Hine Garden Design

Hine Garden Design Designing gardens that feel part of your home and enhance your lifestyle
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04/09/2026

Connecting spaces is one of the foundations of good garden design 🌿

In this garden we have used corten and a red brick to create both harmony and contrast. The materials complement one another beautifully, helping different areas feel connected while still bringing their own character.

Then of course you have the planting. We are lucky enough to be able to borrow the view of a neighbouring Beech tree for it's autumn/wither coppery tones, and the the rich copper tones of the ferns as the fronds unravel. As the seasons change these coppery planting tones flow through the garden and they speak well to the corten moments that we have in the garden.

Even this timer feature wall will eventually be stained a deeper, richer colour to compliment the rich and moody tones of this courtyard garden.

Good gardens aren't just about individual features. They're about how everything works together.

Details matter

03/09/2026

So we have these three lovely planters here planted up with Liriope.

Now Liriope is not a grass, it looks like a grass, but it’s actually a flowering evergreen perennial.

An intentional choice for this feature.

Just as many plants are beginning to fade, Liriope comes into its own with, in this case, purple flower spikes in autumn, bringing colour and interest as you sit outside and enjoy your garden on those warmer autumn evenings with a nice beverage or two. 🥂

It also helps transform what could otherwise be a fairly plain white wall, while the use of the corten creates a visual connection between the two spaces that border the dining space.

Repeated materials are a simple detail, evergreen planting a solid choice, but together they help the whole garden feel connected and considered.

01/09/2026

This might seem like a really simple feature...

But you guys seem to really enjoy it!

It’s a permeable wall in the sense that you can see right through it like an open slated screen.

As you arrive into this garden it helps to separate the area from the rest of the garden with a sense of curiosty and anticipation upon arrival- what sits beyond? It creates structure through the winter and sitting at the base you have these lovely textures of planting creating a contrast against it.

It complements the corten and brickwork in the background such that it sits naturally in the space.

And, if you want, while you are having a garden beverage (naturally 🥂🍺) you can use it as a rather convenient leaning post.

A way to create individual spaces without making any of the wider garden feel smaller for it.

Their own space

Their own purpose

Thier own identity

Nice!

28/08/2026

Back in this garden today, and things are starting to take off. 🌿

We' have got some blooms coming in, and the climbing jasmine has reached beyond the original wires.

When we first planted it, we installed vine eyes ready for additional support, but held off adding the extra wire straight away as we didn't want it to stand out against the black fencing. Now the plant is ready, so the next section of wire is going in.

We gently teased the jasmine away from the frame to encourage it along. As it produces longer tendrils, we'll continue guiding its growth, and next month there should be more new stems to tie in.

What a joy it is to watch the plants we install bloom  🌼

Still looking good, despite the dry spell ☀️But how?After this relentless period of dry weather in the UK and the driest...
27/08/2026

Still looking good, despite the dry spell ☀️

But how?

After this relentless period of dry weather in the UK and the driest July on record it is safe to say most gardens are struggling.

However, here are some plants from our clients’ gardens that don’t have irrigation and are still managing to shine despite the lack of rain.

🌿 Trachelospermum Jasminoides (Climbing Evergreen Jasmine) – all about the fragrance and winter colour
🌿 Hylotelephium (Sedum) – particularly useful for late-season interest
🌿 Pittosporum – brilliant for year-round structure and available in a range of foliage colours
🌿 Aster × frikartii 'Mönch' – a welcome splash of colour later in the season
🌿 Iris Foetidissima (the wonderfully named roast beef plant) whose leaves are said to smell a little like roast beef crisps when crushed... we'll let you be the judge of that one!
🌿 Saponaria - great ground cover plant

It’s important to note that this isn't just about choosing the right plants. It's about putting the right plant in the right place and allowing it time to establish.

Many garden plants become surprisingly drought tolerant once they're properly established which all of these plants are. Along with a commitment to watering (a particular challenge with regional hosepipe bans- I know), this can be the formula to help your garden weather periods of drought with far greater resilience, keeping it looking beautiful even when rain is in short supply.

Have you planted any of these in your garden? 🌱

20/08/2026

A comfortable space for dining.

