At Paramount Plants we understand exactly what it takes to get plants to you in perfect condition. We’ve been supplying mature plants, specimen trees, and premium shrubs for decades.

Over the last decade, online shopping has expanded — and so have we. Paramount Plants runs a successful large online nursery (alongside our North London Plant Centre) through our specialist website, www.paramountplants.co.uk.  Online buying is now the preferred choice for most of our customers, who can browse our website on any device and order mature trees and shrubs with ease.

If you are considering buying plants online, then read on. In this guide, we’ll answer some of the most common questions about buying plants online — including the concerns people may have but don’t always feel comfortable asking.

 Is it really safe to buy large plants online? 🪴🌴

Yes — when you buy from a reputable, professional online nursery such as Paramount Plants, you’re fully protected by UK consumer law.

Is my online payment secure when buying plants online ?  💳💳

Shop with confidence — all payments are 100% secure.  When you order from https://www.paramountplants.co.uk/ you can be sure your payment is processed safely. Our checkout uses trusted, encrypted systems to protect your details at every step — giving you complete peace of mind when shopping online.

Our product listings clearly state plant sizes, pot sizes, and varieties:

Photos show the actual quality you can expect:

If a plant arrives not as described, you are entitled to a replacement or refund.

Our website www.paramountplants.co.uk is a fully live platform with current stock levels and pricing.

If you see a tree or shrub listed, it reflects our real-time availability from our nursery and trusted growers. Unlike many garden centres with seasonal or limited stock, our online store gives you access to a very wide, evolving range — with new plants added and updated daily.

Paramount Plants is APHA Authorised

Paramount Plants is also officially authorised by the UK Government’s Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) to issue UK Plant Passports where required by law. This ensures every plant we sell is traceable, pest-free, disease-free, and fully compliant with UK plant health regulations.

Why can’t I just pick my tree in person? 🌳🌳

You absolutely can — our North London plant centre is open for visits, with knowledgeable staff on hand to help.  But here’s the reality: our online range covers the equivalent of thousands of acres of premium stock from our own growing fields and our trusted growers. By contrast, our plant centre holds only a selection of stock from the online range.

Prefer to collect instead of delivery? 

No Problem – Simply add your plants to your basket, enter your name and address and email at our checkout, and you’ll see the drop down option for collection from EN2 9BH appear.

In short: shopping online with us gives you far greater choice, year-round availability, and access to sizes and varieties you wouldn’t find anywhere else — and certainly not in any single garden centre across the UK.

Buying Plants Online Without Seeing Them First ? 👀👀

We make buying plants sight-unseen stress-free:
– Every listing includes clear photos, exact sizes, and full descriptions
– Our expert team hand-selects each plant before dispatch, ensuring it matches what you ordered
– With full UK consumer rights, you’re covered for refunds or replacements if anything isn’t as described.

Is delivering large plants really that complicated? 🚚🚚

Yes — and we make it look easy because we’ve been perfecting it for years.

Large plants are living products that require care at every stage. We quality check every order before dispatch.   Our team packs plants securely so they arrive healthy and ready to plant

If your plant is particularly large and heavy (typically over 200kg and over 4m in height), you’ll see an Extra Heavy Item – Machinery Required notice in red on the product listing. This gives you time to plan for access, positioning, and any lifting equipment needed when it arrives. Our team are always happy to advise and discuss difficult-to-move trees.

How many staff does it take to run an online plant nursery? 🧑‍🌾👨‍🌾

Online is extremely staff-intensive compared to garden centres.  Behind the scenes, we have over 20 full-time staff working tirelessly on:
– Sales & customer service (by phone & email)
– Stock management & quality control
– Order processing & expert plant selection
– Packing & preparation for delivery

We also have a large delivery team, multiple trucks, experienced drivers, and trusted specialist couriers.
During peak seasons, we need considerably more staff than a typical garden centre requires.

 How do I know my plants will survive delivery? 🌿🪴

We’ve spent decades refining our packing and transport process. Plants are:
– Checked & watered before loading
– Securely packed to prevent damage in transit — using minimal or recyclable packing materials
– Delivered via our own team or trusted specialist horticultural pallet or box couriers (not cheap postal services)

If anything does arrive damaged, we replace or refund quickly just email immediately to our customer services for help.

Expert Plant Advice In-Store and Online

One of the biggest misconceptions about buying plants online is that you miss out on expert advice, as if it’s only available in garden centres.

At Paramount Plants & Gardens, horticultural expertise is central to everything we do — whether you visit in person or shop from home.

Online buyers get the same level of custom support via phone or email.  Our friendly Sales Team take the time to understand your needs, answer questions, and guide you through planting and care — so you get professional, personalised advice wherever you are in the UK.

Trust, Experience & Transparency 🤝

The best online plant retailers are those with years of horticultural experience, strong trusted supply chain relationships, and a proven track record of customer satisfaction.  At Paramount Plants & Gardens, we’ve built exactly that over 25+ years.

We are a highly rated UK-based online nursery, specialising in screening trees & pleached trees, ornamental specimen shrubs, multi-stemmed flowering trees, cloud trees, evergreen hedging, tree ferns — and so much more

Customers consistently give 5 star reviews which praise the exceptional health and quality of our plants — from pleached laurels to large evergreen shrubs — which arrive well-packaged, carefully selected, and ready to thrive in gardens across the UK.

Our knowledgeable, approachable staff are frequently praised by name in independent reviews, while our delivery service is recognised as professional, courteous, and reliable. And if issues arise, we resolve them quickly, fairly, and transparently.

With consistently high ratings and reviews Paramount Plants is trusted by homeowners, landscapers, and garden designers who want to buy premium trees and shrubs online with complete confidence.

Why choose Paramount Plants? 🌞

– Mature plant specialists – over 25 years’ experience
– Nationwide UK mainland delivery – from Scotland to Cornwall and beyond
– 1000+ acres of stock availability from our own growing sites & trusted UK and European growers
– APHA certified – UK Plant Passport authorised
– Exceptional customer service – real people, real advice
– Transparent pricing & descriptions – what you see is what you get

The Bottom Line

Buying large trees and shrubs online is safe, convenient, and gives you more choice than in-store shopping — as long as you buy from a reputable nursery.

At Paramount Plants & Gardens, we combine decades of horticultural expertise with a highly efficient online service to ensure your plants arrive healthy, as described, and ready to thrive — with the same expert, personal advice you’d expect if buying in person.

 👉👉 Visit our plant centre in North London EN2 9BH 👍

👉👉 Browse & order online: www.paramountplants.co.uk 👍

 Nationwide Delivery | Mature Plant Specialists | Expert Advice | Plant Health Guaranteed 👍

The post Buying Plants Online – Myths versus Reality appeared first on Paramount Plants.

