Hull Urban Gardener

More echinaceas planned for this year - although the soil is quite heavy clay it’s very, very stoney and this drainage helps them get through winter

Getting distracted from book writing by looking at summer pictures of the garden- they’re making me feel warmer if nothing else! This is rose ‘Roald Dahl’ erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’ and Stipa tenuissima

I like looking at the garden in winter when it’s a bit scruffy and coming up with plans - I’m going to move a lot of the perennials and roses in the next three months or so - I think of it a bit like rearranging furniture in the house! Oh and then there’s the understorey of wandering strawberries and brambles to tidy up, but that is the work of moments and can wait until the ground has dried out a bit more - still very soggy underfoot!

Nearly three years since I started overhauling the wilderness - it’s all been done with hand tools and elbow grease!

My new book The National Trust Gardener’s Almanac 2024 is out today - spotted in Waterstone’s Hull this morning! It’s a guide to the gardening year with expert tips from 12 National Trust Head Gardeners 🌱🪴🌻🍃

Rose ‘Roald Dahl’ in the garden today - brightening up the gloom!

My latest book The 30-Minute Gardener was released this week - it’s all about how to get in the habit of spending half an hour a day in the garden and why I believe it is so good for you

It’s been nearly two years since I started tackling our current garden - I’ve let it go a little wild this year while bigger landscaping plans are on hold but I like it!