When designing this space we could have felt limited by the size of the garden, however this would have done the garden a disservice, emphasizing the challenge of a smaller space. Instead this became an opportunity to create a generous area for socialising and dining that doesn't feel cramped, and instead, celebrated this primary function of the garden.

Having visitors and being able to pull out your dining table to the centre of the space, fosters a convivial environment where you, and your guests, want to spend time. Where you don't feel cramped and 'in the way'- not the vibe! This allows you and your fellow diners to relax into the space, to get your drinks out to you (yes please! 🥂), or simply move about the space.

So don't be afraid to give yourself the space to use your garden as effectively and comfortably as you can, after all it is there to be enjoyed with family and friends. 🥂

Few books stay with you for years. This is one of them for me.I first read The Last Lecture when I was 19 on a solo trip...
19/08/2026

Few books stay with you for years. This is one of them for me.

I first read The Last Lecture when I was 19 on a solo trip to Canada and I decided to pick it up again (same copy) on my recent return.

It's a relatively short read (phew!), but one that, for me, continues to leave a lasting impression.

Written by Randy Pausch, a university lecturer who was facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, the book is built around the final lecture he was asked to give as part of a long-standing American tradition. Lecturers are invited to imagine they are giving their last talk and share the lessons, values and ideas they would most want to be remembered for.

His talk "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" was intended as a legacy for his wife and children, filled with wisdom, humour and a powerful perspective on how to live life well. (I am positive they will have) I would say that the original audience scope grew considerably, to put it lightly, that I, and no doubt many more, have much to thank him for.

There is, somewhere a recording of the the talk- have you read the book or watched the recording? Have you any thoughts on what you might want to be remembered for?

It may not look like much, but to your local wildlife, it's a lifeline. 💧With the recent dry weather, the gardening team...
18/08/2026

It may not look like much, but to your local wildlife, it's a lifeline. 💧

With the recent dry weather, the gardening team have been out and about installing temporary wildlife water stations in gardens where little, or no, suitable water source exists.

The beauty of these water points is their simplicity. A sturdy plastic tray, a ramp to provide a safe escape route, and a carefully placed rock that not only offers a perch for insects but also helps keep the ramp securely in place.

Just as importantly, the trays are partially sunk into the ground to create easier access for wildlife of all sizes, from insects and amphibians to hedgehogs and other small mammals.

It may look simple, but a well positioned water source can make a real difference when natural supplies are limited, creating a garden that's welcoming and accessible to wildlife. 🦔🐝💧

Would you like me to do a 'how to' video?

17/08/2026

Let's talk about water. 💧

With high temperatures, drought like conditions and regional hosepipe bans the wildlife in your garden will be struggling.

If you have a pond that is drying out or a bird bath that needs topping up keep an eye on them. Make sure you are keeping the water levels where they need to be. This can be tricky if you are one of the regions with a hosepipe ban in place but you can certainly use a watering can. More labour intensive but just as effective.

Whilst we are on the topic of wildlife let's talk about hygiene, most importantly congregation points such as your bird feeder, bird bath or water stations.

The opportunity for pests and diseases to contaminate the space are unfortunately high, so it is paramount that we take that responsibility seriously. Wash out your bird feeding stations and baths. Then disinfect them with a garden disinfectant such as Jeyes Fluid. Jeyes Fluid is a well established garden disinfectant and on the back of the tin will be comprehensive details on how to dilute it and use it effectively.

The wildlife in your garden will really appreciate it!

Let us know in the comments how you are supporting wildlife in your garden 👇

14/08/2026

I thought I would talk to you about some of the corten elements in this garden.

In this garden we have these three wonderful cylindrical pots. They are bespoke sizes. Along with a striking bespoke long planter.

So why use corten for your raised bed?

Well the great thing about this is you can have a raised bed without the thickness of a brick taking up space which in a tight space can have a big impact, which means... more plants- Huzzah!

The corten (or really any metal / GRP planter) is around 3mm thick so you can get a 60cm bed in that is only 60cm deep, that doesn't take up more space in a tight garden, whereas, if you want the same with brick you have to have around 70-100mm (10cm) either side for the brick width.

In this garden it also compliments those moody russet tones. Its tactile, and the rusty effect helps to make the garden feel settled, aged- as though its been there for in place for years, not weeks.

A subtle design choice that can make a big impact.

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