Pleached Trees: Creating a Safe and Beautiful Garden for Children and Pets
Designing a garden that’s safe for children and pets doesn’t mean sacrificing style. Pleached trees are an elegant and sophisticated choice, adding privacy, structure, and year-round charm to your outdoor space.

In this guide, we’ll explore options for child friendly pleached trees (as well as pet friendly trees), categorized into evergreen and deciduous varieties, to help you create the perfect family & dog-friendly garden.

There are many options for child friendly pleached trees that won’t harm the family pet either

Why Choose Pleached Trees for a Family Garden?

Pleached trees are both practical and stylish, offering numerous benefits for child friendly gardens and outdoor spaces:

• Space Efficiency: The vertical structure of pleached trees maximizes lateral space, leaving plenty of room for activities like ball games, paddling pools, swings, sandpits, and areas for pets to play and explore.
• Privacy: These trees act as a natural, living screen without taking up much ground space, providing a secluded feel.
• Shade: They create cool, shaded spots where children and pets can play comfortably and safely, even on sunny days.
  Year-Round Beauty: Evergreen pleached trees ensure lush greenery throughout the year, while deciduous options add vibrant seasonal colour and interest.

Important Considerations for Family Gardens

Popular pleached tree varieties, such as Cherry Laurel pleached, Portuguese Laurel pleached, and Ligustrum pleached, are favoured for their dense foliage and versatility. However, it’s important to note that these trees can pose a slight risk if their leaves or berries are ingested in large quantities.

While incidents are rare, especially in well-maintained gardens, families with curious children or pets may want to opt for non-toxic alternatives for extra peace of mind. Always ensure your garden is properly maintained and supervise children and pets around plants when necessary.

Explore Our Recommendations

Read on to discover our top picks for child and pet friendly pleached trees, both evergreen and deciduous. With the right selection, you can create a safe, stylish, and functional garden the whole family will enjoy.

Magnolia Grandiflora – child friendly pleached trees

Evergreen Options

Magnolia Grandiflora (Evergreen Magnolia) – Pleached

This stunning evergreen features glossy, robust leaves and fragrant flowers, making it a safe and elegant choice for family gardens. Its year-round greenery provides excellent privacy, while its non-toxic nature ensures it’s ideal for children and pets.

Quercus Ilex (Holm Oak) – Pleached

The Holm Oak is a hardy, long-lived evergreen with dense, silvery-green foliage. It thrives in various conditions, making it perfect for busy families. Its non-toxic leaves are an ideal addition to child friendly gardens and won’t harm your pets, while its thick canopy offers natural shade for outdoor play areas.

Laurus Nobilis (Bay Tree) – Pleached

Another of our child friendly pleached trees and a timeless classic, the Bay Tree combines functionality and beauty. Its aromatic leaves are entirely safe for children and pets, and its structured growth works wonderfully in pleached forms to enhance privacy.

Pleached Bay – ideal Pet Friendly Trees for Family Gardens

Elaeagnus × Ebbingei (Oleaster) – Pleached

This hardy evergreen pet friendly pleached tree is a fantastic choice for family gardens. With its silvery foliage and fragrant flowers, it’s non-toxic, easy to maintain, and adaptable to various soil types, making it a hassle-free option for safe and beautiful outdoor spaces.

Photinia × Fraseri ‘Red Robin’ – Pleached

Famed for its vibrant red foliage in spring and summer, Photinia adds colour and vibrancy to family gardens.
Caution: It may produce small berries, which, while low in toxicity, could cause mild stomach upset if ingested in large quantities. Regular pruning can prevent berry formation, making it a safe and stylish option.

Deciduous Options

Carpinus Betulus (Hornbeam) – Pleached

Hornbeam is an excellent family-friendly choice due to its completely non-toxic nature. Its dense green leaves provide privacy and shade, while its autumn transformation into golden hues adds seasonal charm. Hardy and adaptable, it thrives in various soil conditions, making it both practical and beautiful.

Popular and Non toxic – Pleached Hornbeam Trees

Acer Campestre (Field Maple) – Pleached

The Field Maple is a stunning native tree with non-toxic leaves, ensuring safety for curious children and pets. Its bright green foliage turns vivid yellow in autumn, offering striking seasonal color. Hardy and low-maintenance, it’s ideal for family gardens.

Tilia Cordata (Small-Leaved Lime)

This graceful tree features heart-shaped leaves and fragrant summer flowers that are completely non-toxic. A favorite among pollinators, the Small-Leaved Lime supports biodiversity while serving as a safe and attractive addition to your child friendly garden.

Timeless and Elegant – Pleached Lime Trees for child friendly gardens

Betula Pendula (Silver Birch)

The Silver Birch brings elegance and safety to family gardens. Its light, airy foliage and distinctive white bark create a soft, natural aesthetic. Non-toxic and low-maintenance, it’s perfect for busy households looking for a safe and beautiful tree to add to child friendly gardens.

Ensuring Safety in Your Garden

With proper care, many trees — whether slightly toxic or completely non-toxic—can be safely included in family friendly gardens. Follow these tips to maintain a safe outdoor space:

1. Prune Regularly: Prevent berry production in species like Photinia, Ligustrum, or Cherry Laurel through consistent pruning.
2. Clear Fallen Leaves and Berries: Regularly clean up any plant debris to reduce the risk of accidental ingestion.
3. Supervise Children and Pets: Teach children not to eat plant material and monitor pets during outdoor play. Always address fallen berries and leaves promptly to avoid choking hazards.

Create a Safe and Beautiful Garden with Paramount Plants & Gardens

With careful planning and thoughtful plant choices, you can design a garden that’s safe, stylish, and perfect for your family’s needs. Visit us to explore our wide range of child and pet friendly trees and plants today!

We pride ourselves on offering a wide range of pleached trees to suit all garden needs. Whether you choose one of our best-sellers or opt for a non-toxic alternative, our expert team is here to help you create a garden that is as safe as it is stunning.

Contact us today for advice, or visit our nursery to explore our collection of pleached trees perfect for family-friendly spaces.

The post Are Pleached Trees Safe for Children and Pets? appeared first on Paramount Plants.

Captivating Japanese Garden at Abbotsbury

Wealthy Plant Hunters Enter Japan
In the mid to the end of the 19^th century, aristocratic Brits were turning away from rigid formal gardens and embracing a new form of naturalistic planting. It was around this time, in 1854, that Japan opened its borders to the West after two hundred years of self-imposed exile.

