Category Archives: Practical gardening

Spring into action

Posted on April 21, 2018 by Michael

My last post showed the garden three weeks ago just after I had knocked down all the perennials with the question “would you want your garden looking like that?”. Well, as promised, the perennials have reappeared rapidly to cover the … Continue reading →

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Would you want this in your garden?

Posted on March 27, 2018 by Michael

Not everyone would want their garden looking like mine does at this moment. However, what I see is a clean slate; the garden’s perennials have all been broken into small pieces and dropped on the ground where they will rot … Continue reading →

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Dutch Garden Wave Tidy Up

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Michael

  The naturalistic style of planting popularised over the past twenty years by Dutch garden designers, including myself, places great importance upon perennials that look good throughout the winter by retaining their form either as dead skeletons or by way of … Continue reading →

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Looking at Garden Planting Design Mistakes

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Michael

As a keen gardener I am always making mistakes and learning from them, but invariably gardening books only tell us the correct way to do things and only show perfectly composed photographs of gardens to which we must aspire. Looking at … Continue reading →

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Managing Soils

Posted on September 7, 2014 by Michael

Healthy soil is the foundation of any perennial meadow planting I have already written about my decision to mulch newly planted perennial meadows following initial planting in order to suppress weeds. Time and again I am amazed just how much … Continue reading →

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Managing Garden Soils

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Michael

Soil Management for Perennial Meadow Planting Schemes Americans mulch and Europeans don’t and arguments rage between those that do and those that don’t. Like many generalisations there are more exceptions than truths, but apparently an over reliance on bark mulches … Continue reading →

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Perennials Prevent Weeds

Posted on August 30, 2014 by Michael

Late Summer Sensations In the Perennial Meadow Garden Although I have had to neglect my trial gardens on the edge of Amsterdam this year following a decision to move house and all that involved, it is surprising just how well … Continue reading →

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Maintaining Perennial Meadow Plantings

Posted on August 28, 2014 by Michael

My trial gardens on the edge of the city of Amsterdam have taken a back seat in my life this year following the decision to move house. After months of viewing properties, packing and unpacking boxes of possessions and endless trips … Continue reading →

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Start of the late winter tidy-up – Cold Season Grasses

Posted on January 5, 2013 by Michael

This is a timely reminder to cut back cold season grasses in late winter just before they start in to new growth. Normally, I would do this in February in Amsterdam, but this winter it is ridiculously mild here and … Continue reading →

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Greenhouse Vegetables

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Michael

I dreamed of my own greenhouse long before I had it and in the beginning I grew lots of annuals in spring, failed to grow tomatoes in the summer and stored pot plants there in the winter. It was a … Continue reading →

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