We have been rushed off our feet during September and October in our busiest couple of months ever! Where to start..

Everyone loves a secret garden, don’t they? Well, how about one hidden behind a restaurant in Tufnell Park? We really loved designing and creating the secret garden hidden behind the fab new decadent vegetarian restaurant ‘Ceremony’ which opened last month. The priority of course was to plant up goodies for botanical cocktails – pine-kale-ada anyone? Do go and see our urban trellis made from discarded copper plumbers pipes, and  planters made from leftover ventilation steel ducts.

At this time of year, beyond playing with colour, planting swathes of spring bulbs in many of our client’s gardens, we also love nothing more than a good pruning and clear back session. Remember folks, a garden is not only about what you have planted, but borrowing views; cutting back trees and shrubs, to let in light, colour, shape and texture from surrounding gardens. With so many vibrant copper and claret tones around at the moment, don’t grieve the fading away of summer’s flowers, but celebrate the surrounding trees and shades of autumn, by borrowing views. You will be amazed how a dramatic cut back, can completely change your view: in more ways than one.

Talking about flowers however, we have designed some very beautiful pollinator friendly, herbaceous borders this month: particularly striking will be the elegant white and green garden we planted up in NW3 filled with a seasonal succession of gorgeous flowers and grasses. In complete contrast, we had great fun creating a patio garden full of the brightest of colours…

With so much talk in the world at the moment about building walls, we were really happy to be invited to re-imagine the gardens of two sisters living next to each other in North London: And in particular, to take down the wall which separated their two gardens! Having taken down the wall and given both gardens a bit of TLC, what emerged was a light and airy, bucolic haven. We say, it’s time to start sharing gardens; to create big open spaces and wonderful habitats. C’mon ladies – and everyone out there, we urge you to take down those walls!

In terms of creating big open spaces, creating community gardens is a great passion of ours, and something we commit a lot of voluntary time to. Our community gardens at the Caversham Health Centre, James Wigg, Platform 1 KT overground continue to thrive and provide much joy. Currently, we are developing proposals to build a garden and cob/tandoor clay oven at a youth centre in Queens Crescent, and another cottage garden at West Hampstead Station.

Finally, our other big love in early autumn is our Abundance project: it’s all about collecting and juicing windfall apples and unwanted fruit. Do you have or know of any apple trees, that still need picking, get in touch? We have hosted several apple juicing sessions at local schools and health centres: incredibly rewarding, and juicy stuff!

Back to the drawing board now, three more garden designs to create for next month…