Plant hunters and collectors and wealthy enthusiasts rushed to see the new and exciting plants on offer. John Gould Veitch shipped Japanese plants and trees to the UK in 1860 for his nursery in Kingston Upon Thames in Surrey and Leopold de Rothschild created a Japanese-inspired garden at Gunnersbury Park in London which you can visit today. Rothschild was inspired by a Japanese garden near Lake Como in the 1880s, but this kind of travel was beyond the reach of most.

The majority of landowners were introduced to the Japanese style by Josiah Conder, a British architect who had worked for the Japanese government. He wrote a book in 1893 describing the aesthetics of Japanese gardening ‘Landscape Gardening In Japan’ which was met with a rush of enthusiasm in the monied classes. For the most part, it was confined to large private gardens and parks, but that was to change when the British-Japanese exhibition was staged in Shepherd’s Bush.

Pin cushion moss and Japanese Acers

The 1910 British-Japanese Exhibition
The British Japanese Exhibition ran from 14^th May to 29^th October 1910 in the White City Exhibition Space. It was a well-received sensation attracting 8 million people from across the UK and was one of the last large-scale exhibitions before two world wars made them too expensive and extravagant.

The exhibition’s aim was to showcase Japan as a modern ally. Relations were good at the time as a result of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance and the Japanese emperor Taishō was keenly interested in the exhibition and the impression it gave of his new, modern Japan. This meant only the finest artifacts, plants, and landscape gardens were displayed.

The exhibition inspired not only the wealthy to create extravagant Japanese gardens such as Alan de Tatton Egerton who invited Japanese gardeners to build an authentic garden at Tatton Park, but suburban homeowners who for the first time were able to see Japanese styles with their own eyes.

The exhibition covered everything from art, culture, engineering, health, and fashion including sumo wrestlers that scandalised Edwardians with their near-nudity, but it was the gardens that attracted the attention of plant lovers. The Garden of Peace and the Garden of Floating Islands stretched over 11 acres and were filled with Japanese plants, stones, water, and buildings.

The gardens were created from nothing by Mr. H. Izawa, a celebrated Japanese landscape artist, and their contents were imported directly from Japan. This included trees and shrubs such as Japanese maples, thuja obtuse, and azaleas, bridges, traditional wooden buildings, standing stones, raked sand and gravel, pools with cascading waterfalls, and all the workmen needed to create a little Japan in Britain. There were several teahouses scattered amongst the landscaped gardens too, so the whole experience was immersive and the crowds loved it.

A highlight was the ‘pygmy’ trees that we now know as bonsai. There were 2000 pygmy trees on display by the Yokohama Nursery Company aging from 25 to 300 years old. The British public imagination ran wild faced with such long-lived plants (as it does today).

The Gardeners Chronicle, an authority on British gardening at the time, wrote many articles on the exhibition indicating the public found not only the garden plants interesting but the architecture too.

‘The hog-backed bridge is a characteristic feature in Japanese scenery…with many pagodas, stone bridges, and quaint arches.

They ran advice articles from Japanese exhibitors on how to keep Japanese plants healthy and satisfy the interest of their readers, but they weren’t altogether praising:

‘Many of the plants were imported from Japan and many suffered the effects of drought…Another fault is the employment of too many common shrubs like privet and aucuba’.

It just goes to show you can’t please everyone!

Japanese Water Feature Artisan Garden

What Happened After The Exhibition?

The exhibition was packed up and taken back to Japan and little remains today. Many artifacts displayed are in British museums, but the main buildings in Shepherd’s Bush were demolished and replaced by a housing estate in the 1930s.

However, it’s not all bad news. You can find a small area of the exhibition in the Hammersmith Park Japanese Garden which is part of the Garden of Peace. It’s the oldest public Japanese garden in the UK. In 2010 Hammersmith and Fulham Council restored the garden with the help of Japanese landscape architects Yoshihiko Uchida and Satoru Izawa. It’s been reinvigorated with ferns, rhododendrons & azaleas, and a meandering stone pathway for contemplation.

Kew houses one of the last remaining replicas of the exhibition – the carved wooden Chokushi-Mon or Gateway of the Imperial Messenger in its Japanese landscape garden. It’s a 4/5 replica of the Karamon of Nishi Hongan-ji in Kyoto, and displays carved panels demonstrating an ancient Chinese legend about the love of learning. Kew also inherited the comet fish that were another new sight to the British public that caught hold of our imaginations – think about all the koi carp ponds across the nation!

If you’re in London, one of the most popular Japanese gardens open to the public are the Kyoto gardens in Holland Park. The park is situated around the remains of Holland House which was built in 1605 but destroyed during the Blitz. Kyoto Gardens were a gift from Kyoto City as a way of commemorating the friendship between Japan and Britain and were opened in 1992. Walking through these beautiful gardens is a serene and quiet experience if you visit early or into the evening. It has tranquil tiered waterfalls, koi carp pools, stone lanterns, Japanese trees, and resident peacocks wandering about.

The gardens were created by master gardeners Shoji Nakahara and Yasuo Kitayama on gardening principles set out in the world’s oldest known gardening book the ‘Sakuteiki’, two scrolls that survive from the Heian period 785-1184. Over the years, British and Japanese ideas have fused here, but many of the original Japanese traditions remain such as the pond’s bridge which is staggered. It’s thought that evil thoughts follow a straight line, so by staggering the walkway they’re trapped and drop into the water below.

Acer Dissectum Japanese Maple at the Kyoto garden in Holland Park London

Japanese Gardens Fused With British Ideas
Over 100 years, Japanese-style gardens have fused with British gardens creating a hybrid of the two. The traditional elements are there such as bridges, stone lanterns, large rocks, pebbles, water, and Japanese plants such as azaleas, lilies, rhododendrons, palmatum acers, and bamboo, but the Brits prefer their bridges painted red – something you would never see in Japan!

As a result of the 1910 exhibition, Japanese maples, bamboo, teahouses, and pagodas soon started popping up in Britain’s suburban gardens and public spaces and it’s never stopped. The exhibition was a huge success at the time and kicked off an obsession many of us still love today. Of course, it helps that the Japanese climate is not too different from ours and allows lots of the plants to grow here without too much intervention.

Next time you’re looking for bamboo, stone lanterns, or beautiful Japanese garden inspiration, think about the Edwardians who were stunned by it for the first time over 100 years ago and whose enthusiasm made the Japanese style one of the most popular garden themes today. And indeed left us a legacy of beautiful Japanese Design Gardens here in the UK.

Relaxing and inspiring Japanese rock garden.

The post Japanese Garden History in Britain appeared first on Paramount Plants.

The arboretum blazes with colour throughout the year. It’s a masterclass in using seasonal changes to create stunning designs from January to December. It’s an inspirational day out that may change how you plant up your flower borders!

