Garden design and gardening tips for April

At Karen Chamberlain Garden Design based just outside Colchester we work with clients across Essex and Suffolk all who we know are extremely busy this month, with just SO much work to do in the garden!

Here are just a few ideas to get you started.  For more help and advice with your garden design and planting needs, please call or visit our website and we would be happy to talk to you about our consultation services and courses that can run either for you or a group of friends at your home.

• Sow seeds

Get all your seed packets out and sort them by sowing month.  Some can be sown straight into the soil where you hope they will grow, others will need to be sown indoors in containers with the protection of an unheated greenhouse or a well lit windowsill. If the instructions talk about propagators then these seeds need warmth to germinate. I find a windowsill in a heated room is adequate.  Note – you don’t have to sow all the seeds in a packet; I notice that my packet of brussel sprouts would provide 171 plants!

• Weed

Invest time now to get on top of your weeding.  If you weed early in the season it will reduce the problem later on.

• Prune for bigger foliage

With annual pruning you can control the size of shrubs so that they can be used in smaller spaces and as a bonus get bigger and better foliage. Two plants that are very amenable to this treatment are Cotinus (smoke bush) and Sambucus (elder).

• Plant of the month

It just has to be the very dainty and elegant Star Magnolia Magnolia stellata. This is a deservedly popular shrub for small spaces including containers. It’s long lived, slow growing and one of the few magnolias that will tolerate more alkaline soils. Around early April its silky buds open several weeks before the leaves, revealing spidery white flowers which will eventually cover the shrub for several weeks.

We love gardens and to talk to people about theirs! Please do not hesitate to contact us about your garden design needs or to find out more about one of our courses .  Call us 01206 323678 or email info@karenchamberlain.co.uk.

Posted in Monthly gardening advice

Garden design and planting tips for March

Here at Karen Chamberlain Garden Design we love Spring! With daffodils lining the country lanes of pretty Dedham where we are based, it really does make the surrounding Essex and Suffolk countryside look extremely bright and cheerful!

In the following blog please see top gardening design and planting tips for March.

• Firstly – don’t miss your chance to book a place on one of our Garden design and planting courses

Click here for more information on our 4 week Garden design, Planting design and Vegetable growing courses starting in April.

Places are filling up quickly, to book your place contact Karen now.

• Plant Lilies

Some books will tell you that lilies are planted in autumn when in fact they can be planted much later as they only need 12-14 weeks from panting to producing those gorgeous bowl-you-over blooms.  You should find them in the garden centres now, hanging up on racks in little plastic bags desperate to get into the soil. So with a certain devil-may-care attitude and a spring in your step I give you permission to impulse buy, just this once!

• Watch out for lily beetle

(I know, first I give then I take!) although it may seem too early to be on the lookout for this pest it is partial to the crown imperials (Fritillaria imperialis) which are starting into growth this month. You are looking for the adult beetle, bright red, can’t miss them, and the black larvae which look like a little bit of poop.  If you see one squash it!

• Sow Sweet peas

Traditionally these are started off in winter for early flowers the following summer however, after losing a crop to extreme weather I prefer to sow in Spring. I sow 4 seeds per toilet roll tube full of compost, keep them in the green house (unheated) and then plant out with my runner bean plants mid-May.

• Plant of the month

I’m opting for a favourite cottage garden plant this month a Spring flowering shrub Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Moerloosei’ (seen in the picture above) more commonly known as Japanese quince.  To my eye it’s the prettiest of the cultivars with delicate apple-blossom like blooms that appear before the leaves.  Unfortunately, it could be considered a bit dull the rest of the year but it could earn its place in the border by playing host to a small summer flowering Clematis.  C. viticella ‘Etoile Violette’ is a favourite

•  FREE seeds

We love the opportunity to see our clients and talk with people who are passionate about their gardens. So if you are passing our Dedham studios why not pop in and pick up some free seeds of Sweet Pea ‘Incense Mix’ – otherwise send me a stamped address envelope and I’ll post a packet out to you.

