to harvest, it simply hasn't happened. I'm at the point in the year on the plot when I think to - [Garden of Medicinal Plants at The Royal College of Physicians](https://www.jackwallington.com/garden-of-medicinal-plants-at-the-royal-college-of-physicians/) - I've been interested in visiting the Royal College of Physicians' garden of medicinal plants for quite some time. Despite having walked past it hundreds of times without realising while working in London over the last two decades, it was only a few years ago that I learnt of its existence. And it's taken until now - [Future experiments: flowers and insects](https://www.jackwallington.com/future-experiments-flowers-and-insects/) - Last autumn I started planting up one end of my allotment to create a new freestyle design. It had no pre-prepared plan, I just started planting up spares of plants I had grown from seed or cuttings and adding new plants I've been interested in growing. The aim is to have some colour through most - [Oudolf Field at Hauser and Wirth, Somerset](https://www.jackwallington.com/oudolf-field-at-hauser-and-wirth-somerset/) - I've been wanting to visit the Hauser & Wirth art gallery in Somerset to see garden designer Piet Oudolf's 'Oudolf Field' in person ever since I first saw images of it being planted up a couple of years ago. After visiting the Oudolf designed walled garden at Scampston Hall last summer and learning so much - [11 things learnt at Homeacres with Charles Dowding and Stephanie Hafferty](https://www.jackwallington.com/11-things-learnt-at-charles-dowdings-homeacres/) - On our recent trip to Somerset Chris and I caught up with Charles Dowding and Stephanie Hafferty at the private mecca of no dig gardening, Homeacres. Stephanie being generous with her time and advice showing us around while Charles was at work on his latest YouTube video. Some garden visits are a pilgrimage, no one - [Large communal roof terrace in Fulham, London](https://www.jackwallington.com/large-communal-roof-terrace-in-fulham-london/) - This design had some particular challenges including craning a number of tonnes of top soil onto the roof terrace, along with getting all of the plants and materials up too. Originally planted by architects with long box hedges which had died, we replaced everything to create a soft, colourful and diverse range of tough plant - [Allotment month 45: salad harvest, colourful potatoes and rainbow tomatoes](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-45-salad-harvest-colourful-potatoes-and-rainbow-tomatoes/) - Yesterday I was busted sighing while hoeing weeds on my plot. I'd just mown everything and thought I was alone but one of the lovely new plot holders who joined this year was there, which was really nice and she jolted me out of it. I find summer a wonderful but tricky time for gardening, - [Google is the best plant ID app and it will only get better](https://www.jackwallington.com/google-is-the-best-plant-id-app-and-it-will-only-get-better/) - There's been lots of hype about plant ID apps and having tried most of them I've never been impressed. However, my school friend David who now lives in LA and works for Google pointed out earlier in the year how accurate its reverse image search, or Google Lens as it is now called, has become. - [On the verge of a new way of gardening: do we need to change what we grow?](https://www.jackwallington.com/on-the-verge-of-a-new-way-of-gardening-do-we-need-to-change-what-we-grow/) - I've always written about our gardens being seen as mini-wildlife reserves, eco systems we protect and observe rather than something we manage and control. It's more fun, it creates a sanctuary better for our wellbeing and that of the little lives we give a home. Our little patches contributing to a greater movement to save - [Wild patch: the challenge of a wildlife friendly allotment](https://www.jackwallington.com/wild-patch-the-challenge-of-a-wildlife-friendly-allotment/) - My allotment is not like most, I don't have raised beds, I let weeds grow because I love them and I produce food for us but also for wildlife. If a leaf is nibbled I don't care. I try not to care about the destructive foxes either although when they rip a branch off a - [A mix of feelings](https://www.jackwallington.com/a-mix-of-feelings/) - I'm sitting in the garden as I type and right now I'm looking at a hover fly, wondering: where on earth do they get the energy? They're running on very efficient natural batteries. This year I've moved around about a third of our plants and introduced two new long borders (in part-sun and full shade) - [Current project: garden redesign in Clapham, London](https://www.jackwallington.com/current-project-garden-redesign-in-clapham-london/) - This garden already had a strong layout with some established trees and shrubs, though some of these were diseased and others had outgrown their space. I created a new plan to replace the patio and path, removing unwieldy in-built barbecue and seating to replace with more elegant furniture. The plants largely replaced with a new - [Current project: Belsize Park, London](https://www.jackwallington.com/current-project-belsize-park-london/) - The owner is having an architect designed extension to the house making the garden slightly smaller. Although it's an awkwardly shaped plot, this presented a great opportunity for clever space usage with two well proportioned seating areas. Luxurious yet calming plants will be used throughout the garden to create privacy around the boundaries which back - [Garden design with studio in Braughing, Hertfordshire](https://www.jackwallington.com/garden-design-with-studio-in-braughing-hertfordshire/) - This quaint cottage in Braughing had recently been tastefully renovated by its new owners with a modern glass cube added with views up the garden. My brief was to redesign the layout of the garden, introduce a studio and widen planting beds while keeping a usable lawn. The studio formed the main focal point though - [Living wall design in Camberwell, London](https://www.jackwallington.com/living-wall-design-camberwell/) - This garden was already well established with a collection of tree fern species viewed through huge glass windows of a new architect designed corten steel extension. However on the left of the building the large windows looked onto a standard fence in an incredibly narrow side return and my brief was to clad it all - [Front garden design in Clapham, London](https://www.jackwallington.com/front-garden-design-clapham-london/) - This challenging north facing front garden is in full shade and was previously a patch of struggling lawn. The brief was to make it as colourful and textured as possible for most of the year. My design is inspired by woodlands using a matrix of perennials, shrubs, bulbs and annual self-seeders creating a dense, low-maintenance - [Umbilicus rupestris, navelwort](https://www.jackwallington.com/umbilicus-rupestris-navelwort/) - At the end of June 2016 Chris and I were in Chilham, Kent for the beautiful and dreamy countryside wedding of our friends, Simon and Clara. The day after the wedding in this magical old village, we went for a long walk through fields and woods with Simon, Clara, their friends and relatives. It was - [Roundup of glyphosate weed killer research](https://www.jackwallington.com/roundup-of-glyphosate-weed-killer-research/) - I'm an organic gardener and avoid using chemicals, I'm particularly guarded around edible crops, such as on my allotment. However, it's been bugging me in recent years that so many people have been calling for glyphosate, the chemical used in many weedkillers like Round Up, to be banned outright with very little research to support - [Real millennial gardens](https://www.jackwallington.com/real-millennial-gardens/) - Some of my biggest gardening inspiration comes from friends who I wouldn't have expected to love growing stuff. They love having plants around them but they wouldn't necessarily call themselves gardeners, though they always get results and enjoy it. I wanted to focus on some of my friends' gardening adventures this year as they're really - [Allotment Month 43: priorities, supports and progress](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-43-priorities-supports-and-progress/) - Going into the fourth season on my allotment I've been pleased with how it's shaping up. Part of the personal challenge is to see how much one person can grow in only a couple of hours a week. I've come to realise that in an ideal world with more time and with a plot next - [Gravetye Manor](https://www.jackwallington.com/gravetye-manor/) - Chris and I have been so busy this spring that we missed our 13th anniversary so we took a trip to Gravetye Manor in Sussex for lunch to celebrate. It's a garden I've wanted to visit for five years or more. Arriving along the drive is already spectacular, mature rhododendrons in full bloom welcomed us. - [One World stand at Chelsea Flower Show 2019](https://www.jackwallington.com/one-world-stand-at-chelsea-flower-show-2019/) - This year at Chelsea Flower Show I was lucky to be asked by One World to plant up their stand showcasing their furniture and interior homeware. One World have been working with Kew Gardens to create botanical prints in pictures and furnishings so we extended that theme focusing on leafy exotics. Once we'd decided on - [Pot's Growing On: road to our open garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-road-to-our-open-garden/) - This month has been a whirlwind of finishing various garden designs, writing and planting up the One World stand for Chelsea Flower Show. In amongst all of that I'm juggling our little garden and allotment, which is tricky this year. I'm making sure the garden gets the focus it needs now for an interesting trip - [14 Things at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019](https://www.jackwallington.com/14-things-at-rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2019/) - It’s thoroughly enjoyable at Chelsea Flower Show this year. I’ve placed bets (in my head) on who will win best in show but who knows what will happen at this point. As everyone in the world now writes Chelsea trend articles I've decided not to bother adding to that list anymore but for trend lovers, - [Pot's Growing On? Planting sweetpeas, caring for permanent containers, ferns and dahlias are go](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-planting-sweetpeas-caring-for-permanent-containers-ferns-and-dahlias-are-go/) - I've finally spent a good afternoon in our garden after being super busy with other people's gardens for the last couple of months. Normally I'd have our garden looking spick and span by mid-March but with being away in California and spring being the busiest time for garden design, I'm a bit behind. In the - [Future Meadow: Winter One](https://www.jackwallington.com/future-meadow-winter-one/) - The race to grow is primal in all living things. One of the challenges of planting a new border in autumn is that other plants, the unwanted, are fastest to nature's buffet, germinating and growing in winter as though it were spring. Urtica dioica, the common stinging nettle, is a real problem on this patch - [Long term planting on the allotment](https://www.jackwallington.com/long-term-planting-on-the-allotment/) - When I was about six or seven I remember adding leaves to our houseplant pots to rot down and feed the plants, hoping I could create an everlasting houseplant like all the plants out in the woods behind our garden. Obviously this plan was flawed but the principle, of gardening in a way that is - [Allotment Month 42: weeding asparagus and carrots, potato, chilli and artichoke update](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-42-weeding-asparagus-and-carrots-potato-chilli-and-artichoke-update/) - On Sunday I had the chance for a proper sesh down the allotment and it was marvellous! The sun wasn't shining and it was a bit chilly but all the better for some weeding. Weeding around asparagus I always pull out the weeds with a slight sense of regret because I like them, in fact - [Life in the Treehouse](https://www.jackwallington.com/model-balcony-gardening/) - There are some things I feel people need to know about author and writer Alice Vincent. Crucially, Alice can tear up a dance floor like a mofo, but also she's an excellent photographer, a dab hand at DIY and a keen gardener. Her London flat is awesome, filled with plants and rescued items of furniture, - [Future Meadow: Autumn One](https://www.jackwallington.com/future-meadow-autumn-one/) - A seasonal journal of my new experimental planting design I've started something that is at one time important and another a blip in the ocean. All of my design experiments have led to this but afterward my mind and the world will have moved on. I've started this journal that will look at my new - [Banana plants, floral arches, winter cuttings and Cordylines](https://www.jackwallington.com/banana-plants-floral-arches-winter-cuttings-and-cordylines/) - I've been asked by my Instagram and Twitter buddies to explain how to grow bananas and to give some tips on the floral arch we created for last year's NGS open day, among other things I've recently shared on social media. You ask, I (attempt to) deliver... How to grow banana plants I've certainly seen - [A visit to Writtle University College](https://www.jackwallington.com/visits-to-writtle-university-college/) - Imagine if this were your classroom! I’d never miss a lesson. Every time I visit Writtle University College to sit my RHS exams I’m filled with such a sense of peace from this beautiful place of learning, plus regret for the past and longing for the future. I always wonder how life could have been - [Pot's Growing On: snowdrops and the great grass migration](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-snowdrops-and-the-great-grass-migration/) - February 2019 has shaped up to be beautiful weather wise with warm days of sunshine bringing out the bumble bees in our urban wildlife garden. Funnily enough I've never once seen a bee go near our snowdrops, instead they fuss around Hellebores, Cyclamen persicum and C. coum. Yet something must like the snowdrops because they - [DAHLIAGEDDON](https://www.jackwallington.com/dahliageddon/) - It's mid-November and some of our Dahlias in the garden are still flowering, just. This follows an absolutely epic windfall of flowers back in the mild October sunshine I jokingly dubbed #dahliageddon on Twitter. The Telegraph's Alice Vincent quickly and correctly capitalised the entire word to DAHLIAGEDDON and wrote about it all in this article - [My allotment plan for 2019](https://www.jackwallington.com/my-allotment-plan-for-2019/) - Hello vegetable fans! Recently I wrote about why I practice crop rotation on my allotment in my Telegraph column, explaining how that works because it's the basis of everything I do. And I thought it might be helpful to share what this looks like in practice with my updated plan. Below you can see 2019's - [2 Littlebury Road: a year in photos](https://www.jackwallington.com/2-littlebury-road-a-year-in-photos/) - I could write an entire book about our little inner city garden flat in Clapham. Instead, ta da! Here's a supersized blog post rounding up some of the planty highlights from this year. In my head I nick name our flat The Ark because I've crammed as many plants as possible into this space - - [Allotment month 38: don’t beat yourself up if things go wrong](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-38-dont-beat-yourself-up-if-things-go-wrong/) - I've just had the best day on my allotment for a long time. Zero degrees Celsius, literally freezing, but dry with the sun glowing, muted through low cloud. Throughout the growing season sometimes it can feel like things are all going wrong, a crop fails, weeds take over and everything simply doesn't live up to - [Looking back on a year of vegetables, fruit and edible flowers](https://www.jackwallington.com/looking-back-on-a-year-of-vegetables-fruit-and-edible-flowers/) - I thought I'd share some of my favourite edibles from my allotment, organically grown this year. Despite the most challenging conditions, with some failed crops in the drought, my allotment was more productive than any year before. I remember growing fruit and veg as a little boy, podding peas outside our little cottage, while picking daisies, - [Good husbandry goes a long way in small gardens - The Watch House, Broadstairs](https://www.jackwallington.com/good-husbandry-goes-a-long-way-in-small-gardens-the-watch-house-broadstairs/) - A few weeks ago, the day before we jetted off to Portugal, Chris and I hopped on a train to the most easterly point of Kent, Southern England. The reason? To visit a tiny garden owned by this man, the Frustrated Gardener, Dan Cooper. Open on the National Garden Scheme I've been wanting to visit The - [Reflections on another gardening year](https://www.jackwallington.com/reflections-on-another-year-of-gardening/) - 2018 was a year in which I've been lucky to be washed in an overwhelming "go on you can do it" from so many people. In the year I took my landscape garden design studio from a part-time passion to a full-time venture, thank you everyone who believed in and encouraged (and hired) me. It's - [I have a shed!](https://www.jackwallington.com/i-have-a-shed/) - When I finally settled on my allotment plan three years ago (here is an updated version) I earmarked a space for a shed. It felt like the right place for it, on the south boundary to not cause shade for my neighbour and slightly in the shade of a tree anyway. Since that day I've - [Pot’s Growing On: experimenting with tender plants outside](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-a-garden-never-stops/) - Over the last few years I've been surprised at the number of tender plants that can survive outside over winter with minimal protection in our little garden. Now, in December, most of the leaves have fallen and many of our plants have died back to ground level (or just died). But the garden doesn't rest - [Grow your own, change YOUR world](https://www.jackwallington.com/grow-your-own-change-your-world/) - I was reading the BBC's seven charts on climate change article and one major thing scientists say will offset increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere, preventing global warming, is to eat less meat. Raising livestock (including fish) requires larger amounts of input than any plant based food does to grow. Even better, if you grow - [Mossy Rock (part three)](https://www.jackwallington.com/mossy-rock-part-three/) - It is with some excitement and a huge amount of pride that I can now show you, a year on from the start of this experiment, Mossy Rock right NOW: Look at Mossy Rock all covered in moss! Glowing green like an imperfect emerald. As I'm sure you are an avid Mossy Rock fan reading - [Mossy Rock (part two)](https://www.jackwallington.com/mossy-rock-part-two/) - I know what you’re thinking moss fans, will he shut up about that bloomin rock what’s happening with Mossy Rock? Well, good news! There is some serious mossage going on right now. Look at this: Since Mossy Rock (part one) the small mosslets (not a technical term) have been mossing up (nor that) and growth is - [8 tips to demystify growing Begonias as houseplants](https://www.jackwallington.com/8-tips-to-demystify-growing-begonias-as-houseplants/) - When I first started going to garden events like RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the first thing I was drawn to was the begonia display on Dibley's stand. Their giant leaves in all manner of swirls and markings of Day-Glo technicolour. I wanted to grow them all so I placed an order immediately. It's been over - [Allotment Month 36: sowing garlic, broad beans, peas and my new compost bins](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-36-sowing-garlic-broad-beans-peas-and-my-new-compost-bins/) - I've hit month 36 in my allotment journal which means I've now had it, almost unbelievably, for three whole years! I remember first setting foot on it like yesterday, yet here we are. We've come a long way I'm proud of what I've achieved so far on the allotment. Gazing out across my vast lands, - [Rearrange: the benefit of a patio of pots!](https://www.jackwallington.com/rearrange-the-benefit-of-a-patio-of-pots/) - I've come over all Mary Poppins this weekend and not just because gusts of wind keep blowing fallen leaves around the garden. Today we started the simple changes to our patio I've been talking about and now that I've started tidying and reorganising I can't stop. The garden already feels radically different to me. Why - [Cassa de Serralves, Porto](https://www.jackwallington.com/cassa-de-serralves-porto/) - Earlier this year Chris and I visited Porto, Portugal and during the trip popped to the Serralves museum of modern art. What we hadn't appreciated was that the museum is situated on an 18 hectare landscaped garden belonging to the Cassa de Serralves. Built between 1925 - 1944 by Carlos Alberto Cabral, 2nd Count of - [Crocks in pots: what is the myth, that they do or don't work?](https://www.jackwallington.com/crocks-in-pots-what-is-the-myth-that-they-do-or-dont-work/) - For decades gardeners around the world have added crocks - broken bits of terracotta pot or polystyrene - to the base of pots to add drainage. Then, one day reports started spreading that this was a total waste of time! But which is the myth? Do crocks work or don't they? I decided to put - [The Future Jungle](https://www.jackwallington.com/the-future-jungle/) - Uh oh. Guys. I had a wave of inspiration about our garden on the walk home tonight. Hit the decks. There I was, on the train reading about the 'foliage style garden' in the RHS Encyclopaedia of Garden Design (review coming soon!) Now, I fundamentally disagree with playing by rules. Show me a rule and I'll - [A dream](https://www.jackwallington.com/a-dream/) - Last night I had a dream about Himantoglossum hircinum, I woke up worrying and I'm not sure why. The dream was really clear, it was there as I'd seen in the summer, me surrounded by nothingness, the wind brushing around me, grass spilling about the thousands of orchids rarely seen in the UK. My hand - [Pot’s Growing On in November? Hedging my bets](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-in-november-hedging-my-bets/) - I've been thinking for a while that something is up with our small garden and these are the problems: Not enclosed enough: gaps in the jungly scene are breaking the illusion, I can see too many buildings while standing outside. We never sit in it: the table was too big and too close to the - [The gardener who keeps on giving](https://www.jackwallington.com/the-gardener-who-keeps-on-giving/) - The first time I met Penny Snell she handed me a glass of wine and a canapé at an evening garden opening to raise money for the National Garden Scheme (this garden). Great hosting, making people feel relaxed and welcome is Penny's business, after all she was recently awarded the