Category Archives: Garden moods

Colours in the Autumn Garden

Posted on October 11, 2015 by Michael

Colours are the spectacle in my autumn garden. They need sun to glow and when the wind blows the tall ornamental grasses start dancing to its tune. Much of my planting plans are to do with building the picture up to … Continue reading →

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Autumnal Textures over Perennial Colour

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Michael

My trial gardens in Amsterdam have teetered on the edge of chaos this year as a result of moving house. Weeds are under control and wayward growth ruthlessly chopped down, but I long for a clean sweep and the fresh growing … Continue reading →

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Colours Gather Strength in the Perennial Meadows Garden

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Michael

In my previous post I celebrate the colour green; now others are challenging its supremacy. Here and there shrubs now rise above my perennial meadows bringing exciting new forms and contrasts to the looser plant material that surrounds them. Complementary … Continue reading →

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Shades of Green

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Michael

In Perennial Meadows The mild winter and spring in the Netherlands has triggered everything into growth. The overwhelming colour is green even though a lot is actually in flower. Green in its many shades is at the very heart of … Continue reading →

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New English Perennial Borders

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Michael

During my recent short trip to England where I was specifically studying shrubs – see earlier post – I took a look at two “new” (at least to me) large-scale, public, perennial planting schemes. One scheme was clearly designed to impress, … Continue reading →

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Late Summer Colour in the Perennial Meadows’ Garden

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Michael

My trial gardens in Amsterdam seem to have waltzed through the colour wheel this year in spite of the difficulties that weather has throw at them. Spring was too dry, the first half of summer was cold and dry, then … Continue reading →

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Native Plant Gardens in The Netherlands known as Heemparken

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Michael

With the opening of the new Native Plant Garden at the New York Botanical Gardens earlier this month I was inspired to pay a return visit to the heempark in Amstelveen which is recognised as one of Europe’s best. The … Continue reading →

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Inside-out Garden Design

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Michael

Is garden design in a rut created by the way we are taught to approach it? Perhaps it is the result of the scale of modern-day gardens that we think in terms of boundaries and what we can place within … Continue reading →

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The Oudolf Garden – Captivating Chaos

Posted on September 2, 2012 by Michael

September is possibly the most exciting time to view a naturalistic planting scheme and where better than Piet and Anja Oudolf’s private garden in the Netherlands. In the space formerly occupied by the nursery a new office building is surrounded … Continue reading →

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Garden Moods from Planting Design

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Michael

Floriade 2012 – the mid summer review A garden show such as the Floriade which runs all summer gives its designers the opportunity to try out different planting ideas. During my first visit it was tulips that dominated and created … Continue reading →

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