An example of the striking Autumn Colour

History of the Arboretum
The National Trust took over Winkworth Arboretum in 1988 and manage it in the way it was first conceived by its creator, Dr Wilfred Fox, ‘using plants to paint a picture’.

Dr Fox was a well-respected dermatologist living in the Thorncombe Valley and when the land next to his farmhouse was offered for sale in 1937 he purchased it and set about creating a landscape arboretum that embraced nature’s year-round colours.

When Dr Fox bought the woodland and lakes it was filled with larch and Douglas fir. One of his first steps was to add colour with liquidambers, Japanese maples and oaks on the upper slope. This was the first step, but there were many more to come.

During the War Years
Not long afterwards his purchase was complete, World War 2 broke out and aged 64 Dr Fox signed up as an ambulance driver in France until 1940. As part of the war effort, the government ordered that the woodland larches were felled, and this began the creation of open areas in the arboretum.

Dr Fox’s family and friends plus just one employee provided Winkworth’s labour for years and together through the war years they planted cherries, azaleas, and maples for their rich colours. In 1941 family evacuees from his London business helped build the azalea glade near today’s boathouse.

During his time building the arboretum, he looked for a way to preserve it for future generations. Eventually, with some council investment, it was taken on by the joint Royal Horticultural Society and National Trust Joint Gardens scheme. In later years Dr Fox donated more acres of woodland before he died in 1962.

Today, Winkworth Arboretum is run solely by the National Trust and it’s open to the visiting public most days of the year.

Japanese Acer in full Autumn Colour

Wilfred Fox’s Vision
Wilfred Fox considered the Thorncombe Valley ‘one of the most beautiful bits of Surrey that is left’ and because he was the Secretary of the Roads Beautifying Association he had clear plans and plenty of experience for his landscaping vision.

Much of his inspiration was drawn from the landscape gardens of Westonbirt, Leonardlees, Exbury, and Sheffield Park. He drew out stunning colours, being careful to avoid hard, clear-cut lines and planted wild species rather than cultivars using well-established woodlands as inspiration.

Dr Fox was especially interested in sorbus trees and planted 50 sorbus species in 1943. Today, Sorbus Hill is an area well-loved by its visitors for its jewel-like autumn colours.

As the war years drew to a close, the arboretum tackled springtime colour, including crab apples, more cherries, and magnolias. This ensured year-round colours that were so integral to Winkworth’s design.

Planting For The Future
Planting for the future was a key aspect of this vision. Take for example the magnolia wood. It was planted for the interest of future generations with long-lived trees including numerous magnolias, 10 different species of oak and seven species of beech.

The magnolia wood contains many different species of magnolia, including sweetly-scented white-flowering willow-leaved magnolia. It’s filled with flowers in early spring and we can still see the choice of stunning colour combinations today. No doubt future generations will enjoy his views too. It’s quite a legacy.

What’s At the Arboretum Today?
As well as the rightly popular magnolia wood, the arboretum has numerous areas of interest. It can take all day to walk around absorbing its colour and atmosphere.

The Holly Wood
Filled with 40 different hollies, and Dr Fox’s memorial created by Sir Hugh Casson, The Holly Wood is a beautiful spot for winter colour. Frosty trees and bright berries abound in the festive season, then camellias and sweetly scented witch hazel emerge in January and February. This winter garden is a special treat full of spidery red, orange, and yellow hamamelis flowers.

Sorbus Hill
Dr Fox’s specialism and a beautiful spot from September to November because it’s filled with rich autumnal colours that lead the view out to miles of surrounding countryside.

Badgers Bowl
Another autumnal treat that’s surrounded with intense colour from tupelos, acers and maples. The bowl is a grassy meadow in the centre of the arboretum that’s perfect for picnics or just absorbing the atmosphere. It’s a big draw in the summer months too.

Sunshines illuminates the Autumn Leaves at Badgers Bowl

Azalea Steps
Ablaze in springtime with a fantastic array of azaleas in all colours plus an autumnal display of backdrop maples the azaleas steps are a masterclass in planting for year-round colour on a grand scale.

Metasequoia Dawn Redwood

Rowe’s Flashe Lake and Boathouse
A beautiful tranquil lake with a famous 100-year-old boathouse that’s featured in films and TV series. Picnic here with the resident wildfowl and admire the view that includes the magnificent metasequoia dawn redwoods and stunning colours reflected in the calm water.

Incredibly Romantic View of the Boat House in the Autumn Sunshine

Phillimore Wetlands
This area of wetland is home to numerous damp-loving plants including gunnera manicata and it’s left undisturbed. Cross the bridge made from recycled bottles to keep your feet dry. See what wildlife you can spot amongst the lush greenery.

There’s a lot to admire here, and one of the best ways to find your way around is on a pre-planned walking route. You can look them up in advance on Winkworth’s website. They range from flat easy strolls to a longer treks up and down the hillsides. The Dr Fox Autumn Amble is popular because it takes in 10 colour bursts from the brightest parts of the arboretum.

Wetlands Loving Gunnera Manicata

All The Practical Details
If you want to visit Winkworth Arboretum (and we recommend you do!) booking in advance is essential, especially during the most popular autumn months when the landscape is set on fire with red, orange and golden leaf changes.

Dogs are welcome, there’s lots of parking, and last entry is 4 pm or 3 pm in the winter seasons.

To keep your strength up there’s a tearoom serving lunch plus hot and cold drinks, toilets are located by the visitor entrance, and there are play areas for children who have energy left after walking around the wide-open spaces.

Winkworth’s accessibility is partial because it’s set on a slope, but there’s an access-for-all trail that takes in the top circular area with stunning views.

Winkworth has all the facilities you’d expect so you can enjoy your day admiring the trees and shrubs whatever the season.

When Is Best To Visit Winkworth Arboretum?
The most popular time to visit is during autumn. Winkworth is best known for its autumn displays of maples, sorbus, rowans and oaks all perfectly placed by Dr Fox to create beautiful shades of gold, amber and red, but spring, summer and winter are excellent times too.

In spring the azalea walk is a must see because it’s packed with a rainbow of stunning azaleas. Spring time cherry blossoms are strewn throughout the arboretum and the wooded areas are covered with a carpet of bluebells during April.

In summer, it’s the perfect spot to take a picnic beneath lush green canopies that provide plenty of cool shelter, and during winter the Holly Wood is a spectacular site with its frozen cobwebs, bright berries and spidery witch hazel flowers in January.

There’s never a bad time to visit Winkworth arboretum. It’s always full of seasonal colours that’ll inspire you to paint a picture with plants in your own garden.

The post Winkworth Arboretum – Painting A Picture With Plants appeared first on Paramount Plants.