title of CBE for her - [Is this the year we fell in love with Symphyotrichum? Photos from Sussex Prairies](https://www.jackwallington.com/is-this-the-year-we-fell-in-love-with-symphyotrichum-photos-from-sussex-prairies/) - This Autumn everyone I speak to has discovered a love of Symphyotrichum. Or should I say, rediscovered Asters, as they were previously called. What's going on? I've been researching Symphyotrichum all summer and then my friend Annie highlighted them at Scampston Hall, closely followed by my friend Stephen pointing out a particularly nice cultivar - I'm - [Power of propagation, Ulting Wick (NGS)](https://www.jackwallington.com/power-of-propagation-ulting-wick-ngs/) - I don't remember when I first started following Philippa Burrough on Twitter. Philippa is the owner, gardener and plant magician of Ulting Wick, a beautiful garden only open in support of the charity, National Garden Scheme. I suspect our first tweets will almost certainly have been due to our mutual love of Ricinus and Aeoniums, Philippa - [Amazing scenes as Porto's streets are swallowed by Ipomoea](https://www.jackwallington.com/amazing-scenes-as-portos-streets-are-swallowed-by-ipomoea/) - Earlier this year Chris and I visited the cool city of Porto, Portugal. Within the first hour I'd spotted the vivid blue of Ipomoea growing over walls near the airport, like an alien bindweed (they're closely related in the Convolvulus family). Although it is an invasive plant, as we walked around the Medieval parts of - [Allotment Month 34: happy herbal, apple disaster, persistent prairie](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-34-happy-herbal-apple-disaster-persistent-prairie/) - Often I beat myself up about the state of my allotment, it never quite looks as good as those picture perfect ones I see in magazines - everyone else seems a million times better at getting their crops in neat lines and eradicating every weed. How do you do it?! But today, I'm allowing myself - [Pot's Growing On: plant indoor bulbs for Christmas(ish) colour](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-plant-indoor-bulbs-for-christmasish-colour/) - It's the time of year when you can sit back, put your feet up... and pick up a bulb catalogue cos there's no rest for a gardener! I've ordered all of my bulbs now to be planted up by mid October at the latest, except for tulips that go in during November. This weekend I - [Can you ever have too many plants?](https://www.jackwallington.com/can-you-ever-have-too-many-plants/) - Gardeners are all dreamers, I'm sure of it. We look, we imagine and somehow we become responsible for steering our little bubble of the universe into making that dream a reality. Who knows if the reality matches the hazy thoughts we had. A difficult year in our garden, I've certainly been busier starting my new - [Dahlias and me](https://www.jackwallington.com/dahlias-and-me/) - For me, dahlias need to look carved from gemstone rock with a richness of colour to match. The ones so deep in colour they're like pools of ink, I imagine they'd leave a streak along a wall. Personally I avoid blousiness in dahlias - I love those too but I'm looking for sharp, futuristic, weird, - [Pot's Growing On: addicted to crazy leaves](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-addicted-to-crazy-leaves/) - Hello loyal reader! (Ignore if first visit or you plan on never returning). In the run up to our September open day I was worried. Our dependable dahlias were largely delayed flowering by approximately a month thanks to the nine weeks of drought over summer. Buds are numerous but they certainly didn't come fast enough - [National Dahlia Society Annual Show 2018, RHS Wisley](https://www.jackwallington.com/national-dahlia-society-annual-show-2018-rhs-wisley/) - Is it just me or are there fewer yellow dahlias at the National Dahlia Society Annual Show this year? "Bryn Terfel" (above) was my favourite in the giant decorative dahlia category. Utterly ridiculous with a beautiful colour and shape. Dahlia shows look for strong stems and perfect flower heads which is why the cultivars are - [Control meadow grass using parasitic yellow rattle, Rhinanthus minor](https://www.jackwallington.com/control-meadow-grass-using-parasitic-yellow-rattle-rhinanthus-minor/) - Many meadows have one problem: overly vigorous grasses. If soil is even a little too rich or too moist, grasses enjoy the conditions too much, growing vigorously and outcompeting the flowers. Grass is essential to a meadow but you want the balance. Sowing Rhinanthus minor, aka yellow rattle, in late-summer or autumn will help. Rhinanthus - [Outdoor mini aubergines for pots and containers in small spaces](https://www.jackwallington.com/outdoor-mini-aubergines-for-pots-and-containers-in-small-spaces/) - Here I show you the small aubergine plants I've been growing in pots at home and in a row on my allotment. I love them! - [Video of giant dahlia 'Emory Paul'](https://www.jackwallington.com/video-of-giant-dahlia-emory-paul/) - One of the first dahlias we grew was 'Emory Paul' and it's come back every year better than ever. This year it's flowering over a month earlier than normal and this is a video explaining how to cut the mega flowers for vases. - [Why I just chopped off every single dahlia flower](https://www.jackwallington.com/why-i-just-chopped-off-every-single-dahlia-flower/) - Oh no! What have I done?! Just as my dahlia trial beds on my allotment were pulling through from the drought and finally starting to flower... I chopped every single one of their flowers and large buds off to put on the compost heap! Well, fear not! As upsetting as this was to do - - [The law of limiting factors](https://www.jackwallington.com/the-law-of-limiting-factors/) - Everyone is talking about the weather as though we haven't only just entered mid-Summer. Don't allow a few rainy days after a prolonged heatwave trick you into thinking it's autumn when we have at least another 6 - 8 weeks of warm weather to go. And certainly where we are in London, I can see - [Allotment Month 17: dahlias, prairie and produce](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-17-dahlias-prairie-and-produce/) - It's year two for my allotment and the layout I created for it originally is really working. The beds have been easy to keep weed free with weed suppressant membrane and rotating crops is a doddle. Everything is planted in little rows in a simple structure, the paths have nice grass along them now. With each - [Allotment Month 18: a visitor, weedageddon, cutflowers, vegetables and perennial produce](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-18-a-visitor-weedageddon-cutflowers-vegetables-and-perennial-produce/) - Who knows how the laws of the universe work. Across the entire site my allotment is on I've never seen any foxgloves at all. Last summer I chose to leave a tiny weed in the middle of my brassica bed, who knows why. A visitor It grew and I began to suspect it was a - [From the streets: Porto - city of fusion](https://www.jackwallington.com/from-the-streets-porto-city-of-fusion/) - Chris and I have been staying in Porto, neither of us having been to Portugal before. An old but very modern city with the river Douro at the heart of this steep medieval port - unsurprisingly where the drink port originates from. Our first impression is that of an exciting, stylish and ever evolving city. - [Allotment Month 33: today is a good day](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-today-is-a-good-day/) - This was the best day on the allotment all year, a breeze and drizzle, the air warm, everything quiet and the world relaxed. All of the plants I could see had not sprung back into life with the recent showers. The soil still dry an inch below the surface, grass still brown. Instead, we all - [Pot's Growing On: creating space, sunflower for foliage and ornamental aubergine](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-creating-space-a-sunflower-for-foliage/) - Stepping out into our garden one morning this week was different. Not least because we had 1.2cm of rain last weekend, literally the first drop since May. While the sky was dull and gloomy, flowers were glowing, their colours making up for the lack of rays. Plants loaded with water, leaves shining with hydration. Growing - [11 Chelsea plant combinations you can try at home](https://www.jackwallington.com/11-chelsea-plant-combinations-you-can-try-at-home/) - Like my 15 Sensational Plantings to Recreate from Chelsea article last year I'm hoping to breakdown the myth that you can't recreate the Chelsea look. Of course you can! Right plant, right place and they look after themselves. It's good to discuss this because does anyone really go to the Chelsea Flower Show and not - [Our Garden, 23 April and 24 May 2013](https://www.jackwallington.com/garden-23-april-24-may-2013/) - [Our Garden, 25 November 2012](https://www.jackwallington.com/garden-25-november-2012/) - [Easily multiply your Solenostemon with midsummer cuttings](https://www.jackwallington.com/easily-multiply-your-solenostemon-with-midsummer-cuttings/) - By July Solenostemon should be growing rapidly and, with the foliage types, it's often useful to pinch them out to encourage branching and remove the flowers. Instead of pinching the tips I've been taking this opportunity to multiply my stock by pinching slightly further down for some easy cuttings. For a cutting, you just need - [Allotment month 32: cool as a cucurbit, hot as a herbal](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-32-cool-as-a-cucurbit-hot-as-a-herbal/) - 2018 will go down as one of the most challenging years for gardeners, the freezing late blast followed by an immediate and total lack of rain since for most parts of the country. It's any wonder plants are struggling, Clapham Common is a dust bowl. In gardens and allotments however things are growing, why? The - [Fibrex Nurseries, Warwickshire](https://www.jackwallington.com/fibrex-nurseries-warwickshire/) - If you're into ferns you'll certainly have heard of Fibrex Nurseries, they also hold the national collections for Hedera and Pelargoniums, helping change my opinions of these plants. Over the years I've admired their stands at RHS flower shows and have bought many ferns from them. When we were in the area earlier this year I - [Sir Harold Hillier Arboretum and Gardens](https://www.jackwallington.com/sir-harold-hillier-arboretum-and-gardens/) - Last week Chris and I popped to the New Forest for a couple of days and on the way back we passed the Sir Harold Hillier Arboretum and Gardens. It would have been rude not to drop in. Without knowing what to expect we were blown away by its vast scale. Similar to RHS Wisley - [Bombay Sapphire Distillery: making gin from herbs and other botanicals amidst jaw dropping design](https://www.jackwallington.com/bombay-sapphire-distillery-making-gin-from-herbs-and-other-botanicals-amidst-jaw-dropping-design/) - Chris and I popped to the New Forest for a night and stopped at the new Bombay Sapphire Distillery in Laverstock, Whitchurch. I've been wanting to go to see Thomas Heatherwick Studio's extraordinary custom glasshouses but hadn't appreciated they had transformed the entire plant. The mill is old enough to be recorded in the Domesday - [How to grow Monarda didyma](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-grow-monarda-didyma/) - Monarda didyma ‘Cambridge Scarlet’ can be seen flowering in our garden in the above photo (2015) and below (2018). This year, one small plant I grew in a 2 litre pot from last year's plant, then planted out this spring has about eight flowers on now with more on the way. I gave it the - [Allotment month 31: here come the crops - gherkins, kohlrabi, edible flowers and more](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-here-come-the-crops-gherkins-kohlrabi-edible-flowers-and-more/) - After months of hard work, today the allotment is starting to give up its bounty with lots of produce now finally ready for the munching. It's an exciting moment and one I'm always convinced won't happen until it does. Whatever happens in future, whatever I face, I will now always know I can grow perfect - [Come into my world](https://www.jackwallington.com/come-into-my-world-2/) - People have asked me a lot why I write recently and I don’t really know the answer but I think it’s something to do with needing to express how amazing I feel the natural world is in a deep and meaningful way in a desperate attempt to protect its fragility. I also want to share - [Review: Stihl FSA-56 strimmer](https://www.jackwallington.com/review-stihl-hsa-56-strimmer/) - My review of the 36V Stihl FSA-56 strimmer, currently available for between £130 - 170 online, tested for the last month on my allotment. Some context For context to this review, on my allotment I'm responsible for keeping the grass paths around the outside in check, plus some grassy patches I've chosen to keep on - [Gutted Clandon Park house open again to the public](https://www.jackwallington.com/gutted-clandon-park-house-surrey-open-again-to-the-public/) - "It's the most real National Trust we've been to," Chris sums up exactly how I felt about Clandon Park House in Surrey. Completely gutted by a devastating fire one afternoon in April 2015, the house now sits beneath a monolithic structure of scaffolding. The charity allowing visitors in on the proviso that all fashion is - [Biddulph Grange](https://www.jackwallington.com/biddulph-grange/) - In the summer of 2014 we had a staycation in the UK, roadtripping it to Yorkshire, Northumberland, Scotland, the Lake District through to Buckinghamshire. We'd recently joined the National Trust and we massively made use of our membership on this road trip, visiting more than a handful of manors and estates in the week. But - [Sissinghurst & Monks House - intertwined lives endure in the gardens](https://www.jackwallington.com/sissinghurst-monks-house-intertwined-lives-endure-in-the-gardens/) - We visited Vita Sackville-West's Sissinghurst Castle and Virginia Woolf's Monks House on separate days during our Sussex holiday in July, and although I learnt at the latter that they knew each other, it's only now, on reading further, I find out that they were lovers. Virginia, so smitten she wrote an entire novel about Vita. - [Landscape design at Stowe Garden in Buckinghamshire](https://www.jackwallington.com/landscape-design-at-stowe-garden-in-buckinghamshire/) - Back in November Chris and I had the opportunity to spend a sunny Autumn afternoon at Stowe in Buckinghamshire (a short drive from where I grew up). I can't say we fell in love with the place but it's an interesting exercise in seeing and experiencing first-hand the fundamental building blocks of landscape garden design. Stowe - [1 Trend at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018](https://www.jackwallington.com/1-trend-at-rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2018/) - This year Chelsea actually felt slightly out of sync for me, so much was right but my heart wasn't stolen. The show was wonderful as always and I took a lot from it. But a feeling was missing from the show gardens - it's not them, it's me - and I've been trying to figure - [57 Photos of RHS Chelsea Press Day](https://www.jackwallington.com/57-photos-of-rhs-chelsea-press-day/) - Photographs by Christopher Anderson (Twitter / Instagram). - [26 things at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018](https://www.jackwallington.com/26-things-at-rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2018/) - The consensus so far from people at RHS Chelsea? "This is a good 'un". Variety is the spice of life and variety is the word on the champagne lined street. Show gardens a real mixture of styles and colours with no clear themes emerging. This is the first year I don't have a front runner - [RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018 - first impressions](https://www.jackwallington.com/rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2018-first-impressions/) - This year I've spent a couple of days mooching about RHS Chelsea Flower Show during construction. It's a reminder of how small the show ground really is as you squeeze past lorries fearing for your feet. All the more impressive that the world's finest plantspeople and landscapers manage to pour in and produce such wonders - [Allotment Month 30: a close look at 2018's plan](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-30-a-close-look-at-2018s-plan/) - How I'm into month 30 on my allotment blows my mind. I've made reasonable progress in that time, looking back at my entry for month one. Still not perfect and it never will be - because where's the fun in a perfect allotment, right - but in terms of food productivity and as a peaceful space - [Arts and Crafts at Hidcote](https://www.jackwallington.com/arts-and-crafts-at-hidcote/) - It's been on my list of gardens to visit for as long as I can remember. Chris and I finally stepped out the car at Hidcote Manor in Gloucestershire. Famed for its American creator Lawrence Johnston's use of garden rooms. Hidcote's gardens were first established in the early 1900s as part of the Arts and - [Pot's Growing On in May: self-seeding, hardy outdoor cactus and propagating tricky seeds](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-in-may-self-seeding-hardy-outdoor-cactus-and-propagating-tricky-seeds/) - If I did nothing to our garden this year it would become an Echium, Allium, Ricinus, Verbena and Fennel jungle - these self-seeders have seriously self-sown everywhere! I'm puzzled how they managed to spread their seeds so evenly down the end of the garden I don't grow them. It's times like these that I wish - [50 Dahlia photos from my garden and allotment](https://www.jackwallington.com/50-dahlia-photos-from-my-garden-and-allotment/) - As you may have heard, I love Dahlias (see more Dahlia posts here), they rock my flowery world. Below is a selection of those I've grown over the last few years in our garden and on my allotment. Click the photos to zoom in and open a slideshow. - [Orchidize](https://www.jackwallington.com/orchidize/) - One day there will come a moment when I'll have seen all of the species of native wild orchids. I'm not sure how I'll feel about losing that lack of wonder seeing a new species for the first time. Over the last few years since my good friend Peter Langley unlocked the door to orchid - [Wild orchid hunting](https://www.jackwallington.com/wild-orchid-hunting/) - My friend Pete Langley took me to a secret location on the South Downs one sunny summer evening this week to see some of our wild native orchids. We'd been talking about it for a while and now, with the solstice around the corner, the timing was right. Top of the list was the rare fly - [Dr Nathaniel Ward's Clapham home and garden to be demolished imminently](https://www.jackwallington.com/dr-nathaniel-wards-clapham-home-and-garden-to-be-demolished-imminently/) - Three years ago almost to the day I wrote this blog post about discovering the existence of Dr Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward's Clapham home (thanks to the Clapham Society) where he housed a herbarium of over 20,000 specimens and a garden full of rare plants. I've been slightly obsessed with it ever since because its demolition - [NGS 2014: 51 The Chase, Clapham](https://www.jackwallington.com/ngs-2014-51-the-chase-clapham/) - The garden of designer Charles Rutherfoord at 51 The Chase in Clapham is tulip heaven in spring, with thousands of the flowers. It also has a lovely dome greenhouse and a gigantic metal bull sculpture at the back. - [The 99 Topiary Yew Trees of St. Mary's church in Painswick, Cotswolds](https://www.jackwallington.com/the-99-topiary-yew-trees-of-st-marys-church-in-painswick-cotswolds/) - At the weekend Chris and I attended the most beautiful wedding of our friends George and Rosanna Ryan at the Parish Church of St Mary's in Painswick, Cotswolds. I'd already seen some photos of the topiary yew trees but I hadn't appreciated there were 99 of them. Legend has it that if a hundredth tree - [Copper tape - it works](https://www.jackwallington.com/copper-tape-it-works/) - People who've been to our garden always ask how I keep my Hostas safe from slugs and snails. I use a mini armoury of measures: Grown in pots raised on feet over gravel so it's less likely slugs and snails will find their way up, making sure the leaves don't form bridges from other plants. - [My garden, my lifeblood](https://www.jackwallington.com/my-garden-my-lifeblood/) - I've just stepped back inside from the first quiet couple of hours in our garden this spring. Sitting there in a tshirt with a cup of coffee in the warm sunshine, I felt I was gasping for air after the suffocating long winter. I'm not the only one, all of our plants are growing in - [Pot's Growing On: white flowers, propagation and sempervivum](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-white-flowers-propagation-and-sempervivum/) - It's finally spring proper and our garden is growing again in the most spectacular way. The fastest grower has been our Hellebore 'White Single' which sadly didn't flower this year but its leaves have gone from zero to mini-tropical palm tree hero in the matter of a week. It's been a symbol for me during - [Pulsatilla vulgaris](https://www.jackwallington.com/pulsatilla-vulgaris/) - Finally, after many years, today I came up close and personal with one of my favourite plants growing and flowering in the wild: Pulsatilla vulgaris. It was overcast and rainy, and I was a bit early in the season, so many flower buds were only beginning to emerge. Yet some were open allowing me to - [From the streets: American Embassy prairie garden - first winter](https://www.jackwallington.com/american-embassy-prairie-garden-first-winter/) - Chris and I often walk to Vauxhall from our Clapham flat to visit the new things popping up as the area regenerates, like the Newport Street Gallery and a cool little garden nursery. Today we walked past the new American Embassy building and noticed it had a footpath cutting across its grounds. Nipping across the - [From the streets: who needs a garden to garden?!](https://www.jackwallington.com/brighton-pots-who-needs-a-garden-to-garden/) - I was just moseying around Brighton at lunch and four houses caught my eye down a street by the North Laines. They don't have gardens but that didn't stop them. Dahlia-tastic. - [From the streets: Brighton's futuristic municipal planting](https://www.jackwallington.com/brightons-futuristic-municipal-planting/) - I don't know what they put in the water down in Brighton (where I work) but I suspect it's either Maxigrow or - more likely - homemade organic comfrey tea. The public parks around the city are filled with adventurous and sustainable plant communities that look ripped from the pages of a design magazine, especially around the - [From the streets: Library of Birmingham's rooftop secret garden and futuristic municipal design](https://www.jackwallington.com/library-of-birminghams-rooftop-secret-garden-and-futuristic-municipal-design/) - My