For assistance with your garden design needs or to find out more about one of our courses call us on 01206 323678 or email info@karenchamberlain.co.uk. If you are not sure if we can help, just ask – if we can’t I’m sure we’ll know someone who can

Posted in Monthly gardening advice, News

New look course section and garden design and planting courses announced

We are excited to announce the launch of our new look course section on our website. The courses pages feature details of our garden design and planting courses, suitable for the absolute beginner and those wishing to gain professional qualifications.

You will see four sections listed:
• Short Courses: Usually taking place on a Friday or Saturday, these four week courses take place at The Dedham Workshop Studio’s where we are based, in Dedham, near Colchester
• Qualification Courses: NCFE qualification’s in garden design, taking place at the Adult Community College based in Colchester
• One to one courses: These courses can be booked at times that suit you. On these courses you will have full access to the office design facilities and Karen’s dedicated support and experience to guide you with your own garden design or planting projects
• Student reviews: Showing first hand student feedback of Karen’s courses

All courses are designed and taught by Karen Chamberlain, who has a wealth of experience in garden design having studied at the highly regarded Whittle College and in horticultural practise at the renowned Beth Chatto Gardens.

The next short four week courses to take place starting in April are in Garden design and Vegetable growing, followed by a course in June on Planting design. Places become filled up quickly, so booking in advance is advisable.

• The Garden Design course starts on 20th April and equips you with the essential skills and knowledge required to start the process of designing a new garden layout.
• The Vegetable growing course starts on the 21st April and will demystify the art of vegetable growing and give you the basic information and practical knowledge needed to started planning your own kitchen garden.
• The Planting design course starts on the 15th June and will introduce you to the processes designers use to create planting plans. This course will be perfect for you whether you need to revamp existing planting in your garden or are starting from scratch.

For more information on all of these courses and to book a place please contact Karen on 01206 323 678 or email info@karenchamberlain.co.uk

Posted in Courses, News

Garden design and gardening tips for February

At Karen Chamberlain Garden we work with clients across Essex and Suffolk on all aspects of garden design, from designing every aspect of their gardens to teaching them how to design their gardens themselves through our Essex based garden design courses. We also like to give clients monthly advice on caring for their gardens.

The following is the first in our series of monthly advice blogs.  To receive regular monthly updates, plus other top garden design tips click here to sign up for our monthly newsletter.

So let’s get started..Gardening in February:

Start the big tidy up as soon as possible

I do this as soon as I notice the bulbs pushing through, that’s my cue to get stuck in and clear away last year’s foliage from the perennials, they may still look beautiful covered in frost and snow but really they are beginning to look a bit tatty and they offer the perfect sanctuary for marauding slugs and snails who go crazy for the fresh new growth especially my snowdrops! (I tend to leave my grasses uncut until I see new growth appearing which may not be for another month or so)

Prune Autumn raspberries

These easy to grow plants produce most of their fruit on the stems made in the same year so cut them down to the ground now for a good harvest in late summer.

Chit your potatoes

For me this is the first ritual of the new veg season and although research has shown that it isn’t necessary, it makes me feel like a wise old gardener and so I shall continue. The idea is that you can shorten the time between planting and harvesting if you start them into growth before you plant them. To do this all they need is a cool, frost free place with natural light. Sit them in a tray or egg box, with their ‘eyes’ (the place from which they sprout if you leave them too long in the veg rack!)uppermost, and leave them alone; don’t water them or cover with soil. By the time the weather is good enough for them to go into the soil they will have produced thick stubby shoots that hopefully will produce an earlier crop. (Pst! If you want ‘Jersey Royal’ new spuds on your plate you need to grow ‘International Kidney’)

Plant of the month

It just has to be the snowdrop because it arrives at the leanest of times in the flowering calendar, is easy to grow, low maintenance and so compact that even the smallest garden can accommodate several different types. If you want it to self-seed around your garden you need to choose carefully as some cultivars are sterile. My favourite for naturalising in drifts beneath deciduous trees and shrubs is Galanthus nivalis, the common snowdrop or for something a little taller to pop up between the winter cherry red leaves of Bergenias try G. elwessii or G. S.Arnott

If you want to see them in large drifts head over to Marks Hall, off the A120 near Coggeshall. It’s a lovely site with good walks and lots of interest, oh and good tea and cake.

