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6th August 2019

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Sophie Simpson

sophiesimpsongardendesign

Sophie Simpson Garden Design creates individual gardens which add style and exclusivity to any setting. Email- design@sophiesgardens.co.uk

Another new build house and another blank canvas g Another new build house and another blank canvas garden. If you scroll to the end you will see how the garden slopes down and across making it really hard to put in any features but with the able and excellent help of Duncan and Nicky from @premgardens we have created a usable space for the owner. She requested raised beds for ease of use and plenty of seating to take in spectacular views from the top of the hill. It is exposed and windy but on a sunny day, it is lovely. We planted it yesterday and I hope it won't be long before the raised beds are overflowing and the pond is looking really established. Just a little bit of lighting to sort out now. The front garden is a mixture of lavender and Ilex crenata balls which will have a gravel mulch. The sharp-eyed amongst you might notice the root balls are proud of the ground to allow for at least 50mm of gravel.
I don’t really love a sycamore tree. They have a I don’t really love a sycamore tree. They have an annoying habit of being prolific self seeders and pop up where you don’t want them. But if I take time to look at them minutely, the bark is textured to allow a variety of insects to hide under the scales and this brings in plenty of birds. We have a really old and large tree which has branches down to the ground and this is when I notice the beautiful pink buds and emerging flowers.This phase will be over in days and it will be the shade maker for the rest of the year so I’m glad I’ve walked past it at just the right time.
Sound on for the buzz of bees in the early floweri Sound on for the buzz of bees in the early flowering mirabelle plum. And look at that blue background! Haven’t seen enough of that for a while!
Swipe left to see how this garden was transformed Swipe left to see how this garden was transformed from wonderfully verdant but a bit chaotic to sleek and functional. There were so many immature trees crowded into a small space, it was almost impossible to see what was actually planted here. The exposed drain covers are made more obvious by the planters parked on them and the owners needed a larger terrace to make the most of the lovely sunny aspect. They didn't want to keep any lawn so it was all laid to gravel with added texture from cobbles and stepping stones formed of large sandstone slabs. These are strategically placed to hide the drains covers. Some of the prettiest trees, including acers, a cherry and a Cercidiphyllum have been retained and pruned to expose their lovely stems. A screen of pleached crab apples adds height above the fence. Now there is plenty of space in the beds for some roses and perennials to add colour through the best parts of the year. The summerhouse had a lick of paint and now lights up a darker corner.
I completed this garden in 2021 and have not been I completed this garden in 2021 and have not been back to see it for a while but it has always had a special place in my heart as it is the smallest commission I have ever had. I loved the chance to design the intricate details which allowed us to fit as much as possible into the 2m x 10m space. The brief was for a productive garden with space to sit in the sunshine and take into account the dog and imminent arrival of a baby. I thought it was a pretty tall order but with the help of @crowcroftsam and his wonderful team, we got a lot in without it feeling crammed. Wonderful, bespoke planters in Cor-ten steel from @hyslopmetalwork allow easy access and optimum growing space for a variety of vegetables. Doug also created new railings to replace those lost years ago. A strict laying pattern called for precise sizing of paving slabs from @forasstone. Espaliered fruit and a rosemary hedge will make it feel enclosed and be a very safe environment for, what will now be, a young child.

