May you have a great month!

We absolutely love May here at Bushy – it’s busy but boy it’s beautiful in our gardens! Nature is simply bursting with energy, which transfers onto us humans. And with the lighter evenings we can enjoy more outside. So this issue is packed with vibrant colours, ideas for being lively and loving life!

Of course, May is the traditional month for the splendid Chelsea Flower Show and it’s great it’s back drawing the crowds. Last year, in the Lifestyle Garden category, we planted a garden designed by Mike Long for Association Professional Landscapers and we won a Silver-Gilt Medal, People’s Choice Award and Best in Category. We also won a silver medal for our planting support on a garden designed by The Blue Diamond Group Team, and overall it won Best Artisan Garden. You can see more about our awards here.

We hope your month is truly rewarding too!

Chris & all the Bushy team

Pick a peony

Peonies are wonderful because they come in many colours and sizes, are hardy and flower from late spring. Take a look at the beauties in Gardeners’ World. They provide impact to ornamental borders.

Garden gems

In the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year, there’s a fashion for jewel colours in your garden, which is helpful for insects and birds, when looking for food. So bling up your colours! For flowers, think rhododendrons, which are in full bloom in May and their deep green foliage really sets off their vivid flowers – some ruby red, some Amethyst, gold or sapphire. Other ideas are dahlias, roses, and perlagoniums but there are many. Also look for pots in jewel colours like this red one from Homebase – and you could even paint walls and fences!

Then consider some colourful garden furniture – John Lewis have some rattan Salsa chairs in lovely hues and Nottcutts, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, have a range of accessories in bright colours, like this cushion – but the sky’s the limit!

Surrey Day – 7 May

It’s Surrey Day on 7 May and local vineyards have Open Days to celebrate, including High Clandon Vineyard, where you can enjoy the gardens and cream teas – and you can book a tour, talk and tasting as well. And Greyfriars Vineyard at Puttenham has its first ever Artisan Market, where local producers/traders will tempt you with their delicacies and the wine bar beckons for wine by the glass and tastings.

This garden will make you laugh

Painshill Park at Cobham has teamed up with Crack Comedy to offer stand-up comedy in its walled garden, with a range of top comedy acts, starting on 31 May. Bring a sense of humour, a blanket or chair and a picnic! There’s a bar available too. Details/tickets are here.

Bushy Beverage

Get ready for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Holiday on 2 – 3 June by having some tipple handy for a toast. Fortnum’s limited-edition Platinum Jubilee English Sparkling Wine could be just the ticket. It’s made with 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir grapes grown and handpicked from the biodynamic vineyard at Laverstoke Park, Hampshire. Good health!

Until next time!

If you would like to put your garden ideas into action, why not contact us to help?