Five trees are a number we can work with no matter how large or, more to the point, how small our space is, because fruit trees grow in plenty of innovative ways. Take stepovers, fan-trained fruit trees, or half standards for example – there are lots of options and these smaller-sized fruit trees are easy to manage. 

So fancy growing some tasty fruit? 

Let’s take a look at how to create a garden orchard and claim the orchard title for your very own, even if your space is limited. 

How To Create A Garden Orchard: one space saving option is espaliered fruit trees

 What Types of Fruit Can I Grow In My Garden?

Lots! There are apples, pears, plums, and cherries plus greengages, mulberries, quinces, crab apples, peaches, citrus fruits, and figs. And not forgetting exotics such as pommegranite trees which will grow in sheltered parts of the UK (e.g. Chelsea Physic Garden).  

Orchards are traditionally fruit-based, but why stop there? We think anything you can eat is worth growing so let’s include nuts, berries, and currants too. 

Here’s a list of all the fruit trees we sell. They’re an established size and ready to take on your garden in a variety of growing styles.  

How To Turn Your Garden Into An Orchard

Forget the traditional straight lines of large fruiting trees. There are lots of ways to grow fruit so it can be incorporated into your existing garden.

Space in the Border 

Could you fit a few half standard fruiting trees in there amongst the shrubs? Standard Pear Williams Bon Chretien and a full standard quince would happily grow in a sunny to partially sunny border. 

If you fancy something a bit different in the border, how about a Weeping White Mulberry which produces edible fruit? Plant bulbs and shade hardy perennials beneath it.

Mature pyrus communis espaliered pear tree enjoys a warm sunny wall.

 Erect A Screen

Do you have a vegetable garden or maybe a seating area you could screen off? 

If so, choose some cordon fruit trees to grow on a wire partition

Cordons are very popular because they maximize fruiting and take up little space. They’re trees trained on a single stem with fruiting side branches. We like Cox’s Orange Pippin which does very well as a cordon. 

Wander Up the Garden Path

You could define a garden path with a row of knee-high stepovers. Stepovers are low-growing fruit trees that are trained to grow horizontally close to the ground. Apples grow particularly well as a 50 cm high stepover. 

Or how about two matching containers with your fruit of choice marking the start of the path? Half standard cooking apple Manks Codlin could look good there.

Against A Wall

Walls and fence lines are great for espaliered and fan-trained fruit trees because they take up little room. 

Espaliers have single vertical stems with right-angled fruiting branches, whereas fan-trained specimens are well – fans! Queen Cox is a splendid Espaliered Apple. 

Fan trained apple Discovery and fan trained Conference Pear soak up a wall’s warmth and provide lots of fruit. Try planting one against your sunny shed or outbuilding.

Columnar Apple Trees are a Clever Use of Precious Space when creating a garden orchard

 Above The Fenceline 

There’s space you probably hadn’t thought of using!

Block out nosy neighbours or traffic noise with a fruiting pleached tree. 

We specialise in above fence line pleached trees – that’s the chic looking tree-on-stilts. 

Why not try Victoria Plum and Pleached Pear Tree Doyenne du Comice? They produce lots of tasty fruit, create privacy, and cooling shade in one hit.

Improve a Patio, Deck or Balcony 

Our smaller fruit trees love a well-watered container.

Fruit trees suitable for container use have dwarf rootstock to reduce growth, so all their energy goes into fruit production. 

Container-grown fruit trees need lots of water – don’t let them dry out or the blossom and fruit will fall off. If you can commit to regular watering, a patio or balcony orchard is a great use of space. 

Cherry Mirabelle de Nancy or half standard Gala apple suit a container. Garden-grown Gala apples taste much better than their supermarket cousins. 

On a balcony, you could also grow gooseberries and white currants which are great plopped on ice cream.

Fruiting Cherries and Plum Trees

 It’s Downhill From Here

Just kidding. The top to the middle area of a slope is a good place to grow fruit because cold air sinks. 

Early flowering fruit trees like dessert apple Beauty of Bath can end up with no fruits at all if there’s a late frost, so positioning one at the top of a slope can work out well. 

Step-over cordons are also excellent on a slope. They only reach about 50 cms high and the fruit is produced low to the ground so they preserve the soil too. 

The Lawn

Do you actually need that lawn? Isn’t it a pain to mow and fertilise all summer? 

What about a series of stepover fruit trees or wire cordons with bark walkways – or a couple of full standards dotted throughout? We think lawns are overrated, use that space to grow tasty fruits instead. 

Welcome in the Pollinators

Pollinators like nothing better than fruit tree blossom. If you plant fruit trees they will come in droves. 

Some fruit trees need a pollinating partner to fertilise their flowers and create fruits, so encouraging bees is important. Plant some buddleia, syringa or lavender around the garden for extra temptation.

Who can resist – golden apples from your own garden orchard

 How About This Easy Orchard Design?

Buy a full standard or half standard quince and a cherry for the border. Add a row of pleached pears trees above the fence line, and two types of fruit cordons to partition off the patio. Add a fan-trained apple to the wall and line the path with stepover cooking apples.

Container grow a mulberry, cobnut, and plum on the patio and put a half standard crab apple in the front garden.

That’s more than an orchard – it’s a fruit farm!

The post How To Create A Garden Orchard appeared first on Paramount Plants.

Plants are classified into various groups to describe their lifecycle and it can get confusing. The most commonly known plant groups are evergreens, perennials, biennials and annuals.

Evergreens – well it’s pretty obvious! They are green all year round they don’t drop their leaves. 

Biennials are plants sown in the summer that germinate and grow a little but flower the next year (wallflowers/sweet williams). Annuals are plants that germinate, flower and die in one year.

So that leaves perennials. ‘Perennial’ describes a plant that lives for two or more years, so it describes trees and shrubs too, but in general gardeners mean the plants that die back and regrow each year.

Perennials can be deciduous, dying down to the roots every year, or evergreen in which case they keep their leaves before growing more leaves and flowers the following year. 

When you hear about ‘woody perennials’ that’s shrubs or plants with a hard wood structure. They don’t die back each year, but they do flower each year. Herbaceous perennials are the ones without a woody structure.

Clear as mud!

Gorgeous Rudbeckia Fulgida Goldsturm in full flower

What Do Perennials Actually Do?

Woody, herbaceous or evergreen, whatever the classification, perennials bring colour, shape and form from spring to autumn. 

There’s no sowing, germination, pricking out or growing on. A few perennials need trimming or the Chelsea chop to look their best, but in general they get on with the business of growing with little interference year after year.

Choosing the right perennials means the garden is filled with colour from early spring to late autumn. After that, the evergreens take over with the exception of a few winter perennials like hellebore. 

