Diary of The Sussex Gardener

Our general goings-on, designing, enhancing and maintaining gardens. 

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The blog has been quiet for some time due to the Christmas break, and before that we were working on a big landscaping project in Ringmer.  

Click to see what we've been up to. It's a good 'un!

Contemporary Planting Scheme in East Grinstead

Hello!  I’m sorry that the blog has gone quiet for a while, but we have been working our socks off clearing, hedge cutting, weeding, pruning, sweeping and generally making our clients’ gardens look nice and tidy for the Winter.  

The same goes for all our grounds maintenance contracts because understandably everyone wants their garden put to bed.  In true 'busman’s holiday' style, ours still needs doing, but I’m hoping to get out there this weekend to bring it back to order.  So although we’ve been busy, we’ve kept quiet because it doesn’t exactly make interesting reading on a weekly basis!

East Grinstead - this was a really rewarding project as the clients asked us to completely transform the beds in their front garden by replacing the traditional planting scheme with one which was contemporary and sculptural - just our style.   

However, we hadn’t anticipated that they were going to want quite so many plants!  They were after an immediate wow factor, and they certainly got it.  By next summer the beds will be full to bursting, complete with the Alliums we planted throughout the scheme.  

It looked gorgeous!

A Garden Tidy Up in Hove

One of our regular clients contacted us because their Father’s garden was looking rather neglected needed a bit of a boost.   The shrubs were either overgrown or dying, and the lawn was patchy at best and overall it had become a burden and worry to him. He asked us to tidy it up and re-turf the lawn so that it was easier for him to maintain. 

Before...

Work well underway before all the rubbish had been taken away.

That’s better! 

The beds cleared, all the rubbish removed, a new retaining wall built for the beds and the lawn cultivated, leveled and put down to turf.   

Our client was looking forward to replanting his beds now that there was some space and light.

This is what our client said: “A huge thank you to Rob for all of the work he has done on Dad's garden this week.  I saw it this morning and couldn't believe the difference.  Dad is absolutely thrilled and really appreciates how hard Rob works and the transformation that has been achieved.”

Well we say hurray to that!  It’s always nice to cheer someone up just by bringing their garden back to life.

Turfing in Tunbridge Wells

We’ve turfed acres of lawns in our time, but not for one job!  Well, it may not have been acres, but our clients asked us to turf their entire garden, and it was a huge garden… on a hill.  We were definitely fitter by the end of the week!  As they say though, “no pain, no gain” and it was a very rewarding job seeing the garden so drastically transformed.  Furthermore, the owners were thrilled with the results, which was brilliant.

Our clients had carried out major renovation work on their house in Tunbridge Wells, and the garden had suffered as a consequence. We cultivated and leveled the ground ready for the turf to go down.

Half way through and thankfully the dry weather held for us, because bringing turf up a slippery, muddy slope would have drastically slowed us up.

The end result and we had created a fantastic space. Had it been our choice we would have added some beds to give the garden focal points and interest, but our clients were delighted with it just as a lawn, and the bottom line is that so long as they are happy, so are we.

This is what the client said:

 “Thanks very much for all your hard work - the results are spectacular and we will enjoy them for many years to come.”

Taming Trees in Crowborough

We had built a raised bed for these clients last year, and this year they asked us back to pollard their trees.

This is the raised bed just after we had finished it…

… and one year on, and the bed had matured and was looking great..

But back to the job in hand.  This year they wanted us to remove the 2 trees in their lawn and cut back those along their boundary.   

The trees not only overshadowed the lawn and house, but if they had grown much bigger their roots might have damaged the house’s foundations.

Before.

We used a stump grinder to dig out the tree roots before filling in the holes with topsoil and sowing grass seed.  Once this germinates, there will a lovely level lawn.

The finished result does look rather extreme, but the trees will now remain the same size and by next spring, will shoot more branches and leaves, providing an attractive leafy border again.  More light will reach the bed below so it can be planted up.

What have we been up to?

We took a break during the summer hence no blog for a few weeks, but we are now back in the swing of things and as busy as ever.  This is the perfect time of year for hedge cutting and a lot of our clients ask us back every year to come and cut theirs.  Many of them also want us to give their garden a tidy up and put it to bed for the winter, and September and October are ideal months for this.   

Autumn is also a good time for making new lawns, as the soil is still warm.  Once we get into winter, it can be too wet and / or icy, and during the summer there is the risk of the ground becoming too dry - not something we’ve had to worry about this summer mind you!

If you are considering landscaping your garden, now is a good time to start the ball rolling.  Whether it’s a deck, a raised bed, a fence or a full blown garden transformation, autumn and winter are good times to do it.  There is always a certain amount of disruption, and during the winter you can shut it out while we get on with the work (hot mugs of tea very welcome!), and come the Spring your garden is ready for you to enjoy.

