Continuing to keep cheerful.

This is a very difficult time.

Gardening can help.

My husband has just spent an hour and a half tidying up the Courtyard Garden.

New plants are arriving daily.

The large metal structure has been replaced by Clematis” angel”

I have had an onslaught with the pots.

The tulips look very promising.

This year we are going to try rhubarb.

Other gardens are at hand to help provide support.

Yes meeting have been cancelled.

So why not catch up on all those articles you wanted to read.

Spring is on the way.

We cannot spend every waking moment reading up about the present health risks.

It is better to better get out in the garden.

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Transfere your skills.

I have been thinking over the last few weeks how some of the skills used in gardening can be used for other purposes.

In garden design we look at colour, shapes, textures and a combination of materials for innovation and creativity.

These can be put to good use in the home.

Paints now come in vivid “in your face ” colours or marvellous deep hues.

Putting them together in the home requires just the same courage as choosing outrageous garden furniture.

Hard landscaping does not have to be uniform and dull.

It is better to mix a variety of different textures and resources.

Planting design relies on the use of shapes and a combination of very different plants.

Similarly in the home, a great effect can be created by using many different textures and mediums. So have a go at using the skills that you have developed over years in the garden to brighten up the interior of your home.

You could surprise yourself.

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A postscript to Palmstead.

The topic of eco anxiety was useful.

We must stay in touch with the need s of the planet.

We must work with these serious problems in mind.

I would like to offer a word of caution.

Designers are creative.

They are able to step outside the world of problems to reach another dimension.

This is important in our lives.

It provides colour, experience, relaxation and peace.

All positive aspects of our lives.

We still need to give these consideration.

Panic is not positive.

Continueal obsession with the problems of life is not useful.

At times it is necessary to take a step back . as landscapers and garden designers we should remember this.

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Eco anxiety.

This week I attended the 2020 workshop at palmstead.

The topic under discussion was eco anxiety or concern for the planet.

Global warming was presented by Petere Gibbs ,former BBC weather man.

The temperature rise has been very significant lately.

This has a an impact on wildlife and ecology.

Tony kirkham from Kew gave a list of trees that could be grown to give a larger canopy.

This could help mitigate climate change.

We were assured the Forestry Commission is playing its part.

The topic then turned to each of us and how we can play our part.

Anna French ,who has long attended these workshops, produced ideas for garden design practices.

We can all look at our lives and reduce our carbon footprint.

Such ideas include buy less clothes, look at what you eat and use public transport.

We can also ask our suppliers to follow our example.

We do not need to get depressed about these topics, we just need to act.

Christmas 2019

Happy Christmas and New Year
from Anne Smith Designs

This is what gardening can do for you.

These images were from the Isle of Wight.

I have chosen them to show how gardening can be used as therapy.

For too long we have forgotten the powers of gardening in helping people who have great problems.

These people often have wonderful creative skills.

Horticulture allows many to feel at one with nature.

There are no boundaries.

The use of colour and variety of plant forms is suburb.

The small space has been crammed to get maximum effect.

I will cherish this garden for years to come.

Let it be an inspiration to all who need space and time to relax and feel

they can achieve.

whatever they want despite difficult circumstance.

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Just keep at it.

Recent loss has not deterred me from carrying on.

I recently went to a talk at Lincs Hardy Plant Society..

This week I visited the Anthony Gormley exhibition at the RA. It was super.

Yesterday I watched a film about Piet Oudolf.

For much of my design life I have used his work for planting designs.

The film showed how he developed this style.

What was interesting was how he based his designs on feeling and colour.

I will follow this.

Various locations were shown.

He is an unassuming man.

I met two people to talk to.

I am sure we will keep in contact.

This is what i meant when I suggest that we should never be satisfied to sit back and think we know it all.

We can, and should, go on learning.

I hope that you can do something like this in the dark days ahead.

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A last venture .

We all need a last garden to remember this year by.

I needed a very special garden.

Auburn in leicestshire was the garden I chose.

It is the perfect small garden with a great house as well.

The perennial plants were very well chosen.

Perfect for this time of year.

Sweeping lawns with “borrowed landscapes” added peace and tranquility.

The ponds and their surrounding plants were good contrast.

Nearer to the house box hedges provided a more formal setting.

As I have often said , we all need inspiration.

We also need a variety of gardens to help us see what we could do.

I hope that in the next few weeks you are able to make a visit to a garden on your list.

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How wonderful it was!

We should make the effort to take pictures as we discover what we enjoy in our gardens.
For me the three metal benches provide a focal point .
I use one to sit on in the evening.
One is rusty– but I am going to leave it this way.
Another memory could be the plants that have excelled during the flowering season.
They do not have to be expensive plants.
Plant combinations are worth noting.
These give ideas for colour in the garden.
We should think often how to change the garden.
This can be by putting in a bench or perhaps changing a run down area.

I have just got rid of the bog garden that was running low on inspiration.
I have covered three in pebbles instead.
Before thinking about tulips etc. take time to look and see what went well this year.
It has been super and you will want to remember it.

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