How to give your front door a spring makeover
“Updating your front door is a quick and easy way to increase kerb appeal and put a smile on your face when you come home,” agrees the garden designer Melanie Hick. “Easy wins include jet-washing dirty paths and brickwork, then replacing unsuitable plants. Any old door can have an instant update with exterior wood paint from Mylands.”
How gardening became young, hip and urban
Melanie has long loved growing her own food and is inspired by the gardener behind New York’s High Line, Piet Oudolf – before she got a vegetable patch, she squeezed in raspberries, tomatoes, courgettes and more into the tiny front garden of a Victorian terraced house.
How to Make Your Lawn More Wildlife-friendly and Sustainable
“The easy way to add more interest and species to your lawn is to inject plugs of endemic wild plants,” Melanie Hick says.
Zen garden ideas to create a calming and tranquil landscape
'A wide range of studies show that meditation can have positive effects for everyone' says Melanie Hick. 'Make sure you create at least a small place to sit and reflect, perhaps surrounded by bamboo, with a view of a water feature.'
How to lay out a short, wide garden
“I managed to fit a patio and over-sized pergola with swings [pictured] into a short, wide garden, because a pergola takes up no space and swings are merely an additional seating option, not a space-stealer,” Melanie says.
Container Gardens Transform a Small Urban Yard
“…The homeowner initially proposed artificial grass, thinking it was the only option for creating a space for their kids. As an alternative, Hick suggested a more natural solution that would welcome wildlife, avoid artificial materials and inspire the children to play and explore.”
“…a series of large bug hotels, contained inside gabions and positioned around the garden. Here, you can see one of them, alongside a bench seat with more insect-enticing detail beneath it in the form of logs.The gabions are intended not only for insects to enjoy but also for the children’s nature finds – leaves, pine cones, twigs. In this one, pre-filled with Scottish pebbles, they’ve already poked in a cardboard tube. There are no rules!The children also have large, squishy outdoor bean bags (not shown) and a flat surface for scooting around on and playing with toys.”