mum and I share the same birthday, bonfire night. We love it, so Chris and I drove up to Yorkshire to enjoy it with my family. On the way home we had to stop in Birmingham and woke to a sunny winter morning shining light on one of the most creative, greenest and modern art - [From the streets: California](https://www.jackwallington.com/street-planting-in-california/) - Chris and I have just come back from a trip to LA, Vegas and Malibu visiting for a wedding. Once you enter the kingdom of plants, the world you see through green-tinged glasses changes radically and this latest trip to the states felt like stepping into an alternate universe due in part to the choice - [From the streets: A walk in the winter sunshine](https://www.jackwallington.com/from-the-streets-a-walk-in-the-winter-sunshine/) - The interplay of nature and humanity is endlessly fascinating to observe. Nowhere is it more obvious and at the same time hidden than in cities. For the last six years my life has been divided between London and Brighton for work. Both cities weaving nature into the everyday lives of people in many different ways. - [From the streets: Nine Elms Lane, Vauxhall urban planting](https://www.jackwallington.com/from-the-streets-nine-elms-lane-vauxhall-urban-planting/) - I first noticed the unusual oval shaped flower beds along the recently redeveloped Nine Elms Lane in Vauxhall this time last year soon after it had been planted. Little paths through the borders are an inspired touch, bringing people very close to plants. The selection of which were well considered and clearly the sign of - [And it was all yellow](https://www.jackwallington.com/and-it-was-all-yellow/) - When I first started seriously geeking out on gardening I kept reading again and again that "yellow is banished from gardens." I wondered why. Now I suspect this dislike is a myth that stemmed from one opinion on the matter a few decades ago, repeated through the ages. Who was that person and why did - [Pot’s growing on in March: spring bulbs start turning up to the party](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-in-march-spring-bulbs-start-turning-up-to-the-party/) - My biggest delight so far this month is the success of our perennial spring bulbs. Given the extreme cold weather this year I'd wrongly assumed the combination of wet and cold would be too much for some of them but actually, perhaps it's more akin to their alpine natural habitats. Whatever the reason, they're back - [Oh Beehave!](https://www.jackwallington.com/oh-beehave/) - I was pottering around outside today in our little urban garden and while watering the ferns I spotted that little badger up there (aka a bee, it's not really a badger) crawling out the stem of my Dahlia 'Black Jack'. When I got closer it literally held a leg up as if to say "hold it! - [Garden and landscape design in Clapham](https://www.jackwallington.com/landscape-and-garden-design-service-clapham-london/) - Jack Wallington Garden Design Ltd. for modern gardens with a unique and high-end finish. A great garden will transform your home and life, no matter how big or small. Please contact me to discuss on the phone or in person. Benefits of a designed garden Gardens can be stylish outdoor areas that transform your entire home - [Allotment Month 28: harvesting parsnips, beating weeds, sowing seeds and signs of spring (at last!)](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-28-harvesting-parsnips-beating-weeds-sowing-seeds-and-signs-of-spring/) - Currently I feel I have the measure of my allotment, how long that feeling will last remains to be seen. There are two big changes on the allotment this year, the first is that last year it increased in size and finally I can make the most of this space. In the photo above, you - [Behind-the-scenes of McBean's Orchids, Sussex](https://www.jackwallington.com/behind-the-scenes-of-mcbeans-orchids-sussex/) - "We're going in!" I hit the car breaks, indicated and abruptly swerved into the driveway. "ORCHIDS" the sign said on the logo I remembered from my visits to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Chris didn't have a chance to object and in any case, I was driving. That was summer of 2015 and we'd literally - [Robot lawn mowers, battery operated gardening tools and other tech at the Garden Press Event](https://www.jackwallington.com/robot-lawn-mowers-battery-operated-gardening-tools-and-other-tech-at-the-garden-press-event/) - I attended the Garden Press Event for the first time this year and it was a wonderful meet-up for the gardening bloggers, journalists, Twitterati and amazing gardening companies displaying their wares. It was lovely catching up with everyone! On the day I was on a mission to investigate gardening gadgets. I'm in need of powered - [Houseplant trends: the bigger the better](https://www.jackwallington.com/houseplant-trends-the-bigger-the-better/) - Over the last few years we've seen an explosion of interest in houseplants, largely driven by Instagram. As people's collections and displays have grown, they've shared this with their friends and followers, inspiring others in turn to grow. It's been magical to watch. At home I've been just the same, seeing my already sizeable collection - [Surviving: checking the damage caused during the coldest week in eight years](https://www.jackwallington.com/surviving-checking-the-damage-caused-during-the-coldest-week-in-eight-years/) - The week during Storm Emma - the coldest week in our garden in eight years - was one of the most worrying weeks I've had as a gardener. As always when I worry about our plants however, they prove that worrying was largely a pointless exercise. After all, they've been doing this for far longer - [12 plants that add COLOUR-POW to your garden in winter](https://www.jackwallington.com/12-plants-that-add-colour-pow-to-your-garden-in-winter/) - If your garden doesn't look something like the above right now, it's time to act! Plan now to add a little sparkle to your garden for this time next year, bringing the start of the season earlier. Don't leave it otherwise you'll forget (I would!) and you really need to plant winter flowering plants in - [Collecting seeds from Leonotis nepetifolia](https://www.jackwallington.com/collecting-seeds-from-leonotis-leonurus/) - Over the last few years I've been growing Leonotis nepetifolia (thanks to Jonathan Gregson for correcting the species in the comments below) from seed after first reading about it years ago in one of Monty Don's books. This year it's one of a number of plants I'm growing from seed collected myself. Above are some - [Fleeting flowers](https://www.jackwallington.com/fleeting-flowers/) - The joy of the snowdrop, cherry blossom and tulip. The fritillary and daffodil, the allium and poppy. Momentary pops of colour punctuating the seasons. Often as gardeners we'll steer our borders toward plants that flower for months on end like floribunda roses, geraniums and of course, dahlias. Surefire colour and healthy foliage lure us and - [Avoid damping off during indoor propagation](https://www.jackwallington.com/avoid-damping-off-during-indoor-propagation/) - If I can offer any tips for indoor propagation on a small scale, it's do a small number of things to avoid damping off. Damping off is a bunch of fungal diseases that will cause ALL seedlings to die quickly. I learnt this the hard way, losing trays of seedlings initially which 'almost' put me off trying again. - [Pot’s growing on in February: Hellebores, Snowdrops and vigorous perennials forcing changes](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-in-february-hellebores-snowdrops-and-vigorous-perennials-forcing-changes/) - It's been three years since we set up our garden. For the first time a large number of plants have multiplied so much they'll have amazing impact this year and, of more interest to me, I can think about dividing, propagating and the impact that will have on our garden. Growing upThe thought of having - [Allotment Month 26: sprucing and rearranging](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-26-sprucing-and-rearranging/) - Toward the end of autumn I find the battle against couch grass and other weeds relentless and with the coming winter, I just stop weeding from October. The result is a mess but with January and February around the corner, I personally think it's best to wait for these cold months to spruce the plot - [Spring is in the air in London](https://www.jackwallington.com/spring-is-in-the-air-in-london/) - In the air but importantly, not quite here. Yet on mild sunny days the signs of spring are all around us and, here in London at least, some things are getting a little ahead of themselves. Including a butterfly receiving many glances from hungry birds. I should have realised I was late to the party - [Pot's growing on in January: Planning for summer, sowing sweet peas, Eucalyptus gall wasp and houseplant love](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-in-january-planning-for-summer-sowing-sweet-peas-eucalyptus-gall-wasp-and-houseplant-love/) - After an incredibly busy end to 2017 when all thought of our garden went up the chimney with Father Christmas, my mind is now finally turning to planning the garden for the coming year. A change is as good as a rest Now is the time to look back at last year's garden photos, browse - [Mossy Rock (part one)](https://www.jackwallington.com/mossy-rock-moss-garden-part-one/) - Some strange ideas run through my mind and I admit this is among the strangest. Last year I had to replace a section of fence in our garden and one fence post stump had an enormous chunk of concrete foundation. I don't know why but upturned, I quite liked the shape - it almost looked - [Add some zing this summer with the unnatural flowers of Zinnias](https://www.jackwallington.com/add-some-zing-this-summer-with-the-unnatural-flowers-of-zinnias/) - Zinnias are odd. Almost unlike any flower I've come across before, they just do not look or feel real. Like a primary school project made of pipe cleaners and felt. By all rights I should dislike Zinnias and all they stand for but I don't. I blinkin' love 'em. Why? Look at this Zinnia 'Queen - [12 Photos that shaped my year](https://www.jackwallington.com/12-photos-that-shaped-my-year/) - The last twelve months have given me the chance to explore my design likes and dislikes in my own gardens and to study combinations of design that appeal to me the most in others. In this post I'll share some of the moments from this year that interested me greatly. In any art form, everyone - [Allotment Month 25: planning for the year ahead - parsnips, cauliflower, kale, carrots, apples](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-25-planning-for-the-year-ahead-parsnips-cauliflower-kale-carrots-apples/) - Can you believe I've had my allotment for two years?! The excitement of taking ownership still feels like yesterday to me, I love it. Yet today my mind has started drifting to our third season together, how time flies etc. After going ballistic with carrots this year, we've had our fair share of the quirky - [How long do you spend planning your garden?](https://www.jackwallington.com/how-long-do-you-spend-planning-your-garden/) - So here's a question: throughout the year, how much time do you spend planning and thinking about how your garden will look next year? Adding a plant here, cutting back a shrub there, perhaps completely overhauling a border. Comments welcome below! :) For the first time in about five years, I feel like I've hardly - [10 moments of exotic garden genius in Kent](https://www.jackwallington.com/10-moments-of-exotic-garden-genius-in-kent/) - One of the most enjoyable days for me this year was visiting my friend Philip Oostenbrink, a fellow tropical and rare plant nut, in Kent. This was mid-October when leaves were falling from trees and gardens had finished for the year... Except they hadn't. Not if like Philip and me you plan and plant for - [Ferns at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh](https://www.jackwallington.com/ferns-at-the-royal-botanic-garden-edinburgh/) - I’ve gone fern mad - I don’t even know how it happened. This weekend, on my final (boo!) RHS Level 2 study days at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, our teacher Greg let us loose behind the scenes in their (incredible) glasshouses. It’s safe to say, we hit upon the fern mother load! Inside, outside. - [Reforesting Yorkshire](https://www.jackwallington.com/reforesting-yorkshire/) - Chris and I popped up to Yorkshire this weekend to celebrate my birthday and my mum’s, both on bonfire night the fifth of November. One particularly heartening development we saw when out for a walk with my sister Hannah and her dog Danny was major reforestation along the banks of the River Swale. The emerald - [The Great Mystery: closer to nature with the awesome power of seasons](https://www.jackwallington.com/the-great-mystery-closer-to-nature-with-the-awesome-power-of-seasons/) - I had a rare day to myself on Sunday and I used it to wander around one of my favourite wild areas and to spend time on my allotment. In any season of the year, taking time to reconnect with the natural world is positive time well spent. It makes you aware of the changes - [Propagating Hippeastrum from offset bulbs](https://www.jackwallington.com/propagating-hippeastrum-from-offset-bulbs/) - Hippeastrum (incorrectly called Amarylis by shops for some reason) are amazing indoor plants that flower in Winter / early Spring. I’ve owned our one for three years now and it’s flowered every year. Offset bulbs, the baby plants, have been growing on the Hippeastrum for a couple of those years and it’s time to separate - [Oh Autumn!](https://www.jackwallington.com/oh-autumn/) - As an artist, through each waking day there are thousands of wonderful things that catch my eye. In that split second when eye meets with wonder, a tear in the fabric of the universe rips to the soul - a bolt of electricity between mind and the billions of impossible random events that led to - [Gardening jobs to do in October: harvesting, bulb planting, propagation by dividing, cutting and sowing](https://www.jackwallington.com/gardening-jobs-to-do-in-october-harvesting-bulb-planting-propagation-by-dividing-cutting-and-sowing/) - If like me, you may have been coasting along on a post-summer 'put your feet up'. Well, I've got news for you and me, put that cup of tea and newspaper down, there's work to do! As we enter Autumn plants generally put on extra growth in a variety of ways. Weed seeds germinate again - [Allotment month 22: wasted produce, autumn flowering apples and snails](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-22-wasted-produce-autumn-flowering-apples-and-snails/) - I've barely spent any time at the allotment in September. Bad Wallington. This has been a terrible but unavoidable mistake. Over the past fortnight I've missed a bumper crop of tomatoes, not used our many carrots and beetroot and worse, much worse... I just missed six incredible cauliflowers. Argh. Having grown them from seed, mollycoddled - [Victorian plant fashion at Lanhydrock, Cornwall](https://www.jackwallington.com/victorian-plant-fashion-at-lanhydrock-cornwall/) - A report from our brief visit to the immaculately preserved Lanhydrock house and garden owned by the National Trust. Botanical fashion in society Gardening and house plants are in fashion. Dedicated cacti shops are the tip of the iceberg in the public’s sudden mass appreciation for plants. Rather than wondering why this is happening it’s - [The Lost Gardens of Heligan](https://www.jackwallington.com/the-lost-gardens-of-heligan/) - Heligan, a garden established in the mid-18th to the 19th centuries by the Cornish Tremayne family (Wikipedia), was only ever lost in the "covered in dense weeds" sense rather than a discovered ancient ruin. It's better described as the Forgotten Gardens as people knew something was there, it had simply been left to wrack and - [Eden Project](https://www.jackwallington.com/eden-project-cornwall/) - ONE: as Chris and I entered the Rainforest Biome for the first time it was hard not to be struck by its depth. Tops of trees could barely be seen in the distance, blowing in the artificial wind. The odd leaf or branch poking out above the distant canopy largely obscured by mass of jungle - [8 Glasshouses to visit in London and why](https://www.jackwallington.com/8-london-glasshouses-to-visit/) - London has some of the best glasshouses in the world and some of the most interesting secret smaller ones, here's my pick of a number worth visiting on a rainy day. If not outside, the place I feel most at home is in a glasshouse. That smell of warm compost and seedlings in spring, the - [NGS September Open Day - #DahliaFest](https://www.jackwallington.com/ngs-september-open-day-dahliafest/) - Chris and I have been huge fans of the National Garden Scheme (NGS) charity for a long time. You can read about some of the NGS gardens we've visited in my articles here. If you don't know much about it, basically avid gardeners open their gardens for a small donation to the charity. Those donations - [Pot's Growing On in May: getting ready for a show-stopping summer!](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-in-may-getting-ready-for-a-show-stopping-summer/) - May? Mayhem more like. So much is going on this month I feel like Dorothy whizzing around in a plant filled whirlwind. Different gardens I designed in winter are coming to fruition now, Chelsea's next week and our open day is somehow only 8 weeks away! Our garden is more like a pop-up nursery at the moment. - [Smudging seasons](https://www.jackwallington.com/smudging-seasons/) - Chris pointed out this week that the best sunsets happen at this time of year, something I'd never appreciated - I thought beautiful sunsets were weather dependent. Since he said it I've noticed how right he is. The angle of the sun bouncing off the underside of clouds. It's enough to drag your eyes up - [35 Turret Grove Open Garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/35-turret-grove-open-garden/) - The National Garden Scheme (NGS) is brilliant because it raises money for charity and lets us snoop around other people's gardens! It's great fun and, once you get past the awkwardness of going into a stranger's garden, a great way of meeting other enthusiastic plant obsessives! 35 Turret Grove is our fourth Clapham garden invasion - [NGS 2015: 51 The Chase, Clapham by Charles Rutherfoord and Rupert Tyler](https://www.jackwallington.com/ngs-2015-51-the-chase-clapham-by-charles-rutherfoord-and-rupert-tyler/) - The very first garden we visited last year on the National Garden Scheme (NGS) was the Clapham based 51 The Chase by designer Charles Rutherfoord and Rupert Tyler. It was even better than I had remembered. - [The way of things](https://www.jackwallington.com/the-way-of-things/) - Early March has arrived and I popped over to Diana Ross' house around the corner from us again to see her garden at the start of the year. A perfect still, sunny day on this the first week of spring proper. Walking away I was toying with a few thoughts and I realise I've been - [Exciting exotics at 24 Grove Park, Camberwell open on the NGS](https://www.jackwallington.com/exciting-exotics-at-24-grove-park-camberwell-open-on-the-ngs/) - We're particularly spoilt for exciting gardens in South London with a lean toward the exotic as the more tender plants thrive in our inner city microclimate. We've visited Clive Pankhurst's garden a couple of times now on the NGS and were treated to a private tour this week. It is incredible. I'm glad to have - [National Dahlia Society Annual Show 2017 at RHS Wisley](https://www.jackwallington.com/national-dahlia-society-annual-show-2017-at-rhs-wisley/) - It's been three years since I first set eyes on a dinner plate Dahlia at the National Dahlia Society Annual Show 2014. They kinda look like the worst hats you could ever choose to wear... although saying that, I think I'd look rather fetching wearing one. Might try it... Anyway, as I was saying... This - [My 6 easy care comfort house plants you thought were boring but are in fact fabulous!](https://www.jackwallington.com/my-6-comfort-house-plants-you-thought-were-boring-but-are-in-fact-fabulous/) - Forget the fancy house plants you keep spotting on Instagram. You know the ones, stylish Pilea, funky Peperomias, velvety Echeverias... Yeah, those ones. I love them too but let's spare a thought for the house plants of old, so overused in books, catalogues and by shops that people have turned a blind eye to them. - [Dahlia swap!](https://www.jackwallington.com/dahlia-swap/) - No one else but me had set foot on my allotment since I'd owned it - I've just never really thought anyone would be bothered to come and it's also a horticultural nightmare with old junk and weeds galore. However, driven by a surplus of Dahlias people have been, and it's been great. If anyone - [Have you ever seen popcorn flowers?](https://www.jackwallington.com/have-you-ever-seen-popcorn-flowers/) - The popcorn plants on my allotment are (later than normal) finally flowering and I thought I'd share some photos of the flowers. I'm betting most people have never seen popcorn flowers! First, it's worth noting that popcorn and sweet corn are both grasses, in fact different subspecies of the same grass Zea mays. Sitting in - [Pot's Growing On? Summer part two](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-summer-part-two/) - After August's overcast skies, in time for bank holiday weekend the sun is back for summer round two. This 'mid-summer' meh-weather seems to be a recurring theme in recent years. We're tricked into thinking it's autumn but actually we've still got months to go. We're not the only ones, plants slow down in this period, - [Shanks Pony Nursery in Vauxhall](https://www.jackwallington.com/shanks-pony-nursery-in-vauxhall/) - One of my coolest finds in London has to be the discovery of Shanks Pony Nursery in Vauxhall run by a chap called Andy (on Twitter) and his partner Julien. I was first made aware of Andy a year or so ago when I spotted a Brugmansia planted in a community bed in the Vauxhall - [Make time for what you love](https://www.jackwallington.com/make-time-for-what-you-love/) - With work, gardening, friends and family, my life can quickly be filled with wonderful things but it often means the seemingly less important pastimes get reduced. How can I explain to my loved ones that I need to spend time on my allotment or revising over seeing them... again? It never goes down particularly well - [Allotment month 21: release the Dahlias! Black tomatoes, Zinnias, Brassicas and Pumpkins](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-21-release-the-dahlias-black-tomatoes-zinnias-brassicas-and-pumpkins/) - You know that moment in sci-fi films when the warp drive or mega lazer is powering up? That "vvvvvvoooooooo" noise before the "ZEWWW" as it fires. Yeah, that bit. That's the equivalent of what