Anyway, that’s enough catching up.  On with the blog..!

Decking and Tidy up in Uckfield

We had cleared the back garden for these clients some weeks ago, and they were so happy with the results that they asked us back to give the front garden a makeover too.   

It was very overgrown, so we cut the hedges, and pruned and shaped the shrubs and trees. We also replaced their deck which was starting to rot.

Before…

…and after, complete with new deck, and lots more light entering the house.

Garden Clearance in Uckfield

Summer is always a busy time for us. Not only do we continue to carry out one off garden projects for people, the grounds we maintain require loads of attention as the grass (and sadly the weeds) start to grow at a terrific rate.    

Lots of clients also want their hedges cut, or tree work done as this is the ideal time of year.  

Never happier than when busy, Rob recently had a great job in a garden in Uckfield, breathing new life into it.

It was a straight forward clearance and renovation, cutting back a huge Laurel tree, removing overgrown shrubs and laying a new turf lawn.

Timber!  Rob in action cutting back the laurel tree overhanging the summer house.

That’s better!  Space, light, a new lawn and a very nice summer house to boot.

This is what the client said 

"We just wanted to thank you again for the fantastic job you've done on the back garden. We're delighted. Can't stop looking at it! It's huge!! Our son's going to love it."

Garden Revamp in Broad Oak

I think the owner would agree, this was a rather neglected and tired garden, and so she asked us to give it a good tidy up and update.

We cleared through this very overgrown bed that ran the entire length of the garden and replaced it with raised vegetable beds and a deck in the far corner so that there was somewhere to sit and enjoy the evening sun.  We saved some of the plants and replanted these in the side bed.

Before…

After…

The Sussex Gardener works their magic again!  It’s the same patio, but we power washed it, replaced loose slabs, and re-pointed it to make a much improved version.  The difference is amazing, and it cost a quarter of the price of laying a new patio.   Happy days!

Rear garden side bed

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Front garden before

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Front garden after

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We also cleared up the bed running along the other side of the garden, as well as getting rid of the jungle in their front garden.  This Rhododendron bush was completely blocking light from the downstairs rooms. Cutting it right back not only filled these rooms with light, it gave our clients a much bigger drive.  

Glorious Summer Bed Near Uckfield

The photo doesn’t really do it full justice, but we just thought we’d show you one of the beds in our garden. 

It was at its summer best, full of Lupins, Foxgloves, Stocks, Periwinkle and white poppies (unfortunately couldn’t fit them in to the pic).    

The great thing about this bed is that it also looks good in the winter.  It may not be so full then, but it still has structure and colour from the red Cornus stems and burgundy Heuchera Micrantha leaves.

Planting Scheme in Eastbourne

This is what the client said.

“This is the first time we have used The Sussex Gardener but it certainly won't be the last. From start to finish we have been very impressed by their service and professionalism. They started and finished on time, did an excellent job and supplied top quality shrubs. At no time did we have to chase them or phone them twice which is very refreshing in this day and age.”

Simon Zenders Lions Estates LLP

Before…

… and after

This was a fairly straight forward but very enjoyable job at a small development in Eastbourne.  The client asked us to come up with a planting scheme to help soften the new brickwork and make the houses look more welcoming (aka more saleable).

This is the view of the front drive of the development.  Despite using loads of shrubs and trees, it still looks a bit bare, but it will fill out nicely within a few weeks.

We used hardy plants that don’t require too much attention and ones that will survive dry conditions.  We also put down bark mulch to cover the soil as this prevents weeds and retains water.

Before...

… and after

It was shadier at the back and so we used a selection of plants that thrive in these conditions.  We also planted a couple of evergreen Clematis which will grow quickly to cover the wall and more importantly, the graffiti.

Landscaping at Sussex Wharf in Shoreham

We maintain the grounds for a number of developments throughout Sussex and Kent.

One such maintenance contract is at Sussex Wharf in Shoreham, and the garden committee there asked us to create a focal point in this lawn in their communal grounds.  They had a fairly limited budget and so we suggested making 4 new beds containing architectural plants.  After a couple of site meetings, we agreed upon the budget and scheme.

The beds were drawn out and the grass was removed before the ground was dug over in preparation for the plants.   These were chosen for their hardiness and for their ability to withstand a coastal climate, as well as to provide structure.

Once they were bedded in, we covered the soil with bark mulch to help it retain water and also to deter weeds.

The scheme, though simple, is very effective and will fill out nicely with time.  

Rather a long time has passed since our last blog, and there’s much to catch up on.

Laying a turf lawn in a small garden in Burgess Hill

Well, a good sized garden really, but just not as big as the last one near Uckfield.   The client wanted us to lay a lawn and leave him with a blank canvas to work with.

