You may remember reading about Matthew’s first successful design which was for a small sun-lover’s garden in Busby?  If not then you should take a look to see his approach to the design but anyway here is the finished garden – minus planting which we’re doing next week!!

This garden was built in the Busby area, next to Clarkston in the southside of Glasgow, Scotland by Nicky Patterson and Matthew Thomson of GardenImprovements.com

Matthew’s design is fairly simple but simplicity is the key when we are working with a tight budget and a tight space.  the circles will help to open up the garden.

Matthew’s vision (above) of the finished garden – bright materials essential to reflect light and lift the mood of this dreary garden plot (below).  See Matthew’s design in full here.

Overshadowed by an overgrown conifer hedge, the space did not feel light and airy like a garden should – the existing paving was tired and dull, and the lawn was more or less swamped with weeds and moss.

One of my favourite parts of all projects is the part where we have ‘ripped’ out the old garden, have a blank canvas and are ready to begin constructing the new ‘outdoor room’.  We were kindly offered access by Mary’s neighbour Theresa – which was a very good thing since we really would have struggled to get this done without it!

The new patio looks and feels alot brighter, a far more inviting area of the garden now!  It has been built in a pale sandstone with strains of red through it which blend with the red edging cobble.

The new fence has been stained with a light cream to achieve a sea-sidey effect which marries with the beach pebble laid as a perfect low maintenance solution for a busy Mary!

So as per Matthew’s design the bed areas will be planted up with some grasses and sedges to reinforce that coastal theme.  We will also include some specimen shrubs as feture plants to create a little more interest and focus where required.

The lawn confirms a link between the surrounding landscape – mostly mature trees and hedges – and also ensures that this small space doesn’t become too much of an outdoor stone box!

We always give our design clients something to help celebrate their new garden!

It was a pleasure to work with Mary on this build and we are looking forward to returning within the next week or so to get the planting scheme installed – an example of how we can implement projects in stages to help our clients manage budgets!

Nicky Patterson, Designer and Landscaper @ GardenImprovements.com

Originally posted 2009-10-06 15:55:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Here is an article I wrote for the much celebrated Landscape Juice Network back in February 2009.  I think much of it still holds true currently for the many businesses, established and start-up alike in the landscape and garden design industries.

Landscaping through the recession : Landscape and garden expert.

Originally posted 2009-10-13 13:19:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Shed of the Year Competition Winner Announced : TreeHugger

Cheers

Nicky @ GardenImprovements.com

Originally posted 2009-07-16 14:27:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Presented at Milan Furniture Fair 2009, Green Pockets is an innovative idea designed by Maruja Fuentes a designer from Puerto Rico. Green pockets are ceramic tiles which fuse nature with the interior space, improving both air quality and health. They attach to the wall to create the illusion as if they were actually growing from them. The tiles, made from recycled materials, serve as planters and their unique shape allows them to interlock, thereby creating different patterns depending on the vegetation planted. The pockets bring a soul-soothing dose of greenery and nature to an interior space, improving a room’s aesthetic and air quality. Great for flats and urban housing which may not have vast gardens, not to mention great for the enviroment.

Via – Freshome -Via- Thedesignblog

Always looking for great ideas!!

Best Regards

Matthew Thomson, Apprentice Garden Designer @ GardenImprovements.com

Originally posted 2009-06-22 17:00:44. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

One of my very favourite garden designers is Diarmuid Gavin – his ability to think beyond the normal contexts of traditional gardens is what made me want to become a garden designer. The summer house in this design is fantastic and it makes an otherwise simple garden seem very special!

Originally posted 2009-10-12 19:06:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Second in a series of blog posts showcasing some of the great ideas out there that help inspire our garden designs and will inspire you to get design motivated!!

Space saving ideas for cultivating your own – especially good for those who live in flats; first the foldable greenhouse:

Now for a neat idea for brightening up your balcony with pots that fit railings:

And lastly for this post here’s a link to an article about green roofs, which are likely to become an increasingly popular sight in th UK in the coming decade:

That’s all for now gang, be back soon with some more boggy blogging!!

Nicky Patterson, GardenImprovements.com

Originally posted 2009-03-16 12:10:13. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

I love the imagery and the memories it evokes as a child watching my own father in the garden:

Digging

Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests; as snug as a gun.

Under my window a clean rasping sound
When the spade sinks into gravelly ground:
My father, digging. I look down

Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds
Bends low, comes up twenty years away
Stooping in rhythm through potato drills
Where he was digging.

The coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft
Against the inside knee was levered firmly.
He rooted out tall tops, buried the bright edge deep
To scatter new potatoes that we picked
Loving their cool hardness in our hands.

By God, the old man could handle a spade,
Just like his old man.

My grandfather could cut more turf in a day
Than any other man on Toner’s bog.
Once I carried him milk in a bottle
Corked sloppily with paper. He straightened up
To drink it, then fell to right away
Nicking and slicing neatly, heaving sods
Over his shoulder, digging down and down
For the good turf. Digging.

The cold smell of potato mold, the squelch and slap
Of soggy peat, the curt cuts of an edge
Through living roots awaken in my head.
But I’ve no spade to follow men like them.

Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests.
I’ll dig with it.

Seamus Heaney  (1939-)

- from Death of a Naturalist (1966)

Brilliant.

online source:: http://www.wussu.com/poems/shdigg.htm

Originally posted 2010-12-03 10:18:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

One of my favourite websites: here’s an idea we can all try out!!

Studio G – Garden Design & Landscape Design inspiration » Before and After: Recycled Chairs to Fab Garden Bench.

Originally posted 2009-10-11 09:51:46. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

These fantastic garden daybeds certainly inspire us to design gardens to put them in and I’m hoping that by showing them here as demonstrated at FreshHome they might inspire you guys to get us to draft you up some fantastic design for your own garden!

These beautiful daybeds are made by Lifeshop Collection, a company that is specialized in indoor and outdoor contract furniture, hotel furniture, contract lighting, contract artwork, casegoods, and resin furniture. The summer is near, and a piece of outdoor furniture like this would be great, to relax outside your house, and breathe fresh air. These pieces would be also awesome for an outdoor party. – Via – Espaciohogar – Via – Freshhome

Cheers

Nicky Patterson, Garden Designer @ GardenImprovements.com

Originally posted 2009-03-26 17:00:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

We have now installed our chat facility at the GardenImprovements.com website so that new customers can contact us directly to quickly ask about our service before they proceed with their enquiry!  You can ask us if we work in your area, if we are available for a meeting, for quick tips, or for the name of reputable tradesmen who offer different garden services to our own – or whatever you want to ask!

Queries remain private from public viewing and you will always be chatting to me personally – messages are relayed to my mobile ensuring that I am readily available.  Messages will be accepted between 7am and 9pm Monday to Saturday.  If you want a query answered outside these hours simply drop me an email to studio@gardenimprovements.com and I shall respond at the first opportunity.

We were sociable before -and now we’re accessible too!!

Cheers!!
Nicky Patterson, Designer @ GardenImprovements.com

Originally posted 2009-10-05 16:11:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter