Archive for August, 2007
Element Garden – using the Earth element
August 31st, 2007As I said a few weeks ago, I went to see a friend who has a gorgeous Air element garden, on his roof terrace, and it reminded me that there are three (or four) other elements, depending on whether you follow Western or Eastern cosmology. The same designer who built my friend’s air garden also […]
Garden style news …
August 24th, 2007The UK’s largest flower tapestry has been created for a spectacular display in The Abbey Gardens, Bury St Edmunds. It measures 750 metres and uses an incredible 350,000 begonia flower heads. Volunteers from the Lions Club of Stowmarket and District hope the Old MacDonald themed display will raise thousands of pounds for charity. The flowers […]
Famous garden stylists – urban chic maverick Diarmuid Gavin
August 21st, 2007Diarmuid Gavin’s designs are something you love or hate, but either way, he’s taught people to think differently about their green spaces.
He had a traditional background, studying at the College of Amenity Horticulture in Glasnevin, Dublin. His work has earned him several awards, including the RDS Gold Award in 1991 and 1993, and a […]
Garden Glass – Urban Chic
August 19th, 2007I was reminded yesterday of one of the garden fads that has passed on – sadly, I think, because the gardens that were created during its time were truly imaginative and stylish. It was the elemental garden – Air, Fire and Water being the elements used (earth being a bit of a given, in the […]
Hacienda style plants
August 15th, 2007For your hacienda garden, once you’ve got the hard features like walls and furniture sorted out, there are any number of plants you can aim for. Absolutely classic hacienda style plants include bougainvillaea, jasmine, agapanthus, hydrangeas, begonias, poppies, geraniums, dahlias, primroses, orchids, and magnolia trees. To be authentically Mexican, you’ve got to have some […]
Mandala paths without sky high prices
August 11th, 2007Remember that wonderful urban chic path I showed you, of York stone incised into grass, for meditative walking or just impressing the hell out of your friends? Amazing style, but very expensive. Yesterday I was reminded that at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, a much cheaper and equally stylish version of the mandala path (that’s […]
Hacienda style …
August 10th, 2007This, despite the upsurge in ranch style housing across the home counties, is one of the most difficult garden design styles to pull off successfully in the UK – simply because of our lighting. The hacienda style demands a certain level of saturated light – an absolute drenching of strong sunlight to make deep shadow […]
Urban chic - the creators
August 5th, 2007So who are the people who create modern styles – who ‘invented’ urban chic? “From the beginning of my design life, my ambition has been to offer intelligently designed products to as large an audience as possible at a price they can afford.” Terence Conran, the found of Habitat, the creator of the British version […]
Urban Chic - the principles
August 2nd, 2007Urban chic is slimmed down, sleek and contemporary. It’s ideal for small town gardens, roof gardens, terraces and even small balconies, because the design principles it uses make the best of the tiniest spaces. To design an urban chic garden, begin by listing what you want to DO in it. Lounge around, drink wine, eat […]
