Vegetable and fruit gardens

Planning and preparation are the key foundations of a healthy and functional garden. By functionality, I mean ease of accessibility to growing space, the paths and walkways that connect the garden and the locality of composting systems and water collection systems.

The health of the garden lies in the soil, availability of light and drainage. Gardens aimed at food production come in many shapes and sizes. These variations make our gardens unique but this also means that each space must be treated differently. As much as soil quality can change in small distances so can gradient soil depth, water availability and drainage potential.

Of all the plant’s vegetables have been intensively bred over man’s history to grow stronger plants, bigger roots/ tubers/ fruits that meet our desired tastes and needs. As well as this we have selected varieties to enable us to grow them in different climates to their native homes. Due to this they can be incredibly greedy for food and particular in the requirements to fulfill their potential in a season. The main focus in conventional food production is the big three elements for growth, resilience and fruit protection.

These three elements are nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous and they make up nearly all of the feed given by farmers and growers around the world. Plants can survive with just these three elements but to grow truly special and highly nutritious vegetables and fruits the micro-elements need to be considered.

These include elements such as zinc and selenium, a well-balanced soil nurtures your plants and builds their immunity to predation, drought, disease and general stress. Through careful planning and nutrient management, we allow the garden to work for us relieving the pressure on the gardener.

Herb gardens

Herbs are a wonderful feature in the garden, many of them are perennial and have different flowering times offering delightful variation throughout the season. Aside from the aesthetic features herbs are a culinary delight offering many flavours to suit our cooking tastes.

Herbs are always at their best picked fresh so growing your own increases the quality. We are big fans of herbs for all of the reasons above and the sheer diversity in the families alone such as the mints and thymes.

Herbs blend well into beds and borders but also look great as a feature. Spirals, mandala and other geometric shapes are all possible, interlinking paths that cross through the swaying herbs in the summer to allow you to enjoy the fragrance and to watch the buzzing insects.