Purple wellies blog
Welcome to Purple Wellies, the Painted Fern Garden Design blog. Here you will find gardening ideas, design inspiration and details of plants we grow and use in our garden designs.
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- autumn plants
- bacteria
- BBC Gardeners' World
- biophilia
- birds
- Box alternatives
- bulbs
- Chelsea Flower Show
- Clematis
- colour
- Community gardening
- container plants
- daffodil
- dry garden
- evergreens
- fern
- fungi
- garden design
- garden lighting
- garden seating
- garden trends
- gardening
- gardening gifts
- Habitats
- hardy geraniums
- harvesting rainwater
- honey fungus
- Horsell Garden Safari
- houseplants
- Insects
- mulching
- NGS
- open day
- outdoor living
- paving
- perennial
- pests and diseases
- plant combinations
- Pollinators
- Propagation
- RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
- rose
- Salvia
- screening
- show garden
- shrubs
- spring
- spring bulbs
- spring flowers
- spring plants
- summer flower
- summer planting
- sustainability
- tender plants
- tree
- unusual plants
- winter plants
- xeric
2025 gardening trends
DECEMBER 2024
It all begins with an idea.As another year begins, I look at what new plants and trends 2025 holds in store for us gardeners.
Gardens for pollinators and us
JULY 2024
Our gardens aren't just for us! They can be a vital source of food and shelter for a whole host of buzzing and fluttering friends we call pollinators.
Spring is upon us
APRIL 2024
Spring is upon us once again, a time to admire the vibrant blooms it gives us. As the final snowdrops fade, they give way to vibrant Crocus in a rainbow of colours and Daffodils, with their cheerful yellow trumpets, an iconic spring flower.
Beautiful Borders BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair
FEBRUARY 2024
We are delighted to announce our ‘Beautiful Borders’ design which will be at BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair at Beaulieu, Hampshire from 3rd – 5th May 2024.
Designing an outdoor living space
JANUARY 2024
As the first warm day in spring hits, our attentions turn back to our gardens, often not set foot in over the winter. Minds start focusing on creating an entertaining space – whiling away summer evenings with friends and family, but what’s the best way to create an outdoor living space?
Garden design trends for 2024
DECEMBER 2023
As we move closer to the New Year, what does 2024 hold in store for design ideas for our gardens?
The perception of colour
NOVEMBER 2023
The perception of colour in the garden can vary dependent on the time of day or season. It’s very subjective. So, what are the best colours to include in your planting to encourage wildlife into the garden?
Preparing the garden for winter
NOVEMBER 2023
With last winter being the coldest we’ve had for many years and lots of us sadly loosing plants in the week-long freeze we experienced, how can we put our gardens in a better position this year should we have another harsh winter?
Community gardening
AUGUST 2023
I’ve often thought that it would be lovely if Horsell had its own community gardening group. We’ve already got the Pares Woodland team and many Horsell residents have their own gardens or allotments, but a community garden has the ability to link different generations.