The combination of a warm winter and wet spring has given rise to what can only be described as an explosion of colour and leaf texture in the garden.  Everything is two weeks earlier than last year and with luck this will give us two flushes of flowers from some of the herbaceous plants.  With plenty of deadheading and feeding, the plants should provide a long season of colour and interest.

My garden provides me with a sanctuary of peace and calm after a hard day's graft working on someone else's borders.  My husband and I have tried to put our own stamp onto the garden and we spend more time in it than in the house.  It is amazing what you can achieve in just three years.  We brought a van load of cuttings from our last house which helped to fill the borders.  Some have been replaced with more interesting plants and others have been split several times over and given to friends and family.

My problem now is that I don't have enough room for all the new plants.  However, I have learnt the art of negotiation and have persuaded the powers that be (the better half!) to remove some of the grass to create a larger border.  I use our garden as a way of experimenting with planting ideas and to see how plants react to certain conditions.  It is important to know how plants grow before recommending them to clients.  The attached photos show examples of this.

Don't forget that you have got plenty of room to grow up as well as out.  We tend to forget about the air space above us and pergolas, archways, wigwams, ornamental trees, buddlejas, bamboos (clump forming variety) are all examples of ways in which to create height and interest into the garden.  They can block out unsightly areas of the garden or provide much needed privacy.  Remember not to plant trees too near to the house and seek advice before choosing one for the garden.  You can't go wrong with small ornamental trees like Sorbus, Crab Apple,  or certain cultivars of Amelanchier.  These deciduous trees provide year long interest with spring flowers followed by colourful fruit and rich autumn leaf colour.

Enjoy your garden and don't forget to share it with visiting birds and insects - they will love you for it.