We build a lot of raised beds at ALDA landscapes. In fact, the majority of gardens we work on feature… Read more.

You might remember seeing a blog post a while back about designing on the diagonal. Our client very kindly took… Read more.

Some people love bright red. But many gardeners shy away from using red flowered plants in their gardens for fear… Read more.

As I sit here writing my January blog, the sky outside is grey and overcast. It seemed to take forever… Read more.

It’s amazing how quickly a new garden can bed in and come to life! One of our clients kindly sent… Read more.

Is it just me, or does it seem very grey and dark all of a sudden? As I sit here… Read more.

Prospective clients often ask us if there is a minimum size of garden that we will work on. Our answer… Read more.

We are delighted to welcome a very talented new garden designer to the ALDA team. Katie Thomas (Living Art Designs)… Read more.

As our clients will know, my veggie coffins (beds) have been in use for two years now, and I have… Read more.

A different – and somewhat more personal - blog post from me this month. Read on for news of an… Read more.

This is the second in a series of blogs looking at using plants for creating different effects, and considers Mediterranean… Read more.

When designing gardens, I always have a picture in my mind of what the final garden will look like more… Read more.

For me, one of the most interesting aspects of planting design is how plants can be used to build and… Read more.

May has to be my favourite month of the year. Everything in the countryside has that lovely lush fresh green… Read more.

As a garden designer, I have very mixed emotions when it comes to Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’. Am I… Read more.

Modern new build houses seem to be allocated ever smaller gardens; we find that even large dwellings nowadays are often… Read more.

One of the joys of my work is seeing a garden being transformed – from the design, through the landscaping,… Read more.

It may be seasonal, but I have to say that Ivy (Hedera) is not my favourite plant. It can be… Read more.

When designing a planting scheme for clients, garden designers (me included) always look to provide structure and plant interest all… Read more.

Most gardens that I visit have a few borders which are really narrow and this can often pose a planting… Read more.

Little plants with long names! Anyone who has ever asked me to design a planting scheme for them will know… Read more.

Garden designers often like to tilt the orientation of a garden so that, for example, lawns and paths run at… Read more.

One of our recent clients has just sent us these photos... ... and also these kind words: "I would like… Read more.

Well, I’m about to pack my bags and depart to deepest Italy to recharge my batteries, but I will have… Read more.

Another of my favourite plants, this yellow leaved form of the smoke bush is perhaps less well known than its… Read more.

At this time of year, I like to get out and about with my camera – taking photos of gardens… Read more.

Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’ is a really useful, attractive and elegant medium sized garden tree.  Whilst it is deciduous, designers like… Read more.

We often receive calls and emails from people who have recently moved into a new home, feeling overawed at taking on… Read more.