The brave snowdrop flower provides on of the first signs of life in the garden, as it emerges from its winter slumber. Snowdrops, Galanthus species, are part of the Amaryllidaceae family, having long stems, graceful extended leaves and beautifully rounded, drop-like flowers. Beautiful little snowdrop, Galanthus "Victor" with "Sickle" sketched Snowdrops look...
Read MoreAs a full Member of the GLDA, Tim Austen garden designs are proud to promote the upcoming 22nd International Garden Design Seminar to be held on Saturday 17th February 2018 at Crowne Plaza Dublin, Northwood Park, Santry, Dublin 9. Synopsis As designers and gardeners, we are very aware that our gardens are only as...
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Sometimes a simple clean up of your garden with some new planting, perhaps, a small feature added can give you a sense of achievement which can be seriously mood boosting. Think about when you give one of the rooms in your house a new lick of paint, rearranged the furniture or changed the...
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So, you’ve watched the garden makeover programmes on TV, read the garden magazines, you’ve Googled garden designers and famous gardens in Ireland and across the world, you’ve used Facebook and Instagram to find those wow garden images and you’ve put them all together on your Pinterest account. You know what...
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In the current Irish housing market, many people are adding extensions to their homes rather than moving to add value to their properties, add more space etc. I'm in that bracket myself with my kids becoming teenagers, suddenly the house seems much smaller than it did a few years ago....
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A couple of things have made me think about how important gardens and gardening are to the retired. Firstly, looking at the way my parents have enjoyed developing a brand new garden in County Kerry (from scratch) and how this has in many ways defined many of their recreational habits and...
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One thing that strikes me, when I think of the portfolio of gardens that we have designed and installed this year, is that whilst the practical aspects of the design are of the utmost importance - surfaces, levels, materials selection are all key parts of garden design that I spend...
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My last "outpouring" :) about watering was in March 2012, and back then I was describing having to water my perennials due to the unseasonably hot weather we were experiencing. This year too, we did have a dry, sunny spell in March; however, it did not last in the same way...
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Are there some things that are common between different garden designs; can a garden style be repeated between different gardens? "What if I want a particular design style that I have seen in an Instagram photo collection or repeated through the beautiful pictures on someone's Pinterest board?" Legitimate questions to...
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The early days of the New Year give us a chance to reflect on the past year's activity and to plan anew for the coming year. We tend to be full of fresh ideas, we want to make a difference for the better in the coming months and, in a...
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