the Dahlia leaves are before the explosion of flowers. They grow and grow and then ALACAPOW there are balls of floof - [Box tree caterpillar plague in Clapham, London](https://www.jackwallington.com/box-tree-caterpillar-plague-in-clapham-london/) - It's usually around this time of year, just as our good ship The Garden puts its rockets into nitro that problems start to crop up in the engines. Last year I spotted a beautiful moth in our garden and soon learnt that this beaut is a terror, Cydalima perspectalis, the box tree moth. Sometimes bad - [Photo gallery: Malibu's unexpectedly exquisite wild flowers](https://www.jackwallington.com/photo-gallery-malibus-unexpectedly-exquisite-wild-flowers/) - I had planned to write a more detailed article about Malibu's national parks and wildlife. However, I can't do it justice and instead I've shared below a gallery of some of what we saw in early July during California's mid-summer dry season. Earlier in the year, the plants would be lusher. The exquisite, subtle colouring - [Our first NGS open day: a weather miracle, cake and allotment cut flowers](https://www.jackwallington.com/our-first-ngs-open-day-a-weather-miracle-cake-and/) - Opening our garden to the public to raise money for the National Garden Scheme (NGS) was both an honour and a total mind-blitz to the senses. After all these years blogging about the NGS, it's funny to add the 'NGS' tag to our own garden. It's even funnier and lovely seeing other people's photos of - [Allotment month 20: it's in the flavour - new potatoes, carrots, Florence fennel, beetroot and more](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-20-its-in-the-flavour-new-potatoes-carrots-florence-fennel-beetroot-and-more/) - Monty Don always says it's important to pick only what you're about to eat to reduce the time between plot and plate. James Wong often tweets and writes in the Guardian about the way sugars in vegetables quickly turn to starch - often in surprisingly short spaces of time. I believed all of this but - [Our NGS open day, this Sunday 1 - 5pm!](https://www.jackwallington.com/our-ngs-open-day-this-sunday-1-5pm/) - A quick reminder that we are opening our garden and flat, 2 Littlebury Road in Clapham, this Sunday afternoon (23 July)! It may be small but it's packed to the brim with unusual and weird plants that I've grown from seed or collected over the years. I'm hoping it will give ideas to other renters - [56 Photos of Californian Gardens: from Facebook and Google to Hollywood via Alcatraz](https://www.jackwallington.com/56-photos-of-californian-gardens-from-facebook-and-google-to-hollywood-via-alcatraz/) - California is a magical place, Chris and I love it. One minute you can be in the oven of a 43C desert, a few hours later atop a snow covered mountain among giant trees. While it's the wild areas that I love, the gardens are fascinating for the differences to those found in the UK. - [Pot's Growing On? High summer in Clapham](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-high-summer-in-clapham/) - Sorry for the lack of updates about our garden recently, I've been so busy opening my garden design studio it's been hard to keep up. Also, with our open day but two weeks away today, all focus is now on making that a good day for everyone in order to raise lots of money for - [Solstice in the city - Clapham Common](https://www.jackwallington.com/summer-solstice-in-the-city-clapham-common/) - I can be my own worst enemy sometimes, in fact, a lot of the time. I can be so focussed that I become blinkered. At times like this it takes those around me to bring me back down to earth and point me back in the right direction. The other evening Chris encouraged us to - [Come into my world](https://www.jackwallington.com/come-into-my-world/) - A selection of photos from my perambulations over the last few months. - [At the end of the earth, plants - Prospect Cottage, Dungeness](https://www.jackwallington.com/at-the-end-of-the-earth-plants-prospect-cottage-dungeness/) - An upfront confession: I've never seen nor heard of any of Derek Jarman's films. A film director before my time. I first heard of him after reading about his home, Prospect Cottage, found in Dungeness on the south coast, a couple of years ago. Quickly I became obsessed with the garden and our friend David gave me - [15 sensational plant combinations you can try at home from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017](https://www.jackwallington.com/15-sensational-plant-combinations-you-can-try-at-home-from-the-rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2017/) - One of my bugbears around Chelsea time are the naysayers proclaiming the gardens are unrealistic and impossible to recreate at home. You know what I always say to that? Poppycock! (Incidentally, what is a 'poppycock' or am I best not asking?) Are you ready to get the Chelsea look? Let's go... 1) Will o'the wisp Matthew - [23 things at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017](https://www.jackwallington.com/23-things-at-rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2017/) - The Chelsea Flower Show is nuts. People on stilts dressed only in flowers, cactus jackets, astro turf lions, stands of rare plants grown to utter perfection by collectors and nurseries, every millimetre of gardens designed and fussed over, landscaping built in a week to be knocked down a week later, flowers arranged into hats... People - [James Basson's road to 'best in show' at Chelsea Flower Show 2017](https://www.jackwallington.com/james-bassons-road-to-best-in-show-at-chelsea-flower-show-2017/) - There are some garden designers we see at RHS shows regularly. James Basson is one that came on my radar in 2015 with his naturalistic, authentic style that really stood out from the gloss of the rest of the show. Like a fine wine, at first I was unsure if I liked the style but I have - [RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017 - Press Day Highlights](https://www.jackwallington.com/rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2017-press-day-highlights/) - It's hard to take in the brain blitz that is the Chelsea Flower Show in one day - particularly when you keep bumping into Joanna Lumley and Mary Berry - so I'll reserve full thoughts for later blog posts. Please check back in the week for design and plant picks. For now, I thought I'd quickly - [Dry winter and spring, what does it mean for summer?](https://www.jackwallington.com/dry-winter-and-spring-what-does-it-mean-for-summer/) - Note: since the day I published this the heavens opened dumping over 4cm of water in 72 hours in south London. So for us at least, crisis averted. No more hose pipe ban worries for the time being - now its slug war. It has barely rained in London now for six weeks. The soil - [RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017 - what to expect?](https://www.jackwallington.com/rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2017-what-to-expect/) - In a few weeks the above Chelsea grounds will be filled with the wonders of the plant world. This year will be my fourth visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show - hard to believe. It's an interesting milestone by which I can measure my advancement in garden design. In the first year, the show - [Plantaholics Anonymous](https://www.jackwallington.com/plantaholics-anonymous/) - [Warning: major plant geekage ahead] One of the best things to happen over the last year has been meeting people who love plants as much as I do; who get why it's so exciting to discover a plant you've not seen before, to understand how it grows and why. Even better, I've met people who - [RHS Wisley in late April](https://www.jackwallington.com/rhs-wisley-in-late-april/) - I made a painfully short trip to RHS Wisley at lunch today in between visiting nurseries sourcing plants for my clients' gardens - it's looking stunning right now. Better than I've seen it before and very exciting for the year ahead. If you can, get down there this weekend, if not here is a tiny - [The liberation of education](https://www.jackwallington.com/the-liberation-of-education/) - This blog post was originally titled "education = better vegetation" but the new rhyme is more appropriate. Last week I found out I passed my RHS Level 3 Certificate in Garden Planning, Construction and Planting with commendations. My friend Natasha - who I met when we both started studying at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - [Pot's Growing On: winners and losers](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-winners-and-losers/) - I didn't think there would be anything more nerve-wracking than having Monty Don coming around to see our garden expecting it to look finished. But then, I hadn't reckoned on opening our garden on the National Open Garden Scheme (NGS). When the film crew were in it was all too easy to ask them to kindly - [Spring-a-ling-a-ling](https://www.jackwallington.com/spring-a-ling-a-ling/) - If you're anything like me, you'll be wondering how on earth it's April when you thought it was still January while looking at spent Daffodils unsure of how you missed them. Well, the signs are here - spring has sprung and it sprunged faster than ever here in London. It's time to get outside and - [7 easy pickings for grow your own keenos](https://www.jackwallington.com/7-easy-pickings-for-grow-your-own-keenos/) - I'm being thrown head first heading into my second season on the allotment and this year, my mind has turned to my stomach. Quite a different mindset to last year's "must grow everything possible! Yay!" approach. I've actually come up with the below formula to decide what to grow, which I thought would be helpful - [Living on a prairie (part 1)](https://www.jackwallington.com/living-on-a-prairie-part-1/) - This year I took on my allotment and I designated one bed for garden design experiments. Deeply inspired by Planting in a Post Wild World and then seeing that principle in action at Nigel Dunnet's design in the Barbican I'm focussing on creating a plant community with drought tolerant plants and grasses. I've grown everything - [Allotment Month 16: surprise, surprise](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-16-surprise-surprise/) - Today I'm talking surprise appearances, broccoli and rhubarb starting to crop, my new cut flower bed is underway, only a small moan about problems and a little froggy friend. Now I've calmed down about the appearance of weeds (by calmed down, I mean become obsessed with their own wonderfulness) I'm waiting to see what things - [Will Apple images save planet Earth?](https://www.jackwallington.com/will-apple-images-save-planet-earth/) - Over the last year I've been thinking of creating an app that uses people's smartphone geolocation to tag every plant (and eventually living being) on the planet but it looks like Apple has beaten everyone to the punch in a really amazing and exciting way. You may have noticed that in the latest iPhone Operating - [Who died and made Lupins a 'cottage garden' plant?](https://www.jackwallington.com/who-died-and-made-lupins-a-cottage-garden-plant/) - It's been niggling me for yonks: people calling Lupins "cottage garden" plants. Now, either my impression of lace and chintz cottages is wrong (throwing my cottage dwelling childhood into psychological turmoil) or someone somewhere was very confused about labelling Lupins. Lupins are positively tropical. Look at them! Leaves like Cannabis crossed with Schefflera. Glowing flowers - [Book Review: RHS Complete Gardener's Manual](https://www.jackwallington.com/review-rhs-complete-gardeners-manual/) - Without doubt, the RHS Complete Gardener's Manual is one of the best bargains I've picked up in TK Maxx. There, I said it. I shop in TK Maxx occasionally. Glad I do too as this really is a bargain book I found for only £5. It covers all the basics of gardening in a lovely - [Let's make green flowers our naughty little secret](https://www.jackwallington.com/lets-make-green-flowers-our-naughty-little-secret/) - There's one thing I will guarantee right now: you are going to see many more green flowers this year. In magazines, on TV and at the design shows. For gardeners it's like we've discovered a new seam of Jade, luminous gems that really do grow on trees. But come closer. To most people green flowers are - [Release the stress, embrace the mess](https://www.jackwallington.com/release-the-stress-embrace-the-mess/) - I've been feeling a lot of pressure recently for our garden to look good. In photos, in person and increasingly stressing whether it will be good enough for our NGS open days, it's weighing on my mind. The very thing supposed to get rid of stress is suddenly the cause of stress. How did that happen? I'm a - [30 unreal photos of London garden design in the dead season](https://www.jackwallington.com/30-unreal-photos-of-london-garden-design-in-the-dead-season/) - Winter is a fresh season. Everything is stripped back, cleansed and reset for the coming year. It's a time when bold architecture comes to the fore, as the below 30 photos gathered on mine and Chris' travels around London this winter testify. 1) Modern sculpture, symmetry and a sea of box topiary in the middle of a road - [And so, we fight](https://www.jackwallington.com/and-so-we-fight/) - I recently learnt that one colony of our rare native Pasque flower, Pulsatilla vulgaris, was wiped out in 1992 by someone dumping rubble on it. Life is so fragile. Last night I sat reading - with my heart breaking - a list of 413 species made extinct in England alone over the last 200 years, largely at the hand of - [Pot's Growing On: Waking from hibernation](https://www.jackwallington.com/waking-from-hibernation/) - Our garden is into its fourth year now and I'm continuing to play around with things, add new plants and the colour palette is slowly evolving. I'm excited about 'the big grow' this year and new plants being started from seed across February and March. The teenage years The thing that strikes me about this winter is - [Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Canary Wharf](https://www.jackwallington.com/crossrail-place-roof-garden-canary-wharf/) - At the weekend my Instagram buddy lamaisonbleue tipped me off to the fact the Crossrail Place Roof Garden at Canary Wharf had opened. Despite the construction of this £500 million station being heavily featured on TV (for its genius balances and weights to deal with changing temperatures in weather) I'd somehow missed its grand unveiling. Chris and - [Sky Garden at the Walkie Talkie, London](https://www.jackwallington.com/sky-garden-at-the-walkie-talkie-london/) - "It's like being at Kew Gardens in the sky!" exclaimed one visitor - I'd liked to have responded with "not quite". Most people will visit the Sky Garden at the top of the Walkie Talkie tower for the views, as we did. It's an incredible space I'm glad to have experienced, with the best views - [Allotment: weed suppressant membrane - beating weeds organically](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-beating-the-weeds-organically-with-weed-suppressant-membrane/) - Month 13: my allotment has expanded a bit this year as I've taken on some unused adjacent plot. This is thick with grass and other weeds so I'm using weed suppressant membrane to bring it under control with less effort. It may not look pretty, but it works. Last year when I took on my - [The best potatoes to grow](https://www.jackwallington.com/the-best-potatoes-to-grow/) - Last year I grew a set of seven different potato cultivars and only really liked one of them, 'Jazzy'. So, tonight I asked my Twitter buddies which potatoes they recommend and I was inundated with amazing suggestions! There are some clear winners, namely 'Charlotte' which everyone recommended and 'Anya' / 'Pink Fir Apple'. Below is - [Happy New Year from Littlebury Road](https://www.jackwallington.com/happy-new-year-from-littlebury-road/) - The short period in between Christmas and New Year is something to be treasured. All of London is empty of people; either in their homes or having left the capital to visit family. The air now chill with winter. Our garden is at its stillest and quietest in these few days. All of the leaves have fallen - [44 Future gardening moments of 2016](https://www.jackwallington.com/44-future-gardening-moments-of-2016/) - Future gardening is the phrase I use to describe my personal take on the world. Be forward thinking. Be big thinking. Looking at gardening and garden design with a serious eye to combine humans and nature in a way that suits both. Sustainable, enjoyable, beautiful, progressive. My future gardening journey to date has been organic in - [December: Hellebores, cat grass, sweet peas, ferns and shooting alliums](https://www.jackwallington.com/december-hellebores-cat-grass-sweet-peas-ferns-and-shooting-alliums/) - It's almost Christmas so I'm crazy busy wrapping up work, getting ready for the family arriving and trying to revise for my next RHS exams in February. There's still time to squeeze in the odd few essential jobs in our small urban garden in central London though. Cut back Over the last month I've been - [Great Dixter - a garden outside of time](https://www.jackwallington.com/great-dixter/) - Stepping onto Great Dixter soil is like stepping into a dream world of wispy, airy meadows, curvy Dali-esque hedges, alien jungles and a colourful patchwork of plants you've never seen elsewhere. No matter where you point your camera, you're going to take an amazing photo. Literally. But it's a place best seen, felt, smelt and indeed - [My Tiny Indoor Garden by Lia Leendertz](https://www.jackwallington.com/my-tiny-indoor-garden-by-lia-leendertz/) - Earlier in the year Lia Leendertz and Mark Diacono popped over to talk about and photograph our indoor plants for their new book My Tiny Indoor Garden. I loved the idea of houseplants being seen as a 'garden' because that's really what they are. For years of renting in London they were the only garden - [Allotment propagation and storage - potting shed, polytunnel or greenhouse?](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-propagation-and-storage-potting-shed-polytunnel-or-greenhouse/) - We had a cold frosty day at the end of November - the coldest night in London for years - and every centimetre of my allotment was covered in dazzling bling. It was a reminder that our home garden really is small. We don't have frost like this, nor the scale of a good solid garden the - [Why I've fallen for cut flowers](https://www.jackwallington.com/why-ive-fallen-for-cut-flowers/) - I used to be a foliage boy. I've changed (well, a bit). In the past I saw flowers as extravagant, expensive purchases that didn't last for more than a couple of days. Now I grow my own - especially the flowers I like - my world is different. Bringing flowers into the house is fun and - [Out of the shrubbery into the scrub](https://www.jackwallington.com/out-of-the-shrubbery-into-the-scrub/) - On Saturday 26th November 2016 the SGD hosted a conference about the use of shrubs in gardens. I went along hoping to learn the names of some of the multi-stemmed specimen shrubs / small trees we often see in show gardens. Which I did, before the day turned into a rallying cry to designers to think - [Have you ever changed your mind about a plant you hate?](https://www.jackwallington.com/have-you-ever-changed-your-mind-about-a-plant-you-hate/) - We all have them, a list of plants we dislike. Yet every now and then something happens that turns our opinion on its head. Could it be that for plants, hate is the first sign of love? Take Cortaderia selloana, Pampas grass, the notorious sign of swingers (allegedly). I've never liked it, stuck in gardens, solitary - [Designing for wildlife](https://www.jackwallington.com/designing-for-wildlife/) - This video is quite long but the presentation within it is important and well worth watching in full. It talks about the importance of a 'green infrastructure' within urban areas; cities, towns, even on bridges. John MacLeod packs the lecture with data showing the importance of plants to the value of properties, cooling cities, improving - [Accelerating succulent and cacti growth](https://www.jackwallington.com/accelerating-succulent-and-cacti-growth/) - One thing I remember from my childhood greenhouse and large cactus collection was how heavily I used to water them. I'd let them dry out but more often than not I used to soak them in buckets of water, breaking all the rules of cactus growing. A lesson learnt For some reason this madness actually - [Autumn colour in Diana Ross' garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/autumn-colour-in-diana-ross-garden/) - We were really taken with plantswoman Diana Ross' stunning garden around the corner in Clapham when we visited on the NGS in September. We've stayed in touch since and I popped back last week to see the beautiful autumn colours. Filled with Miscanthus and Calamagrostis, Melianthus, Sambucus, a mature Clerodendron, an eye catching purple vine and a - [Cacti in the Princess of Wales Conservatory, Kew](https://www.jackwallington.com/cacti-in-the-princess-of-wales-conservatory-kew/) - The Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew has rarely looked as good as it does now. It has been one of my favourite places in the world since I was a child. Visiting every year of my life. All of the plants I loved as a boy (and now...) are here under one roof, like - [Having fun with shade and sun](https://www.jackwallington.com/having-fun-with-shade-and-sun/) - Down the side of our Victorian maisonette is a narrow alley way. It's where I started our garden so I know its seasonal patterns well. The side wall is pretty much south facing so gets blasted with full sun in the summer. The alley is only 1.5 m wide at one end and 2m wide - [Apple iTree: the botanical trend reaches new heights with Ficus maclellandii 'Alii'](https://www.jackwallington.com/apple-itree-the-botanical-trend-reaches-new-heights-with-ficus-maclellandii-alii/) - This week Apple reopened its flagship London store on Regent Street after months of renovations to reveal the focal point as none other than indoor pot plants on a gargantuan scale. An indoor avenue of twelve Ficus maclellandii 'Alii'. You can't have missed that plants are leading this year's biggest fashion trend. "Green is the new black" - [Allotment Month 11: jobs for Autumn](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-11-jobs-for-autumn/) - Something about Autumn and Spring make them feel much the same thing. Soil is damp and warm again, leading to a sudden burst of growth from weeds. This surge of energy - seen too in the wanted plants - is what helps many fruit and veg ripen and hardy veg seeds to germinate now ahead of a spring - [Our lives are not our own - Kennington Park, London](https://www.jackwallington.com/our-lives-are-not-our-own-kennington-park-london/) - One of the joys of living in London, the forest city, is discovering one of its many parks for the first time. Today I walked into Kennington Park on