For help with your garden and garden design needs call us on 01206 323678 or email info@karenchamberlain.co.uk. If you are not sure if we can help, just ask – if we can’t I’m sure we’ll know someone who can.

Posted in News

Getting to know Karen Chamberlain Garden Design and the services we offer

At Karen Chamberlain Garden Design in Dedham near Colchester our clients based mostly across Essex and Suffolk are often amazed at the breadth of services we offer.  The following looks at ‘What we do?’, ‘Who we do it for?’ ‘How we do it?’, ‘When we do it?’ and the thousand dollar question ‘Why we do it?!’

What we do

• Have inspirational ideas (See our portfolio for examples of how we have transformed client’s gardens)
• Guide and advise you on all design aspects of:
  • making a new garden. 
  • remodelling a mature garden.
  • solving specific problems.
  • choosing paving, features and structures.
  • new planting – ornamental and food production.
  • garden styling.
  • Make you think differently about your garden.
  • Spend your money carefully.
  • Survey – measure gardens
  • Supply quality new plants – often below high street prices.
  • Recommend professionals whom we trust to work in your garden. (We never accept payments for recommending other professionals)
  • Source the unusual and the ordinary.
  • Offer on-going support to DIY’ers
  • Stay professional and on your side, offering a transparent and quality service every step of the way.

Who we do it for

• Private, domestic sized gardens, and their owners throughout Essex and Suffolk.   Any size, any style any budget.

How we do it.

• Consultations – on-site discussions ( a great opportunity to have professional advice on how your garden could be improved and revitalised)
• Prepare Plan Drawings – get the ideas down on to paper to make sure it all works and that everyone is happy with the ideas and the cost before building starts!
• Run Courses- in design and planting 
• Monthly Newsletter – exclusively for registered clients 
• Post Blogs – on our website with helpful garden design and planting tips

When we do it

• All year around from Monday to Saturday and from January to December.

Why we do it

• Because we are passionate about all things ‘green’.
• We love to help clients make the most of their garden space and to make that space work for the needs of the whole family.
• Our aim is to help clients fall back in love with their gardens again.

For help with your garden and garden design needs call us on 01206 323678 or email info@karenchamberlain.co.uk.  If you are not sure if we can help, just ask – if we can’t I’m sure we’ll know someone who can.

Posted in News, Our services

Essex based garden designer launches new planting design course

Karen Chamberlain Garden Design is excited to announce details of a new planting design course taking place in Dedham, near Colchester close to the Essex/Suffolk border.

Starting on the morning of Saturday 4th February, the course will be a great opportunity for you to get an insight into considerations garden designers have to take when choosing what to plant and where.

On the course you will learn how to combine plants to create structure and year round interest, receiving a list of ‘designer favourite’ plants.
You will also learn to:

• Build your plant knowledge
• Hone your research skills
• Identify your soil type
• Understand how to choose and design with trees, shrubs and perennials
• How to avoid colour clashes by understanding the basics of colour theory

Although we can’t promise to turn you into a ‘professional garden designer’ overnight; on the course running over four consecutive Saturday mornings we do aim to make you start thinking like one. After completing the course instead of just assembling a random collection of plants, you should have the confidence to create more pleasing borders.

To book please contact Karen on 01206 323678 or info@karenchamberlain.co.uk. (Please note class sizes are limited so booking is essential. The cost of the course includes refreshments and use of all resources. Free parking is also available on-site).

• Course: Garden Planning – Planting
• Dates: Saturday – 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th February 2012. (4 sessions)
• Times: 9.30am to 12.30pm
• Location: Karen Chamberlain Garden Design, Unit 2 Dedham Hall Business Centre, Brook Street, Dedham, Colchester, Essex, CO7 6AD
• Tel: 01206 323678
• Email: info@karenchamberlain.co.uk
• Fee: £120.00 (payable as £60.00 deposit with the balance payable at the first session)
• Website: www.karenchamberlain.co.uk

Posted in Courses, News