LIVING COLOUR GARDENS

Living Colour Gardens is a garden design and maintenance company based in Shepherd's Bush, managing all garden requirements in Central London. We are specialised in both contemporary and traditional designs managing projects from design concept through to...

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Small garden idea - Exotic harmony

Even if you only have a small courtyard, you can do something imaginative with the available space. A bespoke seating area, with an interesting step into the garden can create an atmospheric setting - the evergreen planting will make you feel like you have your own little urban jungle. 

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Still Going!

Bulb planting in the Autumn is absolutely worth it for the fabulous Spring display! Check out our amazing garden in Ealing Broadway.

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Railway Sleeper Steps

Our Sleeping Beauty garden has been recently featured on Houzz in a cottage style article. Check out the article here: 

https://www.houzz.co.uk/ideabooks/105098177/list/9-charming-ideas-for-cottage-style-gardens

The recycled railway sleepers create the wonky steps and the planters as well, filled with aromatic herbs and scented perennials.

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Woodland garden in Islington by Living Colour Gardens

In this summer heat, we all can use the coll shade light shade of birch trees - the best air-conditioning is always natural. By these lovely white tree trunk, the garden is divided into section, including this rustic dining area under the canopy.

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Cottage border plants

If you are interested in creating a cottage border, or would just add a few more interesting plants to your existing one, make sure to check out our blog, Top 10 plants for cottage style borders on our website: http://livingcolourgardens.co.uk/top-10-plants-cottage-style-borders/

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Cottage Garden Heaven

A selection of long-flowering perennials, self-seeding annuals, ornamental grasses and many aromatic herbs. A colourful jumble of plant designer to please all garden visitors, including many pollinators and birds.

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Season of the bulbs

Look at this full display of black, white and pink tulips!  Our garden featured in Modern Gardens Magazine back in February. If you are interested in the artickel, check out our website!

http://livingcolourgardens.co.uk/article-garden-modern-gardens-magazine/

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Plant star of the week: Hamamelis x intermedia

The witch hazel derives its name from the old English word ‘wice’, which refers to the bendy branches. The main feature of this shrub are the flowers which appear around February: they are lemony scented and bright yellow. It is also a good skin remedy: a very powerful astringent which helps in eye irritations as well.

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Before - After

An example of a drastic change: creating a green lush contemporary garden with vegetable plots, pleached trees, seating area and archways.

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Urban Cottage by Living Colour Gardens

Planted in June this garden already looks mature with its colourful cottage jumble. Planting combinations include Stipa tenuissima, Salvia ‘Caradonna’, Iris ‘Sable’, Geranium ‘Rozanne’, Penstemon ‘Garnet’, esplaier apple trees, Astrantias and a mixture of culinary herbs.

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A garden through the seasons

A newly built contemporary garden by Living Colour Gardens showing its features in different times of the year...

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Pop Up Gardens: the season of the bulbs

Spring has finally arrived and we can enjoy our hard work planting bulbs back in the autumn: first to arrive are the tulips. They are short flowering but give plenty of colour to your borders this time of the year. Enjoy while it lasts!

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Before and After

See the changes that this family garden goes through in less than a year.

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Garden tip of the week: Mushroom compost

Give your garden the best christmas present this winter: a layer of mushroom compost!

Spent mushroom compost is a leftover material produced by the mushroom production industry. It is usually consists of wheat straw, dried blood, horse manure and ground chalk all nicely composted together, which will make an excellent humus source in your garden.

It is available in bagged versions making it easy to spread around in the garden.

When you open the bag, make sure to loosen up the block of compacted material before emtying the bag. This will make it easier to spread around and mix together with the soil.

The compost will be beneficial for all your plants: it will keep them warm during the winter period and give extra nutrients for spring when everything starts to grow.

Mixing it up with general multipurpose compost or green manure will make an excellent mulch as well.

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Autumn images from Living Colour designed gardens

We had an amazing autumn so far and we would like to share how our gardens have changed into their autumn colours. Bright reds, yellows, long shadows and flowering cyclamens everywhere! Our favourite feature trees in this season are the Amelanchier, Acer and Cotinus species.

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Fun fact about plants :)

Iris foetidissima or stinking iris got its name by the ‘scent‘ of the leaves when crushed which is described by some as a beefy odour. As one of the two species of Iris native to Britain, this plant has actually a long history of medicinal use: the decoction of its roots acts as a stong purge.

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Plant star of the week: Castanea sativa

The sweet chestnut tree has just started its autumn performance by dropping spiny fruits on the ground: the  cupules contain about 3-7 nuts which has a similar taste as sweet potatoes when cooked. But be aware, you will have to compete for them with birds and squirrels. The tree can be used medicinally as well, as the leaves and bark contain tannins, the best astringent in making herbal remedies. It is native to Europe and East Asia, but the latin name ‘sativa’ actually refers to being cultivated by humans, as the tree was spread to colder regions by Roman soldiers, who ate chestnut porridge before battle.