It really does not matter how big a garden is - there is always something you can do to make it more interesting, more productive or just tidier than it was!
I’m always drawn to the whites, various pinks an I’m always drawn to the whites, various pinks and purple dahlias but to be in a sea of magnificent, saturated colour from across the spectrum at the #dahlia fields of @hallsofheddon was a thrill on a sunny morning. They are in tip top condition and so much taller than I ever manage to grow at home! I am a bit lax with the watering can! Fantastic show!!
I have been sent this video and lovely message fro I have been sent this video and lovely message from some happy clients. It’s so heart warming to get feedback like this. Their garden was designed for them 20 years ago but they felt it needed updating and asked me to see what we could do with the existing paving and water fountain. They had lots of plants left too and I left the planting to them. I am so pleased they’re thrilled with it!! Hi Sophie We.ve been loving the garden since the project was completed  and the planting has filled out. We thought we.d share this short (a bit jerky in parts) video so  that you can see how the colour palette is working out and how the different  borders  work together to make a truly pleasing and restful space. Do feel free to pop in for a cuppa if you are in the area and thank you again for your transformational ideas Elizabeth & Philip
Hydrangea seemanii is a very useful evergreen clim Hydrangea seemanii is a very useful evergreen climber. It flowers in mid to late summer and will clothe a shed or fence or north facing wall in glossy leaves although it takes a year to get its roots down before doing much up top. This one is growing up the shady side of a beech stump which is about 20ft high and rather an eyesore. We couldn’t remove the whole stump when the tree fell down a few years ago but I’m glad we didn’t as it’s home to solitary bees and small wasps which use the rotting trunk for their nests.
Today’s harvest. 🍅 Today’s harvest. 🍅
A client asked me how to cover up a blank wall on A client asked me how to cover up a blank wall on her house today and then I drove past this 💡💡#northumberlandgardendesign
The butterflies love this area which we call the C The butterflies love this area which we call the Crack Garden and I have just disturbed the pair of goldfinches who feed on the. many self seeded Knautia Macedonica and sea pinks and clover which are producing masses of seed now. It’s so pretty as the mixed pinks, lilacs and crimsons merge together amongst the rather shaggy box hedges. It’s a mixture I could probably never replicate if I tried to. Nature is so clever!
Some white-flowered shrubs looking luminous in the Some white-flowered shrubs looking luminous in the garden at the beginning of summer.  In no particular order!: Stewartia pseudocamellia flowers are held intermittently along slightly twisted branches. It’s a medium to large shrub here and loves our acid soil. The camellia-like flowers are so pretty but unassuming compared to the generous offering from Philadelphus ‘Virginal’. Unlike other mock oranges, this one doesn’t seem to have any scent but it makes up for that by getting to at least 10ft tall. The humble but useful climbing Hydrangea peteolaris with its lace cap flowers is covering a massive copper beech stump which is gently rotting underneath.  They are normally used to cover north facing walls and fences but the more organic shape of this shrub makes it a brilliant addition to the woodland end of the garden. I have a trio of Cornus kousa ‘China Girl’ which are really spectacular when in full flower. They do produce fruit afterwards but it is pretty tasteless!! I’m sure the birds appreciate them though. Rosa Climbing Iceberg has done well, as have all the roses in this dry weather. It covers half the arch and Madame Alfred Carriere is on the other side. They follow on from white wisteria so the scent down here is lovely for many months over summer. #northumberlandgarden #midsummer #whiteshrubs
Wonderfully cryptic plumage. This little owl is pe Wonderfully cryptic plumage. This little owl is perched on a broken oak stump only about 3 ft above ground. So confident in its ingenious camouflage it barely twitched when my dog walked past only a few feet away. I only spotted it because of its eyes!
I thought a piece of blue tissue was blowing acros I thought a piece of blue tissue was blowing across the lawn but then realised it was fluttering by. This is a Common Blue. In fact there were 2 flying around together but both are males as the female is drab by comparison. I am thrilled to have them here as they may be common but I have never seen one in my garden. Apparently the caterpillars feed on Birds Foot trefoil which is normally plentiful in our lawn although the drought has halted its progress slightly but they also eat Black medic which is plentiful through my rather wild borders. I am hopeful we will see more of them in the future. I wonder if my more relaxed approach to weeding and winter clearing has made a difference already? I hope I can proudly declare the chaos is a wildlife haven if anyone dares point out the weeds!!
Some happy colour combinations in the garden this Some happy colour combinations in the garden this week. Aquilegias which started off as the double ‘Ruby Port’ have thrown up a lovely selection of seedlings and, as often happens, they’ve positioned themselves expertly next to other plants. There are lots of self-seeders in this long border. Bright acid green foliage of lemon balm is popping up amongst dark pink and purple roses but, at the moment, it highlights the purple wisteria and blends with the pale yellow pincushion flowers of Cephalaria gigantea.  Geranium ‘Bill Wallis’ is a prolific gap filler and flowers for months and looks fantastic with everything else here. Knautia flowers in shades of mauve are a brilliant contrast to the bronze peony leaves. It’s all looking spring fresh and lovely!
A Carden! A full load packed up ready for a day of A Carden! A full load packed up ready for a day of planting tomorrow. There’s only just room for me and my lunch in there now! Thanks to @cowellsgardencentre @claireaustinhp and @crocus.co.uk for great quality and interesting plants.
Rheum palmatum ‘Atrosanguineum’ looking rather Rheum palmatum ‘Atrosanguineum’ looking rather lovely in the sunshine. The undersides of the leaves and the flowers are a rich cherry red and the huge leaves are brilliantly sculptural. This plant thrives here despite being in dry, sandy soil with a rabbit warren underneath it! Received wisdom says it needs plenty of humous-rich soil and moisture. I expect if it had those conditions it would be twice the size but it is still as tall as me at 5’7”!!!
Well the rain has made a swerve away from us which Well the rain has made a swerve away from us which means the magnificent wisteria flowers live to see another day. So richly scented, I wish I could sit out here all afternoon to enjoy!
This black cloud is producing some sporadic rumble This black cloud is producing some sporadic rumbles of thunder. We are desperately in need of rain but I fear it’s going to pass us by. As I wrote that, one droplet landed on my phone screen!! Might dash home just in case! 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
Another day of planting. This time a little back g Another day of planting. This time a little back garden which @crowcroftsam finished at the end of last year. The design gives plenty of space for lots of plants, two areas to sit and a summerhouse all packed in neatly. I’m really delighted with how it has turned out and can’t wait to see how the warmer weather we are forecast brings those little green tufts out of their shells!
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