Jason Lock's forum posts
Total number of forum posts: 40
Blue Border
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As a garden designer you are often asked to design on particular planting themes and I have many years ago designer a garden which the brief was to be only blue and white! this had to include everything including the paving.
As its only one border it shouldbe fine there are a wide range of plants which would work and adding spots of purple wouold help to enhance the colour theme. You might also consider adding glaucous foliage into the mix eg Euphorbia wulfenii - although the flowers are yellowy green the foliage for the rest of the year would compliment the scheme.
Plants I would suggest are
Hellebores - blue purple vars such as 'Blue Lady'
Pulmonaria
Iberis 'Snowflake'
Lamium 'White Nancy'
Ajuga
Aubretia
Primulas
Violas
VeronicaIris vars
Dicentra spec. 'Alba;
Geranium
Nepeta
Heuchera Pewter Moon, Palace Purple
Salvia
Hosta
These are just a few suggestions which I hope will help. Attached is a picture of planting scheme we did at Chelsea in 2005 which is a blue border.
Jason Lock MSGD
http://www.deakinlock.co.uk
http://www.landscaper.org.uk
http://www.sgd.org.uk
- Posted: Sat. 21st March 2009 11:46
Colourful perennials
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Designing with plants particularly with perennials opens up a wide pallete of colour for all seasons. I assume that you mean you are looking for a mix or perennials which provide seasonal interest oppoesed to one plant which will give that interest?
Assuming the latter I can offer the following as a few suggestions but there are many more but not enough time!:
January/February
Hellebores
Pulmonaria
March
Hellebores
Primulas
Pulmonaria
Euphorbia
Bergenia
Cordyallis
April
Bergenia
Hellebores
Iberis
lamium
Pulmonaria
Aubretia
Phlox
Veronica
Viola
May
Convillaria
Dicentra
Iris
Polygonatum
Caltha
Epimedium
Euphorbia
Trollius
Aquilegia
June/July
Geraniums
Nepeta
Acanthus
Gaura
July/August
Achillea
Agapanthus
Hemerocalls
Heuchera
September/October
Anemone
Rudbeckia
Sedum
November/December
Hellebores
Jason Lock MSGD
http://www.deakinlock.co.uk
http://www.landscaper.org.uk
http://www.sgd.org.uk
- Posted: Sat. 21st March 2009 11:33
Front garden design
from
Wow - you need a designer!
Garden design advice for this question is very difficult to give as there are so many questions that need to be asked ahead of being able to provide some answers, which would probably take up the whole forum!
Can I suggest that you contact either the Society of Garden Designers through the weblink below and search for a designer in your area or contact myself after the forum and I would be happy to talk through the project with you.
Jason Lock MSGD
http://www.deakinlock.co.uk
http://www.landscaper.org.uk
http://www.sgd.org.uk
- Posted: Sat. 21st March 2009 11:21
Organic or Not
from
As a landscaper and a designer more and more people are looking to go organic and it is actullay becoming easier to garden organically. My design practice is based in a garden centre and they have a raft of prodcuts now for improving soil which are labelled organic such as :
Miracle Gro Organic 'Eco Sense Peat Free'
Levingtons Organic 'Soil conditioner'
Also products like Vitax 'Poultry Pelleted Manure' which is a slow release fertisier applied at 240/300gms/m2 if used as a general conditioner.
It is and will contiune to be a themne which more and more people wish to use particularly with the rapid growth of grow your own so all the big name will be developing Organic products. I suggest you go to your local Garden Centre and you will have a wide selection to choose from.
Jason Lock MSGD
http://www.deakinlock.co.uk
http://www.landscaper.org.uk
http://www.sgd.org.uk
- Posted: Sat. 21st March 2009 11:14
Bare patio
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The design advice I can offer for you bare patio is largely dependant on whether you intend to grow these plants in pots or if they are to be planted. The plant choices can also be a combination of scented/aromatic foliage as well as scented flowers - assuming it might a combiantion of the both |I list a selection of plants that would be fine in pots or planted out.
Aromatic Foliage:
Aloysia triphylla - best grown in the ground against a wall
Choisya Aztec Pearl
Cistus vars
Lavandula vars
Myrtus vars
Pervoskia Blue Spire/Little Spire
Rosmary
Santolina
Helichrysum (smells of curry!)
