I am not sure I agree with Victor Hugo’s quote, ‘Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart.’ Don’t get me wrong, I look forward to the imminent coming of spring like all you good folk out there; the purest of white snowdrops and aconites already unfurling their golden yellow buds all over our clients’ gardens: Butter cream flowers of native primula vulgaris springing up, herbaceous perennials underground just starting to reveal the merest hint of fresh little green shoots. However, here at Of butterflies and bees, we really have been enjoying the very lovely framework of bare branches afforded by winter. The twisted stems of the hazel – corylus avellana contorted; the creamy bark of the Betula utilis jaquemontii, lovely shrubs like the ivory hues of winter flowering lornicera fragantissima. The end of Winter is the perfect time to contemplate the landscaping in your garden and plan ahead. We say, a winter’s garden should be a place to get out to and enjoy. A garden is for all seasons. Winter is on our head and in our hearts.

To this end, we have been busily topping up the winter interest structure in all of our clients’ gardens.

We also have several very exciting new design briefs in with a slightly unusual take on landscaping. A sunken den landscaped with objets trouvés; and a stumpery garden…

We are also very excited about working with a new school in Highgate, which was an original farm school. More news soon.