Patterned Earth

07/08/2026

The gorse is in bloom. Happy days. 💛

03/08/2026

Fancy a good idea for looking after water starved plants in summer?...

02/08/2026

I went on holiday during one of the driest spells of the summer...
..fully expecting to come home to a few casualties.

Instead, these hugelkultur beds had quietly carried on as if nothing had happened.

Buried logs act like a reservoir, soaking up winter rain and slowly releasing it back into the soil when plants need it. It's one of those ideas that sounds a bit odd until you see it working.

I've started using the same principle in some ornamental planting beds too—and you'll be seeing it in an upcoming Patterned Earth garden very soon.

Turns out the best kind of garden is one that doesn't notice you've gone.

23/07/2026

12/07/2026

A few more details from the show garden after day 1 of the show...

The best surprise? Less than a day after opening, we already had a mouse and a bird making themselves at home.

It's only temporary, but it's nice to think the garden still feels welcoming to more than just the visitors.

11/07/2026

And... here it is.

After months of sketches, mock-ups, planning, lifting, carrying and building, it's finally time to step back and enjoy it.

Here's a first wander through this year's Belvoir Castle show garden... Weathering Heights.

I'd love to know what catches your eye first.

Thanks to everyone who's helped me put this together. You know who you are and I really appreciate it :)

10/07/2026

The first tree is in, and this beautiful Betula is already starting to set the scene.

Now we can get on with filling in the rest!

£

10/07/2026

Day 1 of the Belvoir Castle Flower Show build and Richard's off and running on the dry stone wall.

09/07/2026

After yesterday's lifting and shifting, today felt like real progress.

Richard's off and running with the dry stone wall, and it's always satisfying seeing the first stones find their place. There's a rhythm to it—trying different stones, turning them, swapping them out—until it just feels right.

It's still early days, but the garden is finally starting to emerge.

08/07/2026

People usually see the finished garden.

They don't see the two tonnes of stone and plants that have to be moved by hand before the garden is built.

Today was one of those days.

Everything is finally on site at Belvoir Castle. I'm exhausted, but this is all part of bringing an idea off the drawing board and into the landscape.

Tomorrow, we start building.