the way to a garden design job. The Victorian legacy We hear the term "right plant, right place" all the time on TV, like it's a - [Into Autumn - colour, bulbs, robins and changes](https://www.jackwallington.com/into-autumn-colour-bulbs-robins-and-changes/) - I've been planting bulbs today, are there many things more satisfying? I really love this time of year (but then I love every time of year!) Our garden has reached the peak, jumped off the edge and is now sailing toward winter with its colourful sails at full mast. Our garden at the end of September Yet it's - [Clapham Garden (Part 1: Shade Alley)](https://www.jackwallington.com/clapham-garden-project-part-1-shade-alley/) - Ground Zero. I've always loved our garden. It's a good size for a London flat garden, shared with our upstairs neighbours and, in the summer, pretty private considering we're surrounded by other homes and just minutes away from the bonkers Clapham High Street. As my dad put it, it's a little inner city oasis. Over - [My latest victim](https://www.jackwallington.com/my-latest-victim/) - Yamadori is the Japanese word for collecting wild trees to grow as bonsai. Today, while rustling through the wildflowers, I pushed aside a branch to discover a tiny triple stemmed Quercus robur sapling in a quiet corner of... my allotment, the other side of Croydon. I've been interested in bonsai for quite some time. In fact, they were - [Beauty of life in all its stages (4 Macauley Road, Clapham NGS)](https://www.jackwallington.com/4-macauley-road-ngs-beauty-of-life-in-all-its-stages/) - Time is a wonderful gift, it changes things. None are more aware of this than gardeners. As Chris often likes to remind me, there is a fine line between the 'wild look' community planting movement and what most people perceive to be a messy patch of tatty weeds. This usually occurs when I am in a tizz, - [NGS Camberwell](https://www.jackwallington.com/ngs-camberwell/) - As my longtime readers will know I am a huge, huge fan of the National Garden Scheme (NGS). Chris and I visit loads of gardens of people kind enough to open to the public to raise money for charity. It is always a treat and great fun. We recently returned home slightly early from a - [Longing for Littlebury](https://www.jackwallington.com/littlebury/) - It is a year since we overhauled our garden - after two years of experimenting - and as the rest of the country recedes into autumnal shades I am glad our garden shines its brightest in September. Although a deliberate plan, guided by the writing of Christopher Lloyd and Nick Bailey, I am surprised by - [Modernist garden design at The Homewood](https://www.jackwallington.com/modernist-garden-design-at-the-homewood/) - After learning of The Homewood while studying garden design history with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, I finally visited the National Trust owned modernist house and garden in Surrey to see it first hand. The Homewood Architect and designer Patrick Gwynne created The Homewood to start his career using some of his family's fortune. Early in - [Summer highlights in our garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/summer-highlights-in-our-garden/) - Our experimental garden is now in its third year with lots to fix but standing back and overall the atmosphere is coming together. Only two real issues so far this year: first one heavy rain shower in June that flattened all of the new growth on Salvias, Briza media and Allium sphaerocephalon - they didn't recover. Second was too many - [Taming the weedy wildflower](https://www.jackwallington.com/taming-the-weedy-wildflower/) - Weedy humans are weak. Weedy plants are tough as nails. Wild flowers we like. Weeds we don't. I think we need to make our minds up. When does a weed become a wild flower? What weeds are weak? When is a flower no longer wild? I want answers. I've made my mind up that I - [Clapham Garden (Part 2: Moving A Cordyline Australis)](https://www.jackwallington.com/clapham/) - Two very Clapham features of our Clapham garden are two Cordyline australis trees (originating from New Zealand). The green one was smack bang in the middle of the main bed and starting to lean out across the patio. In Feb while it was still cold but after frosts I moved it over to the back - [National Dahlia Society Annual Show 2014 at RHS Wisley](https://www.jackwallington.com/national-dahlia-society-annual-show-2014-at-rhs-wisley/) - It's not often something knocks my socks off and genuinely makes me say "wow" out loud but then I have never before come face to face with a Dahlia flower larger than my own head. On entering the National Dahlia Society's 2014 annual show at RHS Wisely yesterday (Friday 8 Sept), I actually had to laugh to myself at - [10 favourite plants of 2014](https://www.jackwallington.com/10-favourite-plants-of-2014/) - It's the last day of 2014 and I've been really interested in plants this year (no sh*t Sherlock) and at the start of the year I really struggled to identify even one plant that I really liked. A year later, and I still don't have a huge list of favourites yet. However! There are a - [Brunnera macrophylla 'Mr Morse'](https://www.jackwallington.com/brunnera-macrophylla-mr-morse/) - The plants are still small (they've seriously been through the wars after arriving near death!), so the flowers are too, but the Brunnera macrophylla 'Mr Morse' is everything I hoped it would be. A much rarer, near identical plant to 'Jack Frost' but fit for a spring white garden. Now I've seen them in person, I - [Designer Edibles 1: Peas (Pisum sativum 'Meteor')](https://www.jackwallington.com/designer-edibles-1-peas-pisum-sativum-meteor/) - I'm on a mission to grow as many different species and varieties of plants as possible to help with my RHS Level 2 studies. While I am drawn to plants that look good for a designer look, I also want to grow some vegetables, but to fit into our garden, that means they need to have style. - [National Dahlia Society Annual Show 2015 & RHS Dahlia Trials](https://www.jackwallington.com/national-dahlia-society-annual-show-2015-rhs-dahlia-trials/) - I returned to the National Dahlia Society's Annual Show today after being totally gobsmacked last year. Though trying not to, I am becoming a bit of a Dahlia connoisseur. And I have to say, this year's standard felt higher than last year. I made it to the morning of the first day, so every flower was at - [Solenostemon scuttelarioides (aka Coleus)](https://www.jackwallington.com/solenostemon-scuttelarioides-aka-coleus/) - Victorian's freakin' loved a lot of plants. They thought plants were cool. Because plants are cool. One such plant that caught the Victorian interest was the exciting, technicolour tender perennial, Solenostemon. Commonly known as Coleus or painted nettle. Either Victorians had amazing taste ahead of their time, or I have shocking taste fixed in the past. Whichever, - [All hail Helleborus niger leaves!](https://www.jackwallington.com/helleborus-niger-leaves/) - Back at the start of 2014, when my love of gardening ignited and shot off like an uncontrollable rocket, I was taken with the flowers of a hybrid hellebore ("Ivory Prince") in our local garden centre. It was twenty quid, but I nabbed it. Little did I know my new exotic wonder was actually a common and - [Dahlia experiment: cultivars put to the test!](https://www.jackwallington.com/dahlia-experiment-cultivars-put-to-the-test/) - In late 2013 I discovered Dahlias. As unbelievable as that might sound to gardeners who have grown up with them for decades, somehow I'd missed them throughout my life. I don't think I'd even simply 'not recognised them', I'm fairly sure I had avoided them almost completely - perhaps a sign of how out of fashion - [Thompson & Morgan Trial Field Visit](https://www.jackwallington.com/thompson-morgan-trial-field-visit/) - Michael Perry invited me and a group of other gardening bloggers to have a tour of the Thompson & Morgan trial field today. It was a great afternoon with Michael and the rest of the team absolutely lovely, welcoming and informative. After years of isolated gardening, it's always great to meet other gardeners too, I - [That sinking feeling - RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show](https://www.jackwallington.com/that-sinking-feeling-rhs-hampton-court-palace-flower-show/) - The other week Chris and I went to RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show where two things stood out: sunken gardens and garden art. Compared to Chelsea, Hampton Court is a sprawling beast. I have to admit I didn't quite enjoy it as much as Chelsea, although it is brilliant. The designer show gardens were more - [24 Things at the Chelsea Flower Show 2016](https://www.jackwallington.com/things-at-the-chelsea-flower-show-2016/) - This is my third year at the Chelsea Flower Show and it remains an emotional experience. Excitement, inspiration. Admiration for the designers. Threaded with regret for my wasted years of not focussing on garden design. Only counterbalanced by a tiny sparkle of hope from the RHS education programme that tells me it's not too late. - [Form factor - our garden in June 2016](https://www.jackwallington.com/form-factor-our-garden-in-june-2016/) - The best thing I've added to our border this year (I think so far) is Nicotiana alata 'Lime Green' - it hasn't even flowered yet, it's the leaves. I had no idea the leaves would be so plump and large. In amongst all of the smaller leaved plants, they've added the necessary contrast in leaf form - [Allotment Month 7: Potatoes growing, problems sowing](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-7-potatoes-growing-problems-sowing/) - I've had my allotment for over half a year now - where did that time go? As a recap, my allotment is seven miles from our house, which is about 40 minutes on the train. This means I can only really visit it once per week on a Saturday morning, putting in a few hours - [Lambeth Palace Gardens](https://www.jackwallington.com/lambeth-palace-gardens/) - As part of the RHS Level 3 course we have to learn about different garden design eras, one of which is medieval. Lambeth Palace, the London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, has an 11 acre site that has been cultivated since the 15th Century in medieval times. Unfortunately, though understandably, none of those elements - [We're back in business](https://www.jackwallington.com/were-back-in-business/) - So much happens in May, you blink and you miss it. When you open your eyes in June though, everything has gone from dull browns to a multitude of bright greens and the first pin pricks of colour from Lupins and Alliums. Here's our border yesterday (4th June). By the end of the month all of - [7 Chiswick Open Gardens in One Day! (NGS)](https://www.jackwallington.com/7-chiswick-open-gardens-in-one-day-ngs/) - On Saturday 28 May 2016 Chris and I popped to west London to visit the four NGS open gardens on Chiswick Mall. On paying to enter we quickly realised "this isn't the NGS" and we'd in fact walked into three other gardens also having an open day. Bonus! Chiswick Mall is basically the most desirable street - [7 Trends at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2016](https://www.jackwallington.com/7-trends-at-rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2016/) - I'll have more blog posts this week with my photos and thoughts from the Chelsea Flower Show 2016, but I wanted to quickly share my initial impressions from the show today - the trends that jumped out at me. Have I missed any? Please let me know in the comments below. 1) Orange Orange was - [Gallery: Chelsea Flower Show 2014 & 2015 recap](https://www.jackwallington.com/photo-gallery-chelsea-flower-show-2014-2015-recap/) - "People can only dream of a Chelsea Flower Show garden" they say. To that I say: "utter tosh!" Anything is possible for anyone. I used to think the Chelsea Flower Show was a load of pretentious old posh nonsense. Then I actually attended in 2014 and "oh" I thought. I was so wrong. Chelsea is - [15 Things at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015](https://www.jackwallington.com/15-things-at-the-rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2015/) - Last year was my first trip to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, it changed my world. This year, it didn't have the same gobsmacking impact, but I could appreciate what I was seeing much better. The gardens I enjoyed more - the ones I liked the most had a story, like a fantasy world set - [RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2014](https://www.jackwallington.com/rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2014/) - I went to the Chelsea Flower Show for the first time this year and it was a much better experience than I expected. There were some extraordinary plants I'd never seen before. The garden that left the biggest impression on me was The London Square fresh garden by designer Jo Thompson. It was tiny and memorable. - [Tulips - worth the bother?](https://www.jackwallington.com/tulips-worth-the-bother/) - This year I planted over 100 tulips. I love tulips. However, while they last for a good three-ish weeks in flower, that's quite a short amount of time for quite a lot of effort. I'm not lazy or anti brief flowers, it's the fact they're unlikely to flower reliably for a second year so you really - [11 Realities of Gardening in London](https://www.jackwallington.com/11-realities-of-gardening-in-london/) - Either I'm inexplicably inept at gardening, or living in the big smoke is providing a world of gardening pain that you'll only understand if you live within the M25. That said, I do love London gardening - it's for the fearless few, the diehard who persevere against the odds for the reward of an inner city oasis. If you're - [Tulips, planting out tomatoes early and seedlings](https://www.jackwallington.com/tulips-planting-out-tomatoes-early-and-seedlings/) - Tulips: the last two years I've tried growing some tulips and it went horribly wrong. Especially last year with a "bulb lasagne" with lots of leaves and only one flower. So I'm delighted to have got them flowering this year: I do like this tulip, 'Green Star', they look like a little flock of birds. However, - [PHOTO GALLERY: Barbican Conservatory, London](https://www.jackwallington.com/photo-gallery-barbican-conservatory-london/) - Brutalist, futurist. Despite the concrete, the Barbican exudes such atmosphere and style that you'll feel as though you've stepped into an alternative reality. This is a place where plants have been used to transform one of the worst looking buildings into something very special indeed. The Barbican is part Gardens of Babylon, part video game. - [[PHOTO GALLERY] 2015 so far](https://www.jackwallington.com/random-photos-of-january/) - Not a lot going on in the garden right now. I'm planning, planning, planning while also revising for my RHS exams in early February :) I do have some sweet pea on the go in a new mini cold frame my sister, brother and sister in law bought me for my birthday. Here are some bits - [It's all grow in the Eden community garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/its-all-grow-in-the-eden-community-garden/) - I've been really lucky in recent months to be allowed to use a small 2 x 2m raised bed in my local community garden in Clapham, called Eden. For years it's been one of my favourite little hidden spots in London and hopefully these photos give you an idea as to why. The pond is teeming - [Photo Gallery: My favourite garden design inspiration from my travels](https://www.jackwallington.com/photo-gallery-my-favourite-garden-design-inspiration-from-my-travels/) - This gallery contains a selection of my favourite garden design from 2014 and 2015. Photos are from the last two Chelsea Flower Shows, Sissinghurst, Nyman's, Great Dixter, RHS Wisley, Kew Gardens, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Cragside, Biddulph Grange, Sky Garden, Garden Museum, various local NGS gardens, Regent's Park and random locations in London and Brighton. - [Clapham Common Old Town Daffodils](https://www.jackwallington.com/clapham-common-old-town-daffodils/) - [Holy Trinity Hospice, Clapham, Open Garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/holy-trinity-hospice-clapham-open-garden/) - The Holy Trinity Hospice in Clapham has an award winning garden split into a number of key areas. They including a terrace, informal planting area and lawn, a shaded wet area with pond and wind sculpture, plus another formal planting area and lawn. They also have the most immaculate yew hedge you are likely to - [Kew Gardens in spring: a sea of blue bells and dazzling Azaleas](https://www.jackwallington.com/kew-gardens-in-spring-a-sea-of-blue-bells-and-dazzling-azaleas/) - I've visited Kew gardens at least once a year since I was a child (probably about 9 years old) and since moving to London in 1999 I've visited multiple times a year. One of my favourite times to visit is in spring, I always take a day off to plod around on my own taking - [Eden Community Garden St. Paul's Church, Old Town](https://www.jackwallington.com/eden-community-garden-st-pauls-church-old-town/) - The Eden community garden hidden in Clapham Old Town is a beautiful and peaceful spot anytime of year. But in spring it comes to life with an explosion of planted and wild flower colour. Plus a pond for frogs and beehives. One of my favourite places. - [Ham House, Richmond, London](https://www.jackwallington.com/ham-house-richmond-london/) - In early summer, Chris and I visited Ham House in Richmond. The walk along the Thames in the sun was an unexpected bonus with fantastic views - I felt like the star of Sense & Sensibility of some other period drama. The house is interesting but the gardens have the wow factor with some stunning formal - [28 Sibella Road, Clapham](https://www.jackwallington.com/28-sibella-road-clapham/) - The garden of designer, Lorraine Johnson Rosner was open over the summer and is an immaculate space with an extra side garden for a private retreat summer house. - [Clapham Manor Street front garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/clapham-manor-street-front-garden/) - At the Chelsea Flower Show 2014, one of the gardens I loved the most was the London Square garden, inspired by the many London squares around the city. And the plant of the year for me was Cornus Kousa variety I believe is a chinensis, within that garden. So it caught my eye that this - [Chelsea Physic Garden in Autumn](https://www.jackwallington.com/chelsea-physic-garden-in-autumn/) - Today I made the most of my new Royal Horticultural Society membership and visited the Chelsea Physic Garden next to the Thames. It's a living, breathing museum and really does feel like that - it's the most outdoors museum I've been to, complete with labels and educational messaging next to every 'exhibit'. If you want - [RHS Wisley Flower Show 2014](https://www.jackwallington.com/rhs-wisley-flower-show-2014/) - Yesterday I went to RHS Wisley for the flower show, in particular the National Dahlia Society's annual show and I hadn't prepared myself for the garden itself, stupid fool that I am. But that added to a magical experience, it was like discovering Kew all over again, a secret garden of Eden, its existence I knew - [Camley Street Natural Park, King's Cross, London](https://www.jackwallington.com/camley-street-natural-park-kings-cross-london/) - This weekend I was in central London on a trip as a treat for our work's volunteers. During one of the activities I stumbled across Camley Street Natural Park, about 5 mins walk north of King's Cross Station. It looked like the gates to Jurassic Park... Except for bugs and birds. It's two acres of - [Dividing a fern (Dryopteris filix-mas)](https://www.jackwallington.com/dividing-a-fern-dryopteris-filix-mas/) - I want more ferns for our fern wall and some of our ferns are ripe for dividing. After breaking the bank with our flat renovations and garden last year, I'm keen to save money by propagating from the plants we have (it's also much more interesting and, as you probably know, I'm a propagation geek...). Dividing ferns - [Vine weevil menace returns to Clapham!](https://www.jackwallington.com/vine-weevil-menace-returns-to-clapham/) - They're back! Those little notch mark bites on your otherwise lovely leaves. Yep, it must be vine weevil. Grr. Interestingly, it was September last year that I first noticed the bite marks on the flowers of our Cyclamen. This year, it was on a fern and then all over the Heuchera 'Licorice'. So, like the - [Pests and diseases (vine weevil, slugs, snails and rust)](https://www.jackwallington.com/pests-and-diseases-vine-weevil-slugs-snails-and-rust/) - For every positive in the garden this summer there has been a pest or a disease to eat it. It's been depressing. The antirrhinum developed rust early on, powdery mildew on the Lonicera, slugs and snails have been a constant pain, eating everything in sight, and in recent months vine weevils have been showing their - [Parrot Flower Power - iPhone app and Bluetooth sensor gizmo](https://www.jackwallington.com/parrot-flower-power-iphone-app-and-bluetooth-sensor-gizmo/) - For Christmas, Chris bought me a Parrot Flower Power - what is it? It's a battery powered sensor shaped like a plastic twig that you stick into the soil next to a plant and it will tell you the plant's general health. To start with, I decided to try it out on my 99p from - [Review: Garland Grow Light Garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/review-garland-grow-light-garden/) - Being an impatient so and so occasionally, last winter I couldn't wait to get sowing and growing. After a failed attempt to grow plants from seeds the year before on our windowsill (due to lack of light), I investigated grow lights and stumbled upon the Garland Grow Light Garden (see images above and below). The Garland Grow - [Review: Garland Super 7 electric heated windowsill propagator](https://www.jackwallington.com/review-garland-super-7-electric-heated-windowsill-propagator/) - To keep this review simple: it works, it's £25, buy it. If you want to know more, the Garland Super 7 electric heated windowsill propagator is lovely little thing that Chris bought me for my birthday in 2014 and every single seed I tried growing on it germinated. If like me, you live in a very - [Review: The Complete Gardener by Monty Don](https://www.jackwallington.com/review-the-complete-gardener-by-monty-don/) - The word ‘complete’ has never been so accurately used. What I love about Monty Don is that while the rest of us are fussing about with design, technique, “interest” and focal points, he cuts through all of the clatter with style and a calm understanding of the soul and spirit of gardening. Magically delivering on - [Book Review: Succession Planting for Adventurous Gardeners by Christopher Lloyd](https://www.jackwallington.com/review-succession-planting-for-adventurous-gardeners-by-christopher-lloyd/) - As a novice gardener, there are gardening concepts we all