Feeling the love!

The month of St. Valentine has got to be all about the senses and as landscape gardeners we sometimes get asked to design a Sensory garden. If you like this idea, below you’ll find some tips to start you off but do talk to us if you want further advice.

We hope you are getting outside to enjoy all that February has to offer – yes, it can be cold and wet but nature has the answers to that – like warming soup made with freshly harvested carrots (we’ve the recipe below). And a trip out to see the swathes of stunning snowdrops adorning our countryside. They are, of course, great to plant in the garden too.

So if you’re feeling a bit lethargic as winter continues, go in your garden or take a walk and enjoy all that nature gives us for free. We here at Bushy certainly will be! Hope to see you soon.

Chris & all the Bushy team

A prim and proper rose

Why focus on a simple Primrose for Valentines you wonder? Well, if it’s all about the senses this month, this flower just makes you feel better! It cheers up a winter’s walk when you happen upon the pretty yellow blooms – and, apparently, Primroses represent eternal love! Of course, you can have them in your garden too in different colours. Read more from the Woodland Trust here.

Sharpen your senses with a Sensory garden

Creating a sensory garden that is stimulating to all the senses is very possible with nature’s help – and a little assistance from a landscape gardener to know what and where to plant! Here are a few ideas (Kew Gardens also has many more!):

Sight: grouping plants of the same colour together can make a big visual impact – like blues for a soothing feel or reds for a vibrant, lively splash. And for more interest, choose plants that attract butterflies.
Touch: plants like Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantine), Silver sage and Jerusalem sage are soft to touch.
Smell: nothing beats the sweet fragrance of lavender and walking through an arch adorned with beautifully scented roses is heavenly.
Taste: being able to eat your own garden produce is incredibly satisfying – start small with a few strawberries and tomatoes, or have an apple, pear or plum tree. And add a few edible flowers like nasturtiums.
Sound: a pond or pool with a gentle waterfall to hear the water cascading down is idyllic. Or add plants that attract bees and a bird feeder to attract more birdsong. And maybe a few wind chimes to catch the breeze.

What’s a Wink worth?

Clusters of snowdrops are a sight for sore eyes in February. Most of our customers live locally to us, which is handy because one of the best places to enjoy the spectacle of thousands of snowdrops is at Winkworth Arboretum. Also handy is the fact that they can be viewed right outside the tea-room! You can wander individually or join a seasonal walk.

Garden food of love

We’re loving these recipes using crops you can harvest in February from the National Trust. To spice up your Valentine’s Day how about this spiced carrot and orange soup? We like the look of the beetroot and chocolate cake too!

Bushy Beverage

In the month of St Valentine, there are many exciting cocktails around to caress the tastebuds. We like this nature-inspired one, ‘The Honey Bee’ – but there are plenty more to pair up with in ‘Town & Country’ magazine.

Until next time!

Whether you want simply to cheer your garden up or wish to develop an idea, you can book a free garden appraisal with us on our website. Or you can just call us for an initial chat – who knows where it might take you and your garden?!