A recent blog “Twelve years in the making” discussed my perpetually changing garden.

Believe me this is no arduous chore , it truly is a great annual opportunity to try out new design and planting ideas. As soon as it is a little warmer the raised beds will be dismantled, repositioned,replanted and the containers will be fitted into their new spaces.

This is my 2021 sketch plan. The modular raised beds( a metre square and 45 cm in depth) will be planted with ornamental grasses, tall sturdy perennials and annuals which looked so good in the seed catalogues that I just had to buy them to try them.

Containerised trees and shrubs will be placed between each raised bed to provide structure and spatial definition for the garden, plus shelter and food for the visiting and resident garden wildlife.

As spring sets in, seeds from previous years hardy annuals will hopefully have fallen and germinated between the cracks in the brick pathways. I am looking forward to watching the seedlings grow and eventually flower to cover the not quite so aesthetic modular white plastic raised beds. I might get round to painting them this year – maybe jet black ? Having said this, they are fantastic in their function, enabling me to make gorgeous flower borders over the last twelve years on what is essentially a 150m2 brick yard.

  • Trees in containers and raised beds getting ready to be moved (9.02.2021)

I know there will be design and planting alterations along the way , so why not follow my blog on to watch my garden, cut flower and vegetable beds change and grow.

Planting plan

There is no actual planting plan as of yet, however I have started to take a good look at all my existing perennials, shrubs and trees. Some will stay and some may well end up as donations to customers and friends.

Below, is a selection of plants that will definitely be staying put , and they come from the exceptional Wildegoose Nursery here in Shropshire. You really should check out their website. Their range of perennials and ornamental grasses and Violas is exceptional. ( http://www.wildegoosenursery.co.uk.) and I am fortunate in that I volunteer at Wildegoose.

Other plants that will definitely stay include Rudbeckia herbstonne – a super tall late summer/autumnal perennial. The stems are still waiting to be cut down, as the visiting birds love the seeds.

Anemanthele lessoniana, and Salvia Black and Blue , will also be staying ( images below) . The Salvia is not hardy, and is presently under fleece in the greenhouse. The blue flower against the foliage of the Anemanthele was really striking last year, and is on my 2021 cuttings list.

A couple of weeks ago, when it was quite mild, I filled several containers with self sown seedlings of the Amenanthele, I would quite like to see this ornamental grass, running through the entire garden.

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If you haven’t done so already I would recommend ordering your flower and veg seeds now, to ensure your chosen stock has not sold out.

Below, are just a few of my 2021 flower seeds. The majority are annuals , and will eventually be planted out amongst the ornamental grasses. I cannot wait to see how it all turns out.

Amaranthus was a major element of my garden last year. From a seed, the size of a grain of sand, the most monumental plants and amazing flower stems grew ! and I really want to try out a few more cultivars this year.

  • Last
  • years
  • Amaranthus

Please note – none of my seeds will be sown for at least another month. The green house is unheated, it is just too cold, light levels are too low, and it would be pointless. Going back through my sowing book from 2017 this is what I found. It will be late March before any seed packets are opened in my greenhouse.

There are a fair amount of young plants in the greenhouse , which were sown in mid August, once they get growing again, that will also be my signal to start sowing my annuals.

Practical garden work is pretty limited at the moment, I would love to be outside – it is just way too cold ! In reality I am inside keeping warm, but in my imagination it is summer, I am sitting around the garden table in the dappled shade, watching the ornamental grasses and perennials moving in the breeze, totally immersed within the dynamic space I grew.

And finally – I do like an analogy – so at this stage my garden is a little like the start of a jigsaw, where hopefully all the pieces are there , and I am aiming to fit them all together to create that perfect image.