struggle with (dappled shade vs light shade, free draining but water retentive etc). Once you 'get it' you get it, until then the answer can elude you, like walking a maze in heavy fog. You know the solution is obvious but damned if you can - [Book Review: Plant Lover's Guide to Salvias](https://www.jackwallington.com/book-review-plant-lovers-guide-to-salvias/) - I can't remember when or how I discovered Salvias, but last year I bought a few little cuttings from Ebay and that was that. Our garden is now full of techno-neon Salvias powering the border and pots for most of the year. The Plant Lover's Guide to Salvias is one of the latest in Kew's new - [Review: RHS The Half-Hour Allotment by Lia Leendertz](https://www.jackwallington.com/review-rhs-the-half-hour-allotment-by-lia-leendertz/) - I was lucky enough to win The Half-Hour Allotment in a competition in the first months of starting work on my own new allotment - perfect timing! It's a brilliant small hardback with beautiful presentation and photos throughout. Although I have grown various ornamental plants for years and I have dabbled in veg and fruit, that's all it's been. Dabbling. - [Alan in Wonderland: East Ruston Old Vicarage](https://www.jackwallington.com/alan-in-wonderland-east-ruston-old-vicarage/) - I knew East Ruston Old Vicarage in Norfolk would be special. What I hadn't appreciated is that what Alan Gray and Graham Robeson have created is a great evolving work of creative genius. More reminiscent of a work of art by Hockney and Escher than a garden. My mouth was agog at everything from the second I stepped - [Pot's Growing On: April 2016](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-april-2016/) - Someone pointed out I haven't done an update about our own garden for a while, clearly I've been bleating on about my allotment and other people's gardens too much. Well, in April there is quite a lot to report as the garden is in full spring now. Please do let me know in the comments if there - [My Allotment: Weeding](https://www.jackwallington.com/weeding/) - Today I had my first proper session at the allotment and I'd say that for the first time I felt like a proper gardener. Down on my knees hand weeding a very overgrown plot - as you can see in the photo above. I only worked through 5 metres (another 120 to go!) but it - [My Allotment: month 1 - preparation and planning](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-one-preparation-and-planning/) - I've had access to my allotment for a month now giving me time to assess it, ready about half of it for planting and to make plans. It's been cared for by the same person for over a decade I believe, and the soil appears to be a lovely, rich clay loam. Here's the plan - [My Allotment: Month 5](https://www.jackwallington.com/allotment-month-5/) - I've had my allotment since December and after a mountain of clearance, weeding, planning and seed buying, I finally feel on top of things and ready for the growing season ahead. Here's a quick summary of where I'm at. Three main 14m veg beds cleared of old structures and weeds, mulched and started planting This - [Rousham: getting to the heart of landscape garden design](https://www.jackwallington.com/rousham-getting-to-the-heart-of-landscape-garden-design/) - As I arrived at Rousham, the single other visitor was leaving and I had the entire place to myself for the duration. The only people I saw were two of the gardeners quietly weeding and pruning in the walled garden, and (I think) the lady of the house walking her dog (other dogs not allowed, understandably). When we said - [Big Dreams, Small Spaces](https://www.jackwallington.com/big-dreams-small-spaces/) - In 2015 we took part in series two of the BBC's Big Dreams, Small Spaces presented by Monty Don. It really was a dream come true for us. We're so grateful. For our memory and anyone interested we kept a photo diary: Photo Gallery Story of our garden as told by our cat Rumbles Plant Database - [Grasses](https://www.jackwallington.com/grasses/) - In 2016 my two main plant experiments to improve my knowledge of gardening are going to be: 1) vegetables and 2) grasses. Let's talk about the latter, grass. Ornamental grasses add a unique fuzzy airiness to gardens. They can make spectacular focal points, act like a mist tying planting together and are the essence of dreamlike summer meadows. - [March 2016: Allotment woe to propagation pro](https://www.jackwallington.com/march-2016-allotment-woe-to-propagation-pro/) - March has to be up there in my top three favourite months of the year. Yes February has snowdrops. In March however every inch of bare soil or naked branch comes to life with little shoots of green and the garden transforms faster than I'm ever ready for. Blink and you miss it. It's a time - [Getting to grips with grasses](https://www.jackwallington.com/getting-to-grips-with-grasses/) - In 2016 I want to get to grips with ornamental grasses. In particular, using them in mixed plantings to achieve that blended, wispy look I see the pros doing so well at Chelsea Flower Show. After reading Planting in a Post Wild World, I'm especially interested in finding small ground cover grasses (or Carex) to weave - [Big Dreams, Small Spaces Diary 3: Summer (June - August)](https://www.jackwallington.com/big-dreams-small-spaces-diary-summer-june-august/) - June was a pretty great month for the garden. All of the ground work was done, things were on track and many plants were starting to flower. Rumbles was happy - although he'd by this point set his sights on destroying the Buddleia in the background. Peas and radishes I'd grown in the local community garden - [Big Dreams, Small Spaces Diary 4: Finished! (Late Summer)](https://www.jackwallington.com/big-dreams-small-spaces-diary-unveiling-the-garden-september/) - To cut to the chase, we did it. We had a silly dream that meant everything to us to make come true. With lots of help from Chris especially, both with his cleverness, limitless kindness and patience and his support. From Monty for taking an interest in our project, offering guidance and a healthy amount of - [Big Dreams, Small Spaces Diary 5: Autumn - after the show finished](https://www.jackwallington.com/big-dreams-small-spaces-diary-autumn-after-the-show-finished/) - After the show was over we were sad to see everyone go. It was so much fun taking part, largely because the people making the show were so lovely. Afterwards they sent us a card with a lovely message inside. Oh, and the giant Dahlia flowered fully! This was the moment it felt like we'd - [Big Dreams, Small Spaces Diary 2: Spring (March - May)](https://www.jackwallington.com/big-dreams-small-spaces-diary-spring-march-may/) - With the start of March came the news we were in! Big Dreams, Small Spaces was happening and we were put on a last minute warning for the first Monty visit.. ARGH PANIC! When Monty arrived the garden was completely empty bar the odd plant here and there and we hadn't started on anything yet. Needless to - [Big Dreams, Small Spaces Diary 1: Winter (January - Feb 2015)](https://www.jackwallington.com/big-dreams-small-spaces-diary-winter-january-feb-2015/) - In 2015 we took part in Big Dreams, Small Spaces. Find out how it all happened below... New Year - new beginning First, a few paragraphs to set the scene. Back in January 2015 in Clapham Old Town, London it was cold and dark and I was desperate to get growing. I'd started studying the RHS Level 2 - [Big Dreams, Small Spaces: The Plan](https://www.jackwallington.com/big-dreams-small-spaces-the-plan/) - This page summarises the 'what' and 'why' behind the dream for our Victorian London botanist inspired, overgrown neon jungle of a garden. When we were planning our new garden, it had to do a few things: Allow me to grow lots and lots of different types of plants to help me become a better gardener really quickly. Overcoming the restriction of - [The Plant & Flower Database 2015](https://www.jackwallington.com/the-plant-flower-database-2015/) - While we had dreams of a little Victorian neon jungle of a garden, my main personal dream for 2015 was: make up for lost time and grow as many different types of plant as possible to expand my plant knowledge rapidly, and to see and learn how they grow. So most plants you see on the - [Big Dreams, Small Spaces: Photo Gallery](https://www.jackwallington.com/big-dreams-small-spaces-photo-gallery/) - These photos were all taken during the filming of Big Dreams, Small Spaces (2015). - [Big Dreams, Small Spaces: Victorian inspiration](https://www.jackwallington.com/big-dreams-small-spaces-victorian-inspiration/) - Driven by a renewed love of plants and a brain being filled with RHS knowledge, in 2014 I designed a mico-Victorian themed garden. Allowing me to stuff our plot to the rafters (branches?) with a living collection of varied and beautiful things. But we needed help, which is where Monty Don and Big Dreams, Small - [Big Dreams, Small Spaces Diary: A Cat's View](https://www.jackwallington.com/big-dreams-small-spaces-diary-a-cats-view/) - Miaow there, My name's Rumbles, short for Mr Rumbleson Aria Wallington-Anderson. I wanted to tell you my side of the story. Here I am as a young strapping kitten back in 2012. Our garden used to have a jungle in it. Then one day it was gone. My pet humans, Walls and Topher, kept putting new - [November](https://www.jackwallington.com/november/) - MASSIVE tidy up this weekend! The building work is almost finished and for the first time since spring I could sweep up and clean up. The garden is very calm with all the plants now dormant after a hectic growing season. I know many people don't like early winter in November and December but I love it. The leaves - [Pot's Growing On in January: indoor plants, seed catalogues and preparation](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-in-january-indoor-plants-seed-catalogues-and-preparation/) - January is the time to get organised, wash pots carefully to kill nasties, enjoy browsing the many glossy seed and plant catalogues and plan what you will plant and where. Personally I also use this month to repot dormant houseplants. This January I feel very chilled out about the coming growing season compared to this time - [Planning the winter/spring white garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/planning-the-winterspring-white-garden/) - Last year I attempted a 'spring white garden'. Bit of a disaster. I was aiming for white flowers from January to June. Turns out, this is way too long a time period to try and coordinate a 'white garden' alongside a summer technicolour extravaganza. Here are some of the mishaps: My tulips all died before flowering properly - [Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh in early summer](https://www.jackwallington.com/royal-botanic-gardens-edinburgh-in-early-summer/) - My fourth trip to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and the first time at the start of summer when everything is bursting into life. I was visiting for another RHS Level 2 study weekend about veg and fruit production and protection in an enclosed environment. You won't find any of that here, only plant eye candy. - [Top 6 Best Bee Magnet Flowers of 2015](https://www.jackwallington.com/top-6-best-bee-magnet-flowers-of-2015/) - One of my top priorities for 2015 was to have a garden grown as a nature reserve, making sure there is lots on offer for nectar loving insects like bees. Bees and other pollinators will visit lots of flowers, but some they will go crazy for. Below I've listed the flowers in our garden not just visited by bees, - [Cragside, Northumberland](https://www.jackwallington.com/cragside-northumberland/) - In July 2014 we went on a road trip around the north of England and Scotland, covering off some of the most beautiful areas of country the UK has to offer. A real highlight for Chris and I was Cragside in Northumberland. Cragside was the home of super loaded Victorian industrialist, Lord Armstrong. Not only - [I have an allotment!](https://www.jackwallington.com/i-have-an-allotment/) - After a year of trying, this has all happened quite quickly: I have an allotment! 125 sq metres to grow on (6m x 21m). You can see above that it has had some love in the past, and now needs some tidying up. It has become very overgrown with weeds, so that is my first - [Clapham Garden (Part 3): pots happening in May?](https://www.jackwallington.com/clapham-garden-project-part-3-whats-happening-in-may/) - Spring started early this year, with a warm March and April, during which I planted out most things in the garden. The garden still looks quite bare because most of the plants are tiny - I wanted to go in small and grow things rather than plant out fully grown stuff. Where's the fun and - [Littlebury 2014 Flower Power](https://www.jackwallington.com/littlebury-2014-flower-power/) - 2014 was my experimental year in the garden. While everything certainly wasn't very cohesive, there were a lot of flowers given our tiny plot! It all turned out much pinker than I expected... - [Clapham garden: Autumn is on the way](https://www.jackwallington.com/clapham-garden-autumn-is-on-the-way/) - Summer is almost over and Autumn is on the way. Many of our new plants are simply too young and small to have the impact I was hoping for, which, if they survive the Winter, will be a totally different story next year. But finally the beds are starting to look lived in. I've learnt a lot - [A walk on the South Downs at dusk](https://www.jackwallington.com/a-walk-on-the-south-downs-at-dusk/) - It started with a lama and ended with an allotment of Delphiniums, with wildflower meadows and immaculate fields in between. Enough said really. - [Planting spring bulbs - tulips, snowdrops, fritillaria and alliums](https://www.jackwallington.com/planting-spring-bulbs-tulips-snowdrops-fritillaria-and-alliums/) - This year I'm planting my spring bulbs for the spring White Garden in three stages: Early October: introducing permanent succession planting of Alliums, Galanthus (snowdrops) and Fritillaria meleagris was all done back in the first week of October (see this blog post for more). The Allium 'Purple Sensation' scattered throughout the border about 20cm deep, 20 cm - [Pot's Growing On in October 2015? Bulb planting, removing plants and adding new ones!](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-in-october-2015-bulb-planting-removing-plants-and-adding-new-ones/) - As the nights draw in and the temperatures turn colder, there's a sudden sense that the gardening marathon is over for another year. Kinda. If I've fallen exhausted onto the floor (and I have), it's only to land on the starting block ready to crack on again, trowel in hand. In fact, as much as - [One amazing gardening year](https://www.jackwallington.com/one-amazing-gardening-year/) - Warning: look away now if you don't want to read self-reflective pointless twaddle. Exactly a year ago this week I visited RHS Wisley for the first time - I was on a mission to see the National Dahlia Society annual show. Like so many things on my recent gardening adventures, I can't really remember why - [8 tips for buying a Christmas tree](https://www.jackwallington.com/8-tips-for-buying-a-christmas-tree/) - Christmas trees are brilliant. However the way they are sold can be a bit wasteful, cost you more money than it should and leave you with a tree that's lost its needles before you've even reached Christmas Eve. Below I've listed a few ways to save you moola, have a gorgeous tree and help save - [Planting Galanthus nivalis bulbs (Snowdrops)](https://www.jackwallington.com/planting-galanthus-nivalis-snowdrops-bulbs/) - Today I planted 50 x Galanthus nivalis (snowdrop) bulbs and 9 x Fritillaria meleagris 'Alba' bulbs. I followed the advice in the book Succession Planting for Adventurous Gardeners by plonking the bulbs around the base of shrubs. In the above photo, you can see the Galanthus buried 8cm deep, 10cm apart around the base of our Buddleja - [Autumn at Kew Gardens](https://www.jackwallington.com/autumn-at-kew-gardens/) - It feels like Kew Gardens is upping its garden design efforts - or perhaps I'm just more aware of them. The grass and salvia borders look absolutely stunning in the autumn sun, and it was exciting to see the new 300 metre long Broad Walk borders turn from muddy patches in spring to being stuffed with young perennials - [A reason why the London Garden Bridge might be a good thing](https://www.jackwallington.com/a-reason-why-the-london-garden-bridge-might-be-a-good-thing/) - The London Garden Bridge is fairly hotly debated. On the face of it, a tree lined bridge sounds pretty cool. It has upset a good number of people though. Why? There have been lots of arguments against, mainly due to a large chunk of its funding coming from public money at a time that the - [Pot's Growing On: cuttings to overwinter](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-cuttings-to-overwinter/) - Today I took softwood cuttings of a few plants in order to overwinter them more easily indoors (as we have zero space) and to attempt to increase the number of each plant. I used sterile cuttings compost mixed with perlite to create a very free-draining sterile mix, put into 7cm square pots - square being - [Whoops, bought two mini succulents](https://www.jackwallington.com/whoops-bought-two-mini-succulents/) - Uh oh, what's going on here? Two little succulents seem to have popped into my bag while I was at the RHS Wisley Flower Show last week (don't tell Chris). The one on the left is an Aloe variegata from Craig's House Cacti and on the right is Lithops salicola from the Wisley shop. What - [25 Photos of interesting autumn sightings (and what I thought at the time)](https://www.jackwallington.com/25-photos-of-interesting-autumn-sightings/) - Here are 25 things I spotted in September and October that I thought were beautiful for all manner of reasons and managed to quickly snap on my camera. 1) London at its best 2) Herefordshire doesn't disappoint 3) No artist can beat nature 4) Sometimes, what people do can still make you smile 5) Magic still exists 6) - [Fuzzy buzz: heuchera think you are?](https://www.jackwallington.com/fuzzy-buzz-heuchera-think-you-are/) - How cool is this little fella? Buzzin around. Couldn't get enough of the Heucheras. Cheeky tube faced chappy that he is! - [Fuzzy buzz](https://www.jackwallington.com/fuzzy-buzz/) - Buzzy McBuzz - [Regent's Park a high summer stunner](https://www.jackwallington.com/regents-park-a-high-summer-stunner/) - I can't be very observant. I've been visiting Regent's Park my whole life but only paid attention to the incredible planting last summer. Thousands of roses, tropical paradise borders, Japanese areas and more. It's like visiting Kew Gardens without the fourteen quid entry fee. One of London's best free attractions. Look... - [Where did August go?!](https://www.jackwallington.com/where-did-august-go/) - Sorry for a lack of updates about our garden recently, I'll have stuff to share later in the year. We've been undergoing a complete flat renovation while work is in its busiest period, so most of our time is spent dealing with those. I'm pleased with the achievement of growing things, if slightly depressed to not get out - [Passed my RHS Level 2 exams!](https://www.jackwallington.com/passed-my-rhs-level-2-exams/) - In September 2014 I started my RHS Level 2 Course with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and today, a year later, I've received my grades. I passed all eight exams and was lucky enough - to my amazement - to have been given commendations in seven of them :D I'm a bit in shock as - [Gardens: a science experiment we can all try](https://www.jackwallington.com/the-greatest-science-experiment-your-gardening/) - You know what, the Victorians got it right. Curiosity, discovery, understanding the unknown, adventure! Victorians loved nature and learning about plants and animals, the human included. Their houses would be chock full of plants and butterflies and gadgets. Where did we, the masses, go so wrong to focus solely on technology? You'd think the Royal Horticultural - [February: exams done, seed sowing starts!](https://www.jackwallington.com/february-exams-done-seed-sowing-starts/) - 9th of February is a date I've had engrained in my mind for the last five months or so, as it was the date of my first four Level 2 RHS exams. I'd promised myself that the real gardening fun begins after these exams as my reward for sticking out the revision. As if on - [Urban Legends: Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward, inventor of the Wardian Case](https://www.jackwallington.com/urban-legends-nathaniel-bagshaw-ward-inventor-of-the-wardian-case/) - Today I discovered we live only 3 minutes walk away from the last residence of one of the most celebrated Victorian botanists. In the week I ordered a book about Biddulph Grange in Staffordshire as I'm fascinated with the place. The Victorian owners, James and Maria Bateman, who made Biddulph famous thanks to their stunning gardens owed much - [Pot's growing on: Dahlias, Nasturtiums and... cats?](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-dahlias-nasturtiums-and-cats/) - April 2015, what a month! Practically no rain and hot all month, then the weather turned cold and wet in the final week. The plants have LOVED it. And evidently they weren't the only ones... Haha! Rumbles, never one to miss out on a good perch to sunbathe. Ignore the dead cyclamen... April was pretty amazing, - [RHS Wisley in spring](https://www.jackwallington.com/rhs-wisley-in-spring/) - I had two gardening epiphanies on Friday at RHS Wisley (that place gets me with every visit!). First, just sitting in the sun with no one else around amongst a large row of Pinus sylvestris soaking in how peaceful it was and spotting an early ladybird. Then, it was getting giddy over full grown Magnolias... Click on - [NGS 2015 - one of the greatest things to hit British summertime](https://www.jackwallington.com/ngs-2015-one-of-the-greatest-things-to-hit-british-summertime/) - Quite unexpectedly, one of the highlights of my year snuck up on me and I now look forward to it more than a raspberry Magnum on a hot day - the National Garden Scheme (NGS). Simple in its premise, garden enthusiasts open their little patch of Earth to the public in exchange for charitable donations. You get - [Xylem and phloem](https://www.jackwallington.com/xylem-and-phloem/) - Noticed this amazing slice of tree trunk on our bathroom door, perfectly capturing the xylem and phloem connections. I still find it amazing how deep branches go. - [Nymans, Hayward's Heath](https://www.jackwallington.com/nymans-haywards-heath/) - On Sunday 5th July, we visited Nymans, one of the four famous gardens featured in the BBC mini series, British Gardens in Time. It was owned by the Messel family, originally famous for the hilltop gardens they created overlooking the South Downs. Made more famous by a fire in 1947 that turned the manor house - [Standen House, East Grinsted](https://www.jackwallington.com/standen-house-east-grinsted/) - On