Scented Flowers:
Abelia
Choisya
Daphne
Lavandula vars
Myrtus
Philadelphus - smaller vars
Rose varieties
Sarcoccoca (good for winter/spring)
Trachelospermum jasminoides (for fence or wall must have sun)
Hope this helps
Jason Lock MSGD
http://www.deakinlock.co.uk
http://www.landscaper.org.uk
http://www.sgd.org.uk
- Posted: Sat. 21st March 2009 11:06
Shady Corner
from
The plant design that I would suggest for your 'dreary corner' would be the following list not all reds and yellows as you suggest but would grown in what you describe as dry shade. Before I get to the list also consider painting the walls a bright colour - may be a warm cream which will take you eye of the drabness of the block work and brick work.
Plants suitable for dry shade would be:
Ajuga
Alchemilla
Aucuba
Berberis vars
Bergenia vars
Brunnera vars
Danae racemosa
Epimediums
Euonymous vars
Hardy Geraniums
Iris foetidissima (seeds poisonous)
Lamium
Lirope
Lonicera vars
Mahonia Vars
Osmanthus x burkwoodii
Pachysandra
Pittosporum
Pulmonaria vars
Ribes in variety
Salvia
Sambucus
Santolina
Vinca
I hope this helps. Although you sent a picture it would be a best for you to perhaps seek the advice of s designer to make the best use of the space. It need not be expensive the best way to get to a qualified designer would be to contact the Society of Garden Designers on the link below www.sgd.org.uk
Jason Lock MSGD
http://www.deakinlock.co.uk
http://www.landscaper.org.uk
http://www.sgd.org.uk
- Posted: Sat. 21st March 2009 10:56
Cleaning Paving
from
There are a number of things to consider when looking at cleaning paving after the winter. Unfortunately there is no easy quick fix for this perennial problem, although it may be made worse by the type and age of the paving also the aspect of the situation. If North or East facing this will always be an issue, if the paving is old and has a very porus or rough surface it will be easier for algae etc to take hold and grow. It will only be kept clean by regular pressurae washng or scrubbing. There are a number of good chemicals and solutions that can be used to aid the process but unfortunmately there is no easy solution.
One option might be to look at chnaging the paving materisals to ones that would be less susceptable - maybe a smoother surface or a shingle surface if practical to do so? A word of cauition though if you go for a smoother surface make sure it will not become a slip hazard!
Hope this helps.
Jason Lock MSGD
http://www.deakinlock.co.uk
http://www.landscaper.org.uk
http://www.sgd.org.uk
- Posted: Sat. 21st March 2009 10:43
Weeds and Block paving
from
In landscaping I have not heard of this - but thats not to say it does not exist. I would be wary of applications like this as as it may affect the permiablity of the blocks when it rains which is now a leagl requirement.
It may be that they are actually applying a residual herbicide which effectively caps of the block paved area, which prevents weeds germonating on the surface but also prevents any weeds coming up form the ground below.
I hope this helps
Jason Lock MSGD
http://www.deakinlock.co.uk
http://www.landscaper.org.uk
http://www.sgd.org.uk
- Posted: Sat. 21st March 2009 10:34
Outdoor Fireplace
from
Hi Nicola, the best garden design/landscaping advice I can offer for this question is set out below.
1. You need to consider if there are any planning restrictions or any potential nuisance issues that you may need to over come.
2. Will it be safe ie not being buit right next to a shed or any other potentially flammable area of the garden.
3. Also consider its aesthetics, although a well designed structure should be designed to look good all year round. How will it look in the dreary days of winter!
4.There are several options some off the shelfbut many bespoke built, as probably the one you show in your picture above. Thet are not difficult to build particularly if concrete block and then rendered.
If you go for a fire bowl check quality of the product - be wary of clay as these can shatter without warning after a period of time which naturally could be dangerous.
Best option would be to contact your local Association of Professional landscaper member at www.landscaper.org.uk
Jason Lock MSGD
http://www.deakinlock.co.uk
http://www.landscaper.org.uk
http://www.sgd.org.uk
- Posted: Sat. 21st March 2009 10:30
Garden Design
from
Contrary to popular belief shingle is actually a good surface and suprisingly wheel chair friendly if laid properly and not like 'Brighton Beach' .A 10-12mm shingle on a well prepared base would give you a good solid surface and one which would associate well with the decking you have and also be rerlatively inexpensive to install. The key though is the preparation, The other added advantage of shingle, of course, is that it allows you to plant through it which gives greater flexibilty for planting and self-sown plants to create a more natural look
- Posted: Tue. 10th March 2009 19:51
