Phoenix Breakwell Garden Design

16/10/2026

I think we are going to see a return to a "back to the past" themes with traditional gardens just like in the mid 1970s . Edith Holden an Edwardian Art teacher of Solihull Girls School inspired this movement leading to the likes of Laura Ashley fashion and interiors too.
Ediths book Dairy of an Edwardian Lady is still one of the world's best selling books.

07/10/2026

This is an illustration of a planting plan I recently produced. The scheme is designed to give as much colour and seasonal interest for its prominent position.

10/09/2026

Seeing what's new in the Horticultural World at the GLEE show at the NEC

28/08/2026

The pots we did this year helped keep some colour and interest in the drought.

28/08/2026

Unfortunately the grass this summer has been well and truly hammered with a lot of it completely dying due to the drought. The good news is that the moss has been killed off too. The remedy is, over the autumn to scarify (rake out) the lawn thoroughly and overseed with fresh grass seed.
I remember my father completely rotovating the lawn after the summer of 76 and growing vegetables in it for the following year.

09/08/2026

We are at a critical point with the drought

01/06/2026

Is it Summer?

Meteorological spring is fixed to the calendar (March 1 to May 31) to help forecasters easily compare climate data year-over-year. "Real" (astronomical) spring is based on the Earth's tilt and orbit, meaning its start date fluctuates yearly (usually March 19 or 20) depending on the vernal equinox.
The Dates: March, April, and May.Why it exists: It divides the year into four exact 3-month blocks. This makes tracking weather patterns, calculating monthly averages, and comparing climate statistics incredibly straightforward.

Astronomical Spring (March 2Oth June 20th Approx)
The Dates: Starts on the vernal equinox.Why it's different: It marks the exact moment the Earth's equator passes directly through the center of the Sun's path, giving day and night roughly equal lengths. Because the Earth's orbit isn't perfectly round and takes 365.24 days, the exact timing shifts.

22/05/2026

The ground is still very dry from last years drought. We expect a lot of trees and plants to suffer so don't forget to water especially recently planted things.

19/05/2026

Some photos of one of our gardens coming into its own this morning

03/05/2026