Recent building work had left the garden bare and the earth very compacted and so the preparation took some time.  First we cultivated the ground to aerate and soften the soil before leveling it and covering it with a top dressing to help the turf to take.

The beauty of turf is that you get such brilliant results very quickly, and this was no exception.  It took just under a day to lay the turf.

In case you were worried, aliens aren’t trying to abduct the shed at the end of the garden.  It’s just over exposed because it’s in full sunlight.

Nice and stripy!   Doesn’t it just make you want to get the sun lounger out?

And the shed’s still there too.  Phew!

Lessons learned -  We may be excellent gardeners but photography isn’t our strong point!

Coming soon: Our most recent landscaping project in a garden in Hassocks, making beds at a development in Shoreham, and making a table for the garden.

For the last couple of weeks we have been mostly landscaping a garden in Hassocks, but we were also partly…

…Laying a turf lawn near Uckfield

The owner had cleared out a bed leaving a large expanse of bare earth, and he asked us to blend it in with the lawn. For immediate results, we recommended turfing the area.

Notice how grey and misty it was before we started work.

We cultivated and leveled the area before adding a top dressing to completely smooth out any bumps.

You see, not so grey now!

If you look closely, you may just be able to spot a mug in the picture too.  

That’s because our lovely client made sure there was always a cup of tea on the go, and so we are awarding him this month’s coveted Prize for Outstanding Tea Making!  

(In case you’re wondering, we don’t stop for tea breaks; we drink it while we work.)

That’s better!  We laid “Royal” turf, because it is hard wearing and good quality, and the instant result is very pleasing.

We put down a compost and grass seed mix around the newly laid turf to blend it in with the existing grass.   It doesn’t look great now, but in a few weeks the seed will have grown and covered the earth.

In addition the client asked us clear the bed on the left of this photo, after which we covered the soil with mulch to help it retain moisture. We also installed edging to stop the mulch getting on the lawn too.

The job took a total of 2 ½ days.

14th March 2011

Raised Vegetable Beds in Newick

The client asked us to make 4 raised beds surrounded by paths for accessibility.

The first job was to hard prune the fruit trees around the raised beds as they had become very large and overshadowed the area.

After clearing the area, the ground was cultivated and the framework for the beds set up.

In this case, we used 2 x 8 timber to make a solid frame and to edge the path.  However we have also made raised beds using new sleepers which look great and add character.

We filled the beds with top soil ready for planting, and made the paths surrounding them using pea beach as this helps to deter slugs!

The job took 3 days in total, and has transformed a dreary, unused area of the garden into a light, attractive, and hopefully, productive one.

Taking out a hedge and fencing in Haywards Heath, West Sussex.

We were working for  a long-standing client this week.  It’s always a pleasure to work for her, not only because she’s so enthusiastic, but also for the superb cake and quantities of tea she provides!

The Lleylandii hedge at the back of her workshop was very overgrown and diseased, and she wanted it taken out and  replaced by a new close panelled fence.  We used  concrete posts and base boards because they are more economical  in the long run as they last much longer than cheaper fence alternatives.

Although it opened up the area, it was still very shaded and so we planted it up with Laurel shrubs and a stunning Eucalyptus which added structural  interest.

We’re very pleased to say that the client is  delighted with the results and has talked about the project in her blog which you can find on

http://diaryofanextraevilstepmother.blogspot.com/

We hope you enjoy the photos.

A Decked Patio in Ringmer

Our clients had recently converted an outbuilding in their garden into a holiday cottage, and they wanted to landscape the area surrounding it for their guests.

They really liked our idea of building a deck at the back of the cottage.  It clearly defined the area for their guestís use, and it provided a lovely outdoor space for their guests to use during our beautiful hot Summer days!  Well, they possibly didn't mention the summer days bit, but they did give us the go ahead, so we set to work.

We felt that a hedge was essential for privacy, and we used Photinia  because as well as looking great, it  grows quickly to provide a screen.

We created a parking area very economically by compacting Type 1 sub-base on top of a weed deterrent membrane. This base was then covered with pea beach, and an edging board prevents this from getting on the lawn.

The entire project took a total of 6 days, and our clients were very pleased with their new deck and parking area.

Garden tidy up near Uckfield

It's a good time to tidy up the beds and generally clear your garden ready for Spring.

We cleared out the beds in this garden near Uckfield  in January.

Last yearís herbaceous growth had died off  and so we cut it back and took out any annuals.

We also put down bark mulch to nourish the soil, retain moisture and keep down the weeds. This  bed is now ready  to be planted up and will look fantastic again this summer.

The final photo shows the plants at their peak last summer.

These clients are enthusiastic gardeners and like to create their own design.  

However, we are able to advise people on their personalised planting scheme.

Call us on 01825 830 831 or email us here