They say:

Editors Choice - It's All White - Beehive Planter by Sparrow & Finch.

beehive_herb_planter_living_south_magazine

They say:-"Garden Inspiration - Grow your own - Perfect for Growing Tomatoes - Living Larder Raised Tomato Planter - -Sparrow & Finch

Raised Tomato Planter featured in Woman and Home Magazine

They say:-"The traditional Chiddingstone Planter is hand built from wood form Sparrow & Finch."

Chiddingstone Garden Planter featured in Gardens Illustrated Magazine

They say:-"9 OF THE BEST- Wooden Trough Planters - Planters can be more than just containers, providing beauty in their own right. Kitchen Garden Living Larder Raised Planter - Sparrow & Finch."

Raised Kitchen Garden Featured in Gardens Illustrated May 2013

They say:-"The Beehive planter with holes in the front and sides for extra planting, is perfect for strawberries or herbs."

Beehive Strawberry Planter by Sparrow & Finch featured in The Lady

They say:- "Keep strawberries off the ground and away from pests to guarantee a good crop with this decorative Beehive wooden strawberry grower." Sparrow & Finch.

Beehive Planter By Sparrow & Finch featured in Real Homes Magazine.

They say:-"Small Space Garden - Space Saver - Grow your own in this Tomato Garden Living Larder raised planter, which is perfect for a small patio."

Raised Tomato Planter featured in Real Homes Magazine

Will it go round if I blow?

At the front of the house beside the driveway, we have an area that I call the woodland garden.

Love camellias 

When we purchased the house it was full of brambles, following years of neglect.  What we discovered when we cleared it, was a rather large area that was scattered with trees, quite shady with poor soil.  It's taken a few years but now it's one of the prettiest parts of the garden, especially in Spring, when all the daffodils wave in the wind.

Pretty, pretty, pretty

The front of the house has a more formal garden with lawns to either side and a central path to the front door.  Originally I planted lavender either side of the path and it was spectacular.  It grew so huge that you could hardly open the gate and it almost met in the middle of the path.  The Postman refused to deliver the mail because there were so many bees visiting.  A couple of years ago, I got a little over ambitious when pruning the lavender and killed great areas of it, so it has been replaced.  I chose a miniture lavender this time, with a white flower and it's just starting to get established.

Lavender and Tulips - Perfect

As you can see the front path is also lined with tulips.  I absolutely love tulips, especially white tulips; the first place that I head for each year at Chelsea Flower Show, are the tulips in the Flower Pavilion.  I am obsessed with the white tulips in the huge iron pot on the Bloms Bulbs stand.

Obsessed

Last year, I could resist no longer - the order form was calling out to me every time I visited the stand (quite a lot) during show week.  I ordered white first, then decided I had to have black as well.  When they arrived I realised that I had gone a little bit overboard, especially after the back breaking job of planting them all.

Stand to attention you lot

So on either side of the front path, down the driveway opposite the woodland garden and in a Chiddingstone planter or two, are black and white tulips.

Chiddingstone Planter or two

Perfect neat little rows of alternate black & white / white & black, some that flower in April and some that flower in May.

We can see you ...

I cannot wait until they come out in bloom, I am checking them everyday and today I began to see signs of colour, now for the nerve racking moment - did I get alternate colours or not?

Samantha x

I have known of How Green Nursery all my life, at one stage I even lived just down the road.  What I hadn't managed to do  however, was join up the dots that they could help us with the very stressful issue of the plants for Chelsea.

Amazingly, social media made me call Simon at How Green.  I had seen a tweet that said that How Green rented Topiary and I kicked myself - only a few months ago I had spent a small fortune on topiary for a photographic shoot!

Some of the wonderful topiary

The nursery is six and a half acres jammed packed with plant loveliness.  Offering nearly 4000 different perennials, grasses, alpines, herbs, vegetable plants, soft fruit, patio plants, potted bulbs and topiary.

Not sure where to explore first

Simon gave us a guided tour of the nursery, explained what plants were housed in each area and at what stage of growth they were.

Meet Tonto

Simon's dog Tonto is the official welcoming committee, be warned - do not visit with your best suit, as you will get Tonto'd.

As far as the eye can see

We discussed my plans for Chelsea, this part is always fun - is what I have planned, possible?  Do we have enough time?  What about other options, etc.  Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate ...

Counting pots - 1,000, 1001, 1002, 1003

Tomatoes are definitely going to be this years 'Challenge (in the absence of Anneka) Simon'  Come on Simon we know (hope, pray) you can do it.

Kentish barn

Kent has some wonderful old barns, like this one in the background belonging to one of Simon's neighbours.  I wonder what treasures are inside.  I can spend hours looking round old buildings, especially old farm buildings.  Ooops sorry, back to the plants!

Which one did you say was mine?

So the tour is almost over, our order has been placed, the sun is shining and I can almost feel the plants growing, my thanks to Simon and his team, I am supremely confident that your plants will look amazing.  I will keep praying for a little more sunshine however, just to be sure!

Samantha x