If you’re stuck for winter flowers try a witch hazel shrub – we like red flowered Diane or reliable viburnum. We have a large viburnum selection. 

Back to perennials! Here’s our top recommendations for spring to autumn gardens.

Echinacea or Coneflower are striking examples of flowering perennials.

 Spring

Bulbs. Yes, bulbs are perennials that fill a border or container. Try crocus and daffs for early spring colour. Plant them in autumn for a spring display and leave them in place forever. 

Start off the year with a winter to early spring flowering perennial hellebore. Double Ellen White is a clean, bright bloom that feeds the early waking pollinators. 

Late spring to early summer calls for a Montana clematis, a perennial climbing vine or a Hosta (why not both?). Hostas are notable for thick beautiful foliage and pretty flowers in late spring through to early autumn – there’s always something to look at.

Clematis Montana, perennial vine, in Flower

 Summer 

Summer is the time that lots of perennials open their flowers. 

Why not try perennial achillea? We like this bright yellow one. Rudbeckia and Coneflowers – echinacea are a magnet for butterflies and other pollinators. The many diverse varieties of Salvia, are good choices too.  

For lots of texture and blooms try dry-loving Shrubby Germander, and for a pop of outstandingly pretty flowers it’s hard to beat RHS AGM winner Agapanthus Twister.

Russian Sage Little Spire is a summer stunner that bees can’t get enough of. It’ll reach about 40 cms tall and likes a dry sunny spot. 

Here’s an evergreen perennial called Phlox Candy Stripe . This is a low-growing mat-forming plant that likes coastal areas. It has evergreen leaves that are hidden by a summertime explosion of pink and white striped flowers.

And we can’t talk about summer bloomers without mentioning lavender. Lavender has grown here in the UK for centuries. It was brought over by the Romans. What have they ever done for us? Well – they brought Lavendula Angustifolia a really tough woody perennial that can survive if the roots are dry in winter and the dead flowers are clipped back to increase air circulation.  Remember not to clip into the woody structure as that doesn’t regenerate. Only trim back the new growth please.

Salvias can add a host of colour to your summer garden.

Autumn

We’re putting hardy geranium Psilostemon Dragon Heart in an autumn slot, but this tough pink flowering perennial flowers in spring, summer and autumn. It looks good beneath roses or tall shrubs and covers the ground.

There’s also Kniphofia Uvaria, known as Red Hot Poker or Torch Lily, that blooms in late summer into autumn blasting a jolt of colour into the border.

Autumn Flowering Geranium Dragon Heart.

Why You Need Perennials

Perennials are good value. Pay once and they grow back each year. 

They are also easy to divide. Autumn is usually the best time to dig them up, split them in half with a sharp spade, and replant both halves.  The new growth will often readily take as a cutting too. 

Perhaps the best reason to buy perennials is because they are the plants that turn a winter garden into a summer garden. 

They pop up often out of no-where to surprise you, and fill the space with friendly colour. 

A year-round structure of evergreen shrubs, with spring to autumn flowering perennials and a few spring time bulbs creates a hardworking, spectacular garden in the border or a container on your balcony.

It’s worth getting to know perennials. They are the stars of a spring to autumn garden. 

The post All About Perennials – And Why Your Garden Needs Them appeared first on Paramount Plants.

Charleston is well-known as a place the Bloomsbury Group, a group of radical, avant-garde thinkers, gathered but it was the painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant that transformed the old farmhouse and garden into an art-filled inspiration. 

Bell and Grant moved to Charleston farmhouse in 1916 during the height of WW1. They were conscientious objectors and Grant needed to find farm work in order to avoid conscription. 

After moving in, they painted the farmhouse’s surfaces with their own original frescoes and created a garden that would inspire painters, writers, and artists of the day. Lytton Strachey, Maynard Keynes, EM Forster, Roger Fry, Saxon Sydney-Turner, and Vanessa’s sister Virginia Woolfe all stayed at Charleston.

A studio space was added in 1925 and Vanessa’s husband Clive Bell moved in during 1939 which prompted further decoration. 

The house and gardens are living history and stunning works of art. They are well worth a visit.

The Charming Carp Pond at Charleston

 A Small But Perfectly Formed Garden

The gardens are not huge, but they are designed as a source of inspiration to artists which means every step is filled with colour, scent, form, and movement.

When Vanessa and Duncan arrived in 1916, the garden was a typical turn-of-the-century space dedicated to growing food and filled with fruit trees and vegetables. At the end of WW1 in 1918 the gardens were redesigned by their friend (and Vanessa’s ex-lover) Roger Fry. They remain much the same today. 

The façade is covered in a Wisteria that frames the property with a bench to admire (or paint) the large carp pond that’s sited at the entrance to the farmhouse. 

The pond is sheltered by low-growing trees and covered in picturesque water lilies, with a rowing boat on the shore, looking for all the world as if Vanessa tied it up only yesterday.

The fig tree at the walled garden entrance

 The Walled Garden

The entrance to Charleston is a lovely spot, but it’s the walled garden people visit. It covers the side and rear of the farmhouse and is set into different spaces. 

The small rectangular lawn used by Vanessa’s children for impromptu plays is kept short and tidy with an oblong tiled pond at the far end. 

The garden borders mix bright country cottage textures such as roses, apple trees, climbing roses, and summer flowering perennials with Mediterranean influences. 

In 1920 the gravel paths were installed and the beds filled with box, sea holly, and the silver foliaged plants that appear in many of Vanessa and Duncan’s paintings.

These plants are alive with colour, still attracting the bees and butterflies that Vanessa often wrote to her friends and daughter about – ‘irises have rushed out and the tulips and wallflowers are ablaze.’

Lining the walls and in the centre of flower beds, there are old gnarled apples and fig trees that make the most of the heat retaining brick walls. It’s a mass of glorious colour that’s set out in a way you can admire from all angles.

Get Inspiration for your garden from Charleston’s colourful flower borders.

 Sculpture

Vanessa’s son Quentin Bell, was a talented sculptor and his art is strewn through the gardens popping up in places you wouldn’t expect it. In the pond for example and atop garden walls. 

If you tour the house, be sure to look from the spare room window for the succulent Vanessa’s son Julian Bell planted on the coal shed before he left for China and was killed at the age of 29 in the Spanish Civil War.

Sculpture nestled among the Buxus

 Recent Improvements 

The studio border, visible from Vanessa’s art studio, was recently improved by the gardener Harry Hoblyn. 

Taking inspiration from Vanessa and Duncan’s border paintings Hoblyn planted Bloomsbury-era sea holly, honesty, sweet rocket, monkshood, and a whole lot of bulbs to create a ‘light, bright and transparent border.

Apple Trees dispersed among the Box hedge at Charleston.