the first morning of our summer holiday in Sussex we were diverted by rain from Wakehurst to nearby Standen House, and I'm glad we were. If it weren't for the rain, we probably wouldn't have visited and what a mistake that would have been. Located near East Grinstead in West Sussex, it was the weekend - [It's October and it's still warm! Bulb planting and drain pipe trellis time](https://www.jackwallington.com/its-october-and-its-still-warm-bulb-planting-and-drain-pipe-trellis/) - What's going on with the weather? Although it's dark by about 6.30pm now, it's still sunny and very hot in the day time. Not that I'm really complaining, but I wouldn't mind a frost to start killing off the pests and diseases. Every gardening TV show and magazine says to use lots of the plants - [Sowing seeds, planting clematis and pruning](https://www.jackwallington.com/sowing-seeds-planting-clematis-and-pruning/) - Today Rumbles was doing cartwheels in the garden trying to catch a fly - the most activity he's done in months. If that isn't a sign that spring is on its way, then the plants all creaking into a slow growth is. This week I've also hard pruned the Buddleja davidii 'Santana' and given a very - [Spring has arrived in Clapham!](https://www.jackwallington.com/spring-has-arrived-in-clapham/) - Spring definitely hit Clapham this week with days of sun and temperatures high enough to be outside without a coat. Plants are showing it too as buds are swelling up and some bursting into flower... This week I've sown seeds for: Lupinus nanus 'Snow Pixie' to go in the front window boxes in summer Lagurus - [Germination!](https://www.jackwallington.com/germination/) - Well, I have to hand it to the Garland Super7 Heated propagator. Everything I sow on there germinates within a few days (except Verbena bonariensis which I know can have a slow germination). Above you can see the Lupinus nanus 'Snow Pixie' exploding out of the compost after I only planted them on Sunday afternoon! - [Pot's Growing on in March 2015? Keeping seedlings alive and watching the world come to life](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-in-march-2015/) - With the spring equinox (and a non-existent cloud hidden solar eclipse) done and dusted, Clapham is noticeably exploding into growth right now. The little propagation station we have set up in the front, south west facing bay window is working wonders... Ricinus communis 'Carmenchita' from Sarah Raven not only have beautiful big (but poisonous) seeds, - [Pot's Growing On: 1st April and spring is well underway](https://www.jackwallington.com/pots-growing-on-1st-april-and-spring-is-well-underway/) - After about a year of planning for our garden this year, we're now able to get started on making it reality - I can't think of many things better than seeing lots of it coming to life. The last couple of weeks have seen everything in the garden spring into action. From the birds making - [Shovelling sh*t while the plants still go at it!](https://www.jackwallington.com/shovelling-shit-while-the-plants-still-go-at-it/) - October is almost over, so here's a diary of what's been going on in Littlebury gardens to refer back to next year. The month started fairly mild, but has been wet and the weather has now finally gone cold (reaching -8 degrees at night by the 21st). Which is fantastic news because the Vine Weevil - [Becoming an art student again](https://www.jackwallington.com/becoming-an-art-student-again-2/) - In January 2013 my friend Marcos encouraged me to find a drawing class and just give it a go. I'd been moaning about giving up art at GCSE, and how I wished I hadn't. Well, I had the best luck and stumbled upon the Lavender Hill Studios. A place where artists and students study and learn together. - [Littlebury Gardens in January](https://www.jackwallington.com/littlebury-gardens-in-january/) - I'm not sure how but it's almost the end of January! The weather has been very mild this winter and a few plants in Littlebury Gardens are still growing, albeit at a creeping pace. The Buddleja davidii, Sambucus nigra and Brunnera macrophylla have lost most of their old leaves but the new ones seem to be - [Tip toeing in the footsteps of Darwin at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh](https://www.jackwallington.com/tip-toeing-in-the-footsteps-of-darwin-at-the-royal-botanic-garden-edinburgh/) - This weekend I spent two fun and informative days at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh with a bunch of fellow gardeners studying the RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture. I have so many thoughts buzzing around my head now that I’m going to chuck a few things down here in a bit of - [Studying RHS Level 2 Principles of Horticulture](https://www.jackwallington.com/studying-rhs-level-2-principles-of-horticulture/) - At one point during my emo self-obsessing teenage years I was convinced I was stupid. Then one day I realised I wasn't stupid, I was just plain ignorant! Ignorance was indeed bliss because you can change ignorance, you can't change stupidity. So I changed my ignorance. Fast forward a bit and below is a photo of my view - [Hyacinths](https://www.jackwallington.com/hyacinths/) - Up until this year Hyacinths were a massive no no for me. Too blousy and old fashioned. But looking for things to do in the winter I planted some and I'm going to change my tune. I think they are beautiful and their fragrance is lovely. If carefully planted they can look contemporary too. Here - [Veggies in the local community garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/veggies-in-the-local-community-garden/) - I'm super excited right now because I have been very lucky and been given access to dig around in a raised bed in our local community garden in Clapham. Mostly I'm excited to be able to contribute to one of my favourite spots in London in a small way and also because now I can - [Cacti mini garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/cacti-mini-garen/) - Three barrel cacti, including one from Chelsea Flower Show 2014. The flowering one is obviously the healthy new one from Chelsea :) The other two, I've had for a couple of years and they've pretty much done nothing. I'm putting this down to using some fairly poor "cactus compost" in a packet, which I thing - [Brachyscome iberidifolia (blue) window box pruning](https://www.jackwallington.com/brachyscome-iberidifolia-blue-pruning/) - Back at the start of the year we spent ages trying to decide the type of window boxes to get for our bay window and what flowers to go in them. In the end, opting for slate blue/grey resin for a contemporary but weathered look, which is light to carry and frost resistant. For flowers, - [Littlebury in August](https://www.jackwallington.com/littlebury-august/) - I started our garden in spring with tiny plants. I didn't want an instant garden at the time, I wanted a garden that would grow and develop over years. This plan made sense in my head but has meant that throughout most of summer it's looked a little... bare. But finally, in late summer it's - [What's going on: end of August ](https://www.jackwallington.com/whats-going-on-end-of-august/) - Where is this year going?! Where on earth did summer go?! It's the end of August and the weather is turning to Autumn already, rainy, cold and grey. Leaves of trees on Clapham Common and plants in the garden are actually turning already too. War on slugs and snails Our garden is completely infested. This year has - [Painted a front door](https://www.jackwallington.com/painted-a-front-door/) - Not exactly perfect but it'll do. ## Pages - [Jack Wallington | Nature & Gardens](https://www.jackwallington.com/) - help nature habitat-first design studio Based near Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire our ambition is to contribute to conservation with a focus on high-impact habitat-first nature enhancement in gardens and larger sites. We work with partners who want to help wildlife in public spaces and across larger scale garden or landscape projects. We've helped plan complex - [About Jack Wallington](https://www.jackwallington.com/about-jack-wallington/) - Biography After twenty years working in the creative industries, I retrained between 2015 - 2017 at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh as a horticulturist and landscape designer, opening my studio full time in January 2018. Writing, art and nature have always come naturally to me - my first loves - and they all pointed to - [Contact](https://www.jackwallington.com/contact/) - The studio is open 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday, closed at weekends and on bank holidays. Sorry but we cannot answer gardening questions by email, please instead ask garden or plant questions in comments over on WildWay.info. Please note our specialism is planting in public spaces and projects that are specifically focussed on increasing - [Home 2026](https://www.jackwallington.com/new-home-page-2023/) - Test page Home page Featured products This is some text about this picture This is a title ✴︎ - [Garden and nature writing by Jack Wallington](https://www.jackwallington.com/writing-media/) - Through my writing and photography I explore joy in the extraordinary natural world around us in regular columns, features and newsletters across the world's media. Plants and wildlife constantly surprise and delight me with an endless source of wonder to share with readers. Please get in touch if you'd like to commission or collaborate with - [Interests](https://www.jackwallington.com/interests/) - I decided to write this page to help with transparency and trust in my writing and campaigning. What I stand for Environment and nature: we are part of nature, nature is part of us. With the intellectual abilities we have as humans, it is our responsibility to protect all life on earth in an equal - [Shop](https://www.jackwallington.com/shop/) - Buy books and seed packets by Jack Wallington. - [Gallery 005](https://www.jackwallington.com/city-mini-meadow-garden-design-wildflowers/) - This project was the last garden I designed in London before moving to Yorkshire where my main focus is and it remains one of my favourites because the lovely clients were happy to explore turning the lawn into a wildflower meadow. It was a collaboration with DKM Jamm architects and VEVES interior architecture. Overall the - [Garden design in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire](https://www.jackwallington.com/garden-design-in-hebden-bridge-yorkshire/) - About the studio Based in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, I trained as an RHS qualified garden and landscape designer at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, now working anywhere around the world. My gardens are different to others: a meeting place between art and nature. I use ecology and the science of plant communities to create - [Gallery 008](https://www.jackwallington.com/landscape-portfolio-garden-design-west-yorkshire-hebden-bridge/) - Reviewing some of my earliest designs - [Gallery 007](https://www.jackwallington.com/summer-naturalistic-plant-combinations/) - Exploring summer naturalistic plant combinations - [Gallery 004](https://www.jackwallington.com/midgley-garden/) - This garden, shown in its first summer, was one huge expanse of paving. The owners wanted to breathe new life back into the soil, rehoming all the paving but keeping the existing path, steps and walls to reduce impact on the environment. Areas shown on this page are part of a larger project with meadow - [Gallery 000](https://www.jackwallington.com/garden-yorkshire-2024/) - Nature first, us second. Our small farm in Calderdale, West Yorkshire is an experiment and trial ground for wildlife and plants. It is not a designed space, instead I do things that feel right at the time, constantly playing and changing. The process for me is the garden. It informs all of my work and - [Gallery 003](https://www.jackwallington.com/front-garden-hebden-bridge/) - When I was invited to transform an entirely paved tiny front and back garden in the middle of Hebden Bridge back into a wild space, I jumped at the chance. Despite the minuscule footprint, we've packed the space with plants for volume, with different colours and textures through each season. - [Gallery 002](https://www.jackwallington.com/exotic-yorkshire/) - A small garden needing some privacy without blocking the spectacular views, making the most of the space with an intricately planned layout and planting to blend with the owner's indoor plant collection and the landscape beyond. Situated around a house by Gagarin architects. Photos from autumn of year one, in time the planting will grow - [Gallery 001](https://www.jackwallington.com/iou-hostel-hebden-bridge/) - A reimagining of the space outside the iconic IOU Creative Centre Hostel in Hebden Bridge, making it a more accessible and flexible wildlife terrace for visiting artists and makers. Photos are from year one and in time, the grass bank will be enhanced for wildlife as a meadow with ornamental planting closer to the building - [gallery](https://www.jackwallington.com/gallery/) - [Gallery 009](https://www.jackwallington.com/city-triptych/) - Exploring a pivotal design from early on in my career with a triptych of stylised central planting beds. The lovely owners allowed me and my gardening colleagues to run riot with plants, allowing me to vastly expand my plant knowledge beyond our own small garden. This uniquely long and narrow city garden presented an opportunity - [Testimonials](https://www.jackwallington.com/testimonials/) - "Jack has produced an amazing plan for our garden and meadow area in West Yorkshire. The planting is sensitive to the native area and designed to blend in with the beautiful Yorkshire Countryside.Jack is extremely knowledgeable about plants, planting and the environment, this combination makes his skills much sort after." J.C. Yorkshire "Jack was an - [Meet our team](https://www.jackwallington.com/team/) - We are a growing team of landscape and garden designers with an extensive network of craftspeople and nursery contacts. Jack WallingtonDesigner Jack spends most of his time exploring nature and works to distil the essence of those wilder, untouched places into our gardens. He trained at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and is an advocate - [Conservation charities](https://www.jackwallington.com/conservation-charities/) - I believe one of the most important things people can do is protect natural habitats and life within them: conservation. Not just saving what little we have left but reversing the destruction the human population has caused to restore and rebuild habitats that have been lost. By protecting habitats, we protect the life within them for future generations and - [Becoming a garden designer](https://www.jackwallington.com/becoming-a-garden-designer/) - [Update: this page is from 2013 and my life has moved on quite a lot! Please see my About page] I live in Clapham, London and worked in digital publishing and marketing for over fifteen years until I switched to design. The path to my career change began back in November 2013 when my partner - [](https://www.jackwallington.com/jack-wallington-newsletter-2/) - Subscribe to my Wild Way newsletter... My current main writing project is my Wild Way gardening and wildlife newsletter which is a weekly blast of plant and wildlife information for free. If you enjoy it and want more, I also produce an optional monthly longer newsletter, which costs £20 per year for twelve issues. Plus - [about jack](https://www.jackwallington.com/about-jack/) - [Phoenix bird can fly - small exotic garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/phoenix-bird-small-exotic-garden/) - This is the place I first experimented and played with planting design. A thirty square metre wildlife friendly and exotic patio developed between 2014 - 2022. Its final iteration removed all pots and the majority of paving to plant everything in the ground alongside a small bridge over a feature pond. Grown organically without any - [Website data and cookie policy](https://www.jackwallington.com/website-data-and-cookie-policy/) - If we could run this site without collecting any data or using any cookies we would, however for some core functionality we have to. But we have done everything we can to keep this to an absolute minimum, which we have explained below. Jack Wallington Garden Design Ltd. uses cookies and data very sparingly on - [Membership Account](https://www.jackwallington.com/membership-account/) - Access back issues of the Wild Way Newsletter at the bottom of this page. [pmpro_account] - [Terms and conditions](https://www.jackwallington.com/terms-and-conditions/) - Subscription Billing: you can choose to subscribe to the monthly or annual subscription. You will be billed either the monthly price every month from the date you subscribed, or the annual price every year from the date you subscribed. 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The Times "Will make you look at your garden in a whole new light." The Independent"Looks at how designing with weeds can benefit the - [Gardening advice and help](https://www.jackwallington.com/gardening-help/) - [Join Us](https://www.jackwallington.com/membership-join/) - This page and the content has been automatically generated for you to give you a basic idea of how a "Join Us" page should look like. You can customize this page however you like it by editing this page from your WordPress page editor.If you end up changing the URL of this page then make - [Registration](https://www.jackwallington.com/membership-join/membership-registration/) - [swpm_registration_form] - [Log In](https://www.jackwallington.com/login/) - [pmpro_login] - [Homegrown](https://www.jackwallington.com/homegrown/) - I grow plants wherever and whenever I can! Below you’ll find categories of articles about my planty adventures. - [Travelling adventures](https://www.jackwallington.com/travelling-adventures/) - In 2004 I made a vow to myself to be more adventurous because "you only live once" and "you could be dead tomorrow." Inspired by my brother Edward and sister Hannah's travels, I challenged myself to explore some of earth's wildest places. Below are some of my favourite moments, hopefully with many more to come. Wilderness in - [Chelsea Flower Show 2017 pictures, news and trends](https://www.jackwallington.com/chelsea-flower-show-2017-pictures-news-and-trends/) - This is my fourth year at the Chelsea Flower Show and I'll be back with my personal views and photos. Sign up to my email list to receive all of my Chelsea Flower Show 2017 updates [email-subscribers namefield="YES" desc="" group="Public"] You can read my reports from the previous years and upcoming articles on my Chelsea - [Scale construction drawings](https://www.jackwallington.com/scale-construction-drawings/) - A detailed drawing to scale showing where features should go, their size, materials used and how they should be built. Scale construction drawings are used alongside the designs to give landscape contractors who will build the final design a precise and easy to follow guide. This will help the contractors to build the design for key features like - [Brief & preparation](https://www.jackwallington.com/client-brief-preparation/) - At the start of a design project, I will meet with you to listen to your plans and hopes for your newly designed garden. We will go through a number of questions to understand how you want to use your new garden, your likes, dislikes and preferred styles. I will then review your existing garden to - [Garden surveys](https://www.jackwallington.com/london-garden-surveys/) - Garden surveys are accurate measurements and records of your garden's existing features. Before undertaking any form of garden project it is important to understand the space you have and what is possible - and not possible - within it. A garden survey is presented on a scale diagram and will record and inform you of - [Photo Gallery](https://www.jackwallington.com/becoming-a-garden-designer/photo-gallery/) - March 2014 ## Products - [Wild about Weeds: Garden Design with Rebel Plants (signed copy)](https://www.jackwallington.com/product/wild-about-weeds-garden-design-with-rebel-plants-book-jack-wallington/) - Gardening Book of the Year 2019 - The Times 10 Best Gardening Books of Spring 2020 - The IndependentBest Gardening Books of the Year - Gardens IllustratedBest Gardening Reads of 2019 - Daily MailTop Garden Books of 2019 - The English GardenTop 5 Books for Plantaholics - Gardener's World Magazine "Wild About Weeds will make - [A Greener Life: discover the joy of mindful and sustainable gardening (signed copy)](https://www.jackwallington.com/product/a-greener-life-discover-the-joy-of-mindful-and-sustainable-gardening/) - Gardening Book of the Year 2022 - The Times & Sunday Times "This packed book covers creating a garden from scratch; growing herbs, edibles and house plants; and the final chapter discusses how to connect with the environment beyond the garden gate." Best Gardening Books of the Year 2023 - Gardens Illustrated "Exceptional, distinguishing itself - [40 MINA recycled seed packets (9.8cm x 6.7cm)](https://www.jackwallington.com/product/25-mina-small-recycled-seed-packets-9-8cm-x-6-7cm/) - Collecting seeds is super easy and lots of fun, it means you can grow hundreds of your favourite flowers for free! MINA seed packets are the perfect size for gifting seeds as a present to people you love - nothing is more personal than seeds you've grown and collected yourself. I designed the small MINA - [Winter Solstice - Hebden Bridge - limited edition signed print](https://www.jackwallington.com/product/winter-solstice-hebden-bridge-limited-edition-signed-print/) - Winter Solstice over Hebden Bridge is part of a first wave of landscape studies in my 1,000 landscapes project. Inspired by the sun setting over the peatland moors around our farm, creating beautiful colours, reminding us of the rugged, unpredictable nature of this spot on planet Earth. The original is semi-abstract watercolour on paper, helping draw - [Wild Way: Stolen Reality (signed copy)](https://www.jackwallington.com/product/wild-way-stolen-reality/) - Readers are calling Stolen Reality... Wild Way: Stolen Reality is printed on recycled and recyclable paper locally in Leeds, UK. - [Snow in January on a Calderdale little farm (signed prints)](https://www.jackwallington.com/product/snow-in-january-on-a-calderdale-little-farm-triptych/) - Heights: of the image varies by a few millimetres due to the handmade nature of the originals. Border: each print comes with a white border of a few centimetres as standard. Limited edition: each edition is signed and numbered by hand on the back and on a companion sticker for the back of the frame - [Midsummer Eve twilight - from Wadsworth Moor across Walshaw Moor - limited edition signed print](https://www.jackwallington.com/product/midsummer-eve-twilight-wadsworth-moor-to-walshaw-moor-limited-edition-signed-print/) - Midsummer