At our recent landscaping project in a garden in Caversham, the landscaping team at ALDA constructed two bespoke builds –… 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.

This week the landscaping team at ALDA have been busy constructing a curved brick seat in a garden in Barkham.… Read more.

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

Busy days leading up to Christmas for the ALDA Landscape team... A question I am often asked at this time… Read more.

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

A trellis screen can come in very handy.  It can effectively minimise the impact of a nearby eyesore and so… Read more.

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

When it comes to the hard landscaping of any of our garden designs, sustainable drainage systems are crucial to the… 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.

Problem: what to do about a crumbling flint wall in a cottage garden Solution: replace it with a new dry… Read more.

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

Yorkstone is a naturally occurring sedimentary Carboniferous sandstone of extremely good quality.  It is sourced from the quarries of Northern… Read more.

Porcelain paving is a relatively new and exciting product to arrive on the paving market and is proving popular due… Read more.

Client Brief: create a new level lawn for their children to play on. Problem: how to create a workable garden on… Read more.

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

As I look back on my visit to Chelsea Flower Show this May it is the explosion of colour on… Read more.

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

Like sandstone and limestone, slate is a natural stone which has been used for hundreds of years as a building… Read more.

Natural limestone has been a key building material throughout the ages and used all over the world – even the… 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.

Cotoneasters are generally very easy to grow – and fast growing - evergreen and deciduous shrubs, with white spring flowers,… Read more.

Of the many options available for paving, my personal favourite is Indian Sandstone.   Currently it is by far the most… Read more.

I thought I would just share some details of this plant which was recently brought to my attention by several… Read more.