 All The Essentials – Eating, Shopping and Parking!

On a dry day, Charleston gardens are perfect for a picnic. There are tables in the Centenary Garden – an area of old neighbouring farm buildings which were acquired by The Charleston Trust – and of course the grass next to the carp pond. 

You can find a café and a shop in the Centenary Gardens selling focaccia and coffee, homeware, fabric, and books about the Charleston paintings.

The pathways are bound with earth, lime, and gravel, so it’s possible to visit on a wet day, but do check the access page for wheelchair access. There is parking! 

Events At Charleston
There is a lively calendar of events taking place here. Recently, Vanessa Redgrave read excerpts from poems and novels, and there’s a permanent display of Duncan and Vanessa’s artwork, but for gardeners, the biggest draw is the inspirational outdoor area. It is the garden that inspired so many of their artist friends.

This is a beautiful garden and although it’s small compared to manor house gardens, admiring the planting, colours and textures can take all afternoon. 

If you can spare the time make your way to Charleston Gardens. As Vanessa wrote in 1936 ‘it’s a dithering blaze of flowers and butterflies and apples.’ Who wouldn’t want to soak up that atmosphere?

The post Find Your Avant-Garde Inspiration At Charleston House and Gardens appeared first on Paramount Plants.

Yes! With a few adjustments you can both enjoy the outdoor space. Let’s take a look at how to create a beautiful, dog friendly garden.

What dog doesn’t enjoy a good garden?

 Beware Toxic Plants

We’re not saying you need to dig up plants. If you’ve grown them for years and your dog isn’t bothered it’s probably safe to leave them. New dog owners or those of us with insatiable chewers might need to exercise caution. 

Dog toxic plants have a range of effects from itchy dermatitis to fatalities. The Dog’s Trust have a toxic plant list but here are the plants they list as potentially fatal to dogs – and therefore the ones you might want to avoid. 

Amaryllis bulbs, angel wings (caladium species), large quantities of azalea, castor bean, daffodil bulbs, dumb cane (dieffenbachia amaena), bergenia – that’s elephant’s ears, jessamine (cestrum species), thorn apple, larkspur, mistletoe, narcissus bulbs, nightshade, oleander, rhododendron, wild cherry trees, and yew.

Of course, ragwort or any type of hemlock are toxic to just about everything including humans. 

Other Garden Dangers

Other potentially harmful garden products include cocoa bean shell mulch which is a sweet-smelling by-product of the chocolate industry, sharp tools, poisons, insecticides, de-icer which is also sweet, and of course slug pellets.

In fact, slugs and snails are a problem to gardeners and dog owners alike. Not only do they eat your plants, but some dogs seem to like eating snails! 

This can mean any poison they’ve ingested may harm your dog. Slugs and snails also carry lungworm. If your dog is coughing or has trouble breathing it’s best to consult a vet. They may have been enjoying too many snail lunches.

What Are Dog Friendly Plants?

If the list of dog toxic plants has you frowning, don’t feel too disappointed. If you love a plant that’s toxic to your pooch you can still grow it, but perhaps it would be better suited to an area your dog can’t access such as a fenced off space or in a raised bed. 

There are still plenty of beautiful plants to choose from to counteract any disappointment. Here’s a selection of our favourite dog safe shrubs. 

All types of roses – phew! Check out Silver Anniversary which is a pure white beauty. There’s reliable winter blooming viburnum too – pink Gwenllian is popular and holds the RHS AGM. 

Another winter bloomer is Mahonia Soft Caress a tough but beautiful grower that won Plant of The Year at 2013 Chelsea Flower Show.

There’s also astilbe, nepeta and hardy geraniums, but not pelargoniums. Pelargoniums are those frost tender geraniums with thick leaves. They can be toxic so go with hardy Geranium sanguineum var. striatum it’s not a catchy name but this pink striped native to the Cumbrian Coast holds the RHS AGM and is dog friendly.

Elaeagnus is an evergreen that’ll brighten the garden safely, the Limelight cultivar is a variegated stunner. Cotoneater Lucidus is great for hedging and has bright red berries, and speaking of red, the popular Photinia Red Robin Compacta has bright red leaves and doesn’t get leggy.

Create a beautiful and safe garden for your dog by choosing the right plants.

Shall we go on? 

Why not!

Buddleia is dog safe. Lilac Chip Butterfly Bush  is one of the new dwarf hybrids. Fragrant and beautiful Abelias such as Sunshine Daydream is a variegated evergreen beauty that always looks good, and let’s not forget the staple backbone shrub Aucuba Japonica also known as the Spotted Laurel. It holds the RHS AGM and doesn’t bother dogs and is ideal addition when looking to create a dog friendly garden. 

We stock all of these plus more – and there’s another reason to buy dog-friendly plants from us.

Dogs are less likely to damage established plants and that’s what we specialise in. Large mature shrubs and perennials can withstand an excited dog digging around the roots and running over them. Small, tender shrubs might not survive the paws or a cocked leg! 

So that’s the planting sorted – what else can help keep Lassie safe and happy in the garden?

Dog-safe plants include the Lilac Chip Butterfly Bush, Sunshine Daydream, Spotted Laurel and many more.

Secure and Attractive Fencing 

Safe, secure fencing is a must. 

Loose dogs cause all sorts of problems with neighbours and in the worst circumstances your dog could be stolen from your garden. This is, unfortunately, becoming more frequent so lock all gates securely and add height so people can’t see over the fence. 

Fast growing shrubs such as this evergreen Eleagnus grown over security wire fences and wooden panels green up their harsh look. You could investigate pleached trees too if you wanted a full screen on top of your fence. 

Fencing off a specific area for your dog can work well. It’s a smaller area to keep safe and you can include lots of stimulation. 

Fences and evergreen privacy screens can also be used to protect areas of the garden you’d prefer Rover didn’t go in – like a veggie patch for example!

Doggie-safe Flowering Beauties!

 A Digging Area

Dogs do love a good old dig. It’s healthy exercise, but that doesn’t mean you want craters across the lawn and in your garden borders. 
Cover up exposed soil as dogs will always prefer to dig soft earth – your borders are prime digging territory! To distract them create a sandpit or loose bark area for digging and then encourage your dog to scrabble about there with buried treats. Keep an eye on puppies who might eat the bark pieces.

A Vantage Point

Dogs like lots of views – why not create a mound from soil, or cover an old upturned table or planter in artificial grass to make Rover king of the world. 