eve twilight from Wadsworth Moor across Walshaw Moor is part of a first wave of landscape studies in my 1,000 landscapes project. Inspired by unique post-sunset magic seen only at midsummer over the peatland moors around our farm, creating beautiful colours, reminding us of the rugged, unpredictable nature of this spot on planet Earth. - [Fusion Setting - Walshaw Moor - limited edition signed print](https://www.jackwallington.com/product/fusion-setting-walshaw-moor-limited-edition-signed-print/) - Fusion Setting over Walshaw Moor is part of a first wave of landscape studies in my 1,000 landscapes project. Inspired by the sun setting over the peatland moors around our farm, creating beautiful colours, reminding us of the rugged, unpredictable nature of this spot on planet Earth. The original is semi-abstract watercolour on paper, helping draw - [Fusion Rising - limited edition signed print](https://www.jackwallington.com/product/fusion-rising-limited-edition-signed-print/) - Fusion Rising is part of a first wave of landscape studies in my 1,000 landscapes project. Inspired by the sun emerging from the peatland moor above our farm, burning through the morning haze, reminding us of the rugged, unpredictable nature of this spot on planet Earth. It is chiaroscuro, the study of light and - [Eroded Mountains - limited edition signed print](https://www.jackwallington.com/product/eroded-mountains-limited-edition-signed-print/) - Eroded Mountains is part of a first wave of landscape studies in my 1,000 landscapes project. Inspired by view down our valley near Walshaw Moor out toward the hills that were once towering mountains, reminding us of the rugged, unpredictable nature of this spot on planet Earth. It is chiaroscuro, the study of light and - [Convection - limited edition signed print](https://www.jackwallington.com/product/convection-limited-edition-signed-print/) - Convection is part of the first wave of landscape studies in my 1,000 landscapes project. Inspired by an ominous storm cloud sweeping into a bright clear sky across the Pennine hills from Stoodley Pike hill in Yorkshire looking toward Lancashire. It is chiaroscuro, the study of light and shadow, using charcoal on a handmade textured - [RHS The Gardener's Book of Patterns: a Directory of Design, Style and Inspiration (signed copy)](https://www.jackwallington.com/product/rhs-the-gardeners-book-of-patterns-a-directory-of-design-style-and-inspiration-book-jack-wallington/) - "Wallington's book will have you looking at your most familiar surroundings from a completely different perspective... An extensive collection of inspirational images and thoughtful words that will get you reaching for a pencil and paper to begin planning your next garden project."Gardens Illustrated "This visually enticing book by a rising star of British garden design - [30 MAXA recycled seed packets (15cm x 10cm)](https://www.jackwallington.com/product/15-maxa-large-recycled-seed-packets-15cm-x-10cm/) - Collecting seeds is super easy and lots of fun, it means you can grow hundreds of your favourite flowers for free! MAXA seed packets are larger for the serious gardener wanting to grow on mass or for vegetable gardeners growing peas and beans. I designed the large MAXA seed packets based on how I store ## Templates - [Default](https://www.jackwallington.com/feed-templates/default/) - [Wild Way](https://www.jackwallington.com/feed-templates/wild-way/) ## Categories - [Garden chat](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/garden-chat/) - [Pot's Growing On? Container Gardening](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/containers/) - We grow lots in pots and here are some things I’ve learnt. - [Small garden design](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/small-space-garden-design/) - If you’re thinking of revamping your small outdoor space with new plants or even a completely new layout, this is the guide for you! For more ideas, join my weekly newsletter at WildWay.info. - [Gardens to visit](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/gardens-to-visit/) - Visiting other gardens is one of the best ways to expand your gardening and garden design knowledge, and to gain inspiration. Here are some photo articles of the ones I’ve been to. - [Garden design](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/garden-design/) - [Vegetables](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/vegetables/) - [RHS Course](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/rhs-course/) - [Gardening help](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/gardening-help/) - How to guides and other tips, tricks and help gardening. - [Allotment](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/allotment/) - In December 2015 I was lucky enough to secure a 125 square metre allotment, which later expanded to 250 square metres. Here I’ve been documenting my progress as I explore the world of fruit, vegetables and herbs, and seek to become as self-sufficient as possible :) - [Review](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/review/) - [Sustainable gardening](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/sustainable-garden/) - [Wildflowers](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/wildflowers/) - [Experiences](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/experiences/) - [Fruit](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/fruit/) - [Tools and techniques](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/tools-and-techniques/) - [Future garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/future-garden/) - [Dying fragments](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/dying-fragments/) - Recording some of the last remaining areas of wilderness on our planet. All habitats are quickly being wiped out by humans for farm land and buildings, and I’m not optimistic it will be here for future generations except in photos and memory. - [Wildlife and nature](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/wildlife-and-nature/) - [Northern Flower House](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/gardens-to-visit/northern-flower-house/) - Although I grew up in Buckinghamshire and spent the next two decades as a young adult in London, throughout my entire life I have spent extended amounts of time in Yorkshire, Lancashire, the surrounding counties and various parts of Scotland studying wildlife. Now that we live near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire with easier access to northern gardens and wildlife reserves, I am on a mission to shine a light on the best to visit. Join my Wild Way newsletter about our own Yorkshire farm and to be alerted of new northern features. - [Farm](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/farm/) - [Regenerative growing](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/regenerative-growing/) - Regenerative growing is about producing crops in a way that gives more back to the land than we take. Protecting water, soil, wildlife and plants. It’s actually pretty easy to do with the right knowledge, about striking the right balance with nature by following the Wild Way of gardening, explored fully in my weekly newsletter (see WildWay.info). - [Propagation](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/propagation/) - [Nature & environment](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/nature-environment/) - [Artist spotlight](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/artist-spotlight/) - [1,000 Landscapes Project](https://www.jackwallington.com/category/1000-landscapes-project/) ## Tags - [Spring](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/spring/) - [Front garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/front-garden/) - [Indoor plants](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/indoor-plants/) - [Large garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/large-garden/) - [Window boxes](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/window-boxes/) - [Gadget reviews](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/gardening-gadget-reviews/) - When electricity and nature collide. - [Public parks](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/public-parks/) - [Dahlias](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/dahlias/) - Everything you need to know about dahlias in one place! - [Propagation](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/propagation/) - [Pests and diseases](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/pests-and-diseases/) - [RHS](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/rhs/) - [Botany](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/botany/) - [Design](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/design/) - [Winter](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/winter/) - [Summer](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/summer/) - [Autumn](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/autumn/) - [Azaleas](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/azaleas/) - [Vegetables](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/vegetables/) - [Hyacinthus](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/hyacinthus/) - [Wildlife](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/wildlife/) - [Designer Edibles](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/designer-edibles/) - [Bees](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/bees/) - [Ferns](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/ferns/) - [National Trust](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/national-trust/) - [NGS](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/ngs/) - [featured](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/featured/) - [Gardening book reviews](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/gardening-book-reviews/) - I just can’t stop reading about gardening! I love gardening books, and the ones included here I have read meticulously page by page, cover-to-cover. - [Gardening guides](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/gardening-guides/) - [Cacti and succulents](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/cacti-and-succulents/) - [White Garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/white-garden/) - [Succession planting](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/succession-planting/) - [Solenostemon scutellarioides](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/solenostemon-scutellarioides/) - [Pelargonium](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/pelargonium/) - [Salvia](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/salvia/) - [Tulips](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/tulips/) - [Bulbs](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/bulbs/) - [Snowdrops](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/snowdrops/) - [Galanthus](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/galanthus/) - [Fritillaria](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/fritillaria/) - [Small Spaces](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/small-spaces/) - [Big Dreams Small Spaces](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/big-dreams-small-spaces/) - [Environment](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/environment/) - [Eco warrior](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/eco-warrior/) - [Plants and people](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/plants-and-people/) - [Helleborus](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/helleborus/) - [Allotment](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/allotment/) - [Fruit](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/fruit/) - [Pots](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/pots/) - [Grasses](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/grasses/) - [Ornamental grass](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/ornamental-grass/) - [Garden design](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/garden-design/) - [Landscape design](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/landscape-design/) - [Garden history](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/garden-history/) - [Review](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/review/) - [Urban](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/urban/) - [Chelsea Flower Show](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/chelsea-flower-show/) - Photos, news and information from the greatest event on earth, the Chelsea Flower Show. - [Photo gallery](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/photo-gallery/) - [London](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/london/) - [Wild flowers](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/wild-flowers/) - [Nature](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/nature/) - [Bonsai](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/bonsai/) - [Littlebury](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/littlebury/) - [garde](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/garde/) - [organic](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/organic/) - [shade](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/shade/) - [sun](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/sun/) - [Rooftop garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/rooftop-garden/) - [Grow your own](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/grow-your-own/) - [Wild](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/wild/) - [Shrubs](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/shrubs/) - [Cut flowers](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/cut-flowers/) - [Equipment](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/equipment/) - [Storage](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/storage/) - [house plants](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/house-plants/) - [succulents](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/succulents/) - [Urban garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/urban-garden/) - [Clapham](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/clapham/) - [Future gardening](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/future-gardening/) - [Marrakesh](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/marrakesh/) - [Africa](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/africa/) - [city](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/city/) - [Technology](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/technology/) - [Travel](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/travel/) - [Green flowers](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/green-flowers/) - [Prairie](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/prairie/) - [Flower](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/flower/) - [RHS Level 3](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/rhs-level-3/) - [RHS Level 2](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/rhs-level-2/) - [weather](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/weather/) - [California](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/california/) - [America](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/america/) - [Street planting](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/street-planting/) - [Glasshouses](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/glasshouses/) - [Tropical](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/tropical/) - [Palms](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/palms/) - [Kew Gardens](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/kew-gardens/) - [Eden Project](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/eden-project/) - [Greenhouses](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/greenhouses/) - [Cornwall](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/cornwall/) - [Fashion](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/fashion/) - [Pilea peperomioides](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/pilea-peperomioides/) - [guide](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/guide/) - [October](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/october/) - [Seeds](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/seeds/) - [Sowing](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/sowing/) - [Propaga](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/propaga/) - [conservation](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/conservation/) - [trees](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/trees/) - [Exotic plants](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/exotic-plants/) - [Tropical plants](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/tropical-plants/) - [Tropical design](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/tropical-design/) - [Small garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/small-garden/) - [City garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/city-garden/) - [Homegrown](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/homegrown/) - [Street style](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/street-style/) - [Orchids](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/orchids/) - [Native orchids](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/native-orchids/) - [Zinnia](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/zinnia/) - [Moss](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/moss/) - [Moss garden](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/moss-garden/) - [Victorian](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/victorian/) - [Fleeting flowers](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/fleeting-flowers/) - [Tools](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/tools/) - [Yellow flowers](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/yellow-flowers/) - [From the streets](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/from-the-streets/) - [Pulsatilla](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/pulsatilla/) - [Hidcote](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/hidcote/) - [Plant spotlight](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/plant-spotlight/) - [micro pond](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/micro-pond/) - [Monarda](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/monarda/) - [Ivy](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/ivy/) - [Hedera](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/hedera/) - [Independent nurseries](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/independent-nurseries/) - [no dig](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/no-dig/) - [Ornamental](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/ornamental/) - [Gardening](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/gardening/) - [Cuttings](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/cuttings/) - [Video](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/video/) - [Meadow](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/meadow/) - [Foliage](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/foliage/) - [Hippeastrum](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/hippeastrum/) - [Verbena](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/verbena/) - [Weeds](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/weeds/) - [Weed](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/weed/) - [Symphyotrichum](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/symphyotrichum/) - [Plant communities](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/plant-communities/) - [Future meadow](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/future-meadow/) - [Begonia](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/begonia/) - [Garden design portfolio](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/garden-design-portfolio/) - Selected works completed and in progress. - [Wild about Weeds](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/wild-about-weeds/) - [RHS Trials](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/rhs-trials/) - [Persicaria](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/persicaria/) - [Dividing](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/dividing/) - [Insects](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/insects/) - [Avocado](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/avocado/) - [How to gardening guides](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/how-to-gardening-guides/) - [London Parks](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/london-parks/) - [Plant supports](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/plant-supports/) - [Staking](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/staking/) - [Aeonium](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/aeonium/) - [Gardening planner](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/gardening-planner/) - [Gardening calendar](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/gardening-calendar/) - No nonsense, to the point organic and sustainable gardening advice for each month of the year. If you live outside of the UK, I have numbered each month so you can adjust easily for your own climate. - [Tomato](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/tomato/) - [Tomatoes](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/tomatoes/) - [February](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/february/) - [March](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/march/) - [Hebden Bridge](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/hebden-bridge/) - [Yorkshire](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/yorkshire/) - [West Yorkshire](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/west-yorkshire/) - [Altitude](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/altitude/) - [High altitude gardening](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/high-altitude-gardening/) - [Salad](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/salad/) - [Salads](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/salads/) - [Salad crops](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/salad-crops/) - [Salad pro](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/salad-pro/) - [Problem solving](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/problem-solving/) - [Book review](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/book-review/) - [Jack on gardens](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/jack-on-gardens/) - [Gardening thought piece](https://www.jackwallington.com/tag/gardening-thought-piece/) ## Product categories - [Books](https://www.jackwallington.com/product-category/books/) - [Gardening products](https://www.jackwallington.com/product-category/gardening-products/) - [Art work](https://www.jackwallington.com/product-category/art-work/)