Kate Charles

Brown frog head peeking up from a pond which is covered in pondweed - Kate Charles Garden Design

Working with Water – How to incorporate water in your garden design

There are few sounds more peaceful than the sound of water, and when planning your garden, it is likely that you’ll want to consider ways of including water in your design. There are various benefits to adding water to your garden; some of which I’ll cover here. 1: The sensory appeal Water, whether running or …

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A wildflower meadow lawn with clover and yarrow

No Mow May – Give the mower a miss – your garden will thank you

If you’re a gardener you’ve probably seen or heard of No Mow May. The organisation Plantlife promotes the scheme, which encourages gardeners or any lawn-custodians such as local councils, to put the mower in the shed for the whole month. This is to help the natural grasses and flowers flourish, and is also vitally important …

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A hand holding a swift bird summer arrival April

A swift arrival

One of the signals of summer that nature affords me every year is the arrival of Swifts after their admirable migration efforts from their winter holidays in Africa. They arrive in late Spring, exhausted and in need of a little recovery before they create their nests, raise their young and then depart with the waning …

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Kate Charles Garden Design Worcester Signs of Spring Daffodils opening in bud

Signs of spring

This week, the weather is feeling warmer and more spring-like, and I certainly welcome the signs of new life in the garden. The bluetits are choosing their favourite nest box (they are a regular and welcome visitor to my garden) and sparrows have been spotted gathering nesting materials. There’s a great sense of anticipation, as …

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Red flower closeup, poinsettia, cuetlaxochitl

The 12 Plants of Christmas

The festive season would be somewhat soulless without the traditional plants of the season. Flowers, herbs, foliage, and spices which recall memories of Yuletides past, through sights, tastes and smells. The origins, history, and folklore of some of these traditional plants, though, might surprise you. Mistletoe (Viscum album) has long been revered as a symbol …

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Brown frog head peeking up from a pond which is covered in pondweed.

Working with Water – How to incorporate water in your garden design.

There are few sounds more peaceful than the sound of water, and when planning your garden, it is likely that you’ll want to consider ways of including water in your design. There are various benefits to adding water to your garden; some of which I’ll cover here. 1: The sensory appeal Water, whether running or …

Working with Water – How to incorporate water in your garden design. Read More »