Sun and Rain Proof Shelter 

All animals seek shelter from sun, rain and wind, so it’s nice to make a spot they can comfortably relax in. 
A tree will create instant shade. Try this Photinia Red Robin standard tree. It’s dog friendly and casts lovely dappled shade. Large shrubs can also provide shade – any of the above listed shrubs will provide some shelter.
In wet, cold weather a kennel, a child’s playhouse, or a Crufts style tunnel will keep your pooch dry and happy. Our BBQ Shelter is perfect for re-purposing into a dog shelter. Send us a photo if you do this!

Lawns

Free ranging dogs and a perfect lawn can’t co-exist, but if you don’t want to fence off a space, sow hardwearing lawn seed and if you spot your dog urinating rinse it down with a watering can to prevent the grass turning yellow. 
Pick up all messes soon as possible and use a good quality dog safe lawn feed during the year.

Create A Dog Toilet 

Counter intuitive you might say, but build your dog’s toilet area near the house. This is because it gets dark early here in the UK and it’s often wet. The last thing you’ll want to do late at night is walk your dog to the far garden corner for their final pee! 
Block off the toilet area view with evergreen shrubs like Spotted Laurel or use privacy screen trellis. Bark or free draining stones make an easy clean base.

Area For Cleaning Muddy Paws

Who’s had their muddy dog bolt into the house and destroy the carpet within 30 seconds? I knew it wasn’t just me! 
A clean-up area by the back door is a soft furnishings saver.

Use evergreens or trellis to build a shelter from the elements. Site it near a tap or stash a full watering can or a pressure sprayer there (be careful not to sting your dog’s feet with too much pressure). 

Build a floor area from bark or other soft draining materials to stop mud clinging to your dog’s feet when you add the water. A quick rinse, a towel rub down, and you’re done. 

Need More Inspiration?

Even the smallest outdoor space can be made into a dog friendly area. If you need more inspiration here’s a video of The Dog’s Trust’s dog friendly garden from the 2016 Hampton Court Flower Show.

The post How To Create A Dog Friendly Garden appeared first on Paramount Plants.

Take A Seat

Seating is always first on our garden essentials list when preparing the garden for entertaining. Taking a pew in your garden is one of life’s pleasures whether you’re enjoying a quiet early morning cup of coffee or entertaining a crowd.

 Arbours are always popular because they’re attractive structures especially if you wrap solar lights around the slats for soft dusk lighting. Benches are a good addition too and you can’t go wrong with a traditional style. This particular bench has integral planters for extra growing space. Choose bright, scented flowers and no-one can resist a cheeky 5-minute break there.

Alongside your ‘proper’ outdoor seating dust down the emergency chairs and oil creaky folding seat hinges for those guests that always turn up unannounced. We’re looking at you Uncle Chris!

Kids are usually happy with a large blanket on the ground – throw down some cushions, colouring books, and they’re happy.

Arbours are always a popular choice for garden entertaining

 Instant Impact Plants

Good planting transforms a garden and our large plants create instant impact.

Surround your entertaining space with fragrant colourful containers and you’ll have a garden to be proud of within a few hours. Here’s a good selection of container plants that’ll manage well if you water and feed them regularly.

Need more tips to consider when planting up your outdoor entertaining space? Say no more!

Pop Up tents are a perfect hang-out space for kids in the garden.

Scent 

Lots of our large plants are sweet-smelling such as daphne or lavender. Fragrant star jasmine is always popular and more unusual is camphor laurel that gives off a cinnamon spicy scent. It’s usually used as hedging, but it’ll suit a specimen container too. 

Screens

If you have a fence or trellis nearby a climber like star jasmine, a passionflower, or a climbing rose will block out your nosy neighbours and provide shade or wind shelter for your guests. We recommend Rosa Barock – this beautiful yellowy-pink climbing rose is a real stunner. 

Planting that doubles as food

Admire your plants and eat them too!

Bay goes well on grilled meats and mint not only improves water it keeps flies away if you squeeze a few leaves throughout the day. Keep mint in a container though because it spreads like wildfire.

Rosemary is another fragrant plant that doubles as food. It enhances red meat like lamb and its evergreen so you can pick it throughout the winter months.

Dessert time? The best bit! What about a currant bush? Currants can be picked straight off the plant and dropped onto ice cream.

Play With Colours 

A theme of one or maybe two colours is a popular way of sprucing up an entertaining space. White is always a popular choice.

Good white plants include agapanthus, white lilacs, RHS winner white hydrangea, and RHS winning rock roses. Bedding plants like cosmos and lobelia tuck around container edges to soften lines. For more white ideas, see plants for a white garden.

If you prefer a different colour just type it into our search bar. 

Texture and Structure 

Colour isn’t everything. In shadier areas, large lush leaves create a tropical feel. Why not go all out with a massive gunnera for the best photo opportunities?

In hotter areas standard lollipop bay trees, holly, yew, and conifers create structure. Take a look at our  blog on using dwarf conifers if you need some ideas. Conifers are hardwearing in high traffic areas and we love them. 

We couldn’t mention structure without suggesting box. These box cubes are excellent, but if you’re in a box blight area try the Betterbuxus blight-resistant varieties such as Renaissance. They grow fast so you can shape them as you please.  

Combining texture, structure, and colour is a UK favourite – Buddleia. Buddleia has bright structural flowers plus it’s tough and you can cut it down to the ground each spring. RHS AGM winner Miss Ruby is a compact pink one that’ll sit happily in a container, there are also white and purple/blue varieties. The butterflies will thank you.

Preparing the garden for Entertaining

Cooking Up Your Food 

With your plants looking fine, you can concentrate on the chef.

Cooking outside is a pleasure with the right equipment. Is it time to upgrade the BBQ? We have gas-powered and charcoal BBQs but becoming more popular are fire pits. Fire pits create heat and light as the day wears on and some firepits double as a BBQ. Great space savers!

If you’re not keen on BBQ food then a pizza oven is the way forward. They are pricey but good investments. If you clean them and cover them up in winter they’ll last a lifetime.

Creating the perfect alfresco dining area.

 Safe and Attractive Flooring

An overlooked aspect of an entertaining space is the ground. Damp grass, mud, and uneven soil aren’t nice to stand on so spruce them up with bark chippings, gravel, paving, turf or artificial grass. It makes a big difference. 
If your entertaining space is the patio or decking this top-notch scrubbing brush will help remove winter stains – and finally why not improve the lawn? 

Rake out moss and thatch then reseed any bare patches. Grass seed grows quickly if you keep it watered and protect it with fleece against those inevitable hungry pigeons and cats looking for a toilet.

What a note to end on!

We hope that’s inspired you to spruce up your outdoor space. If you need any plant, cooking equipment, or seating advice on preparing the garden for entertaining, get in touch and we’ll do our best to help you out.

Here’s to a hot summer and sunny days with friends. Cheers!

The post Preparing The Garden for Entertaining This Summer appeared first on Paramount Plants.