From a small garden or something bigger, a patio or simply a balcony, pots and containers give you an easy way to create instant and changeable displays that you can move around your garden or put right outside your front door.

A planting plan may seem too much like hard work, after all who doesn’t want to just go shopping, pick your plants and get them in the ground? But it’s so worth taking the time to create a plan on paper for your borders and beds and with a bit of time it’s pretty easy to do.

If you’re looking for expert garden design services in Edinburgh, it’s worth remembering this - getting a garden designed and built is a big decision and often a once-in-a-lifetime spend. It’s probably not something you really want to revisit on a grand scale in the same garden. It therefore often pays to consult a designer.

It can be overwhelming when you're faced with what seems like a mountain to climb to get control of your garden. Or you want to change the look and feel of your garden but don't know where to start. Here are some tips to help you avoid gardening overwhelm:

It’s happened to us all. We’ve excitedly made an appointment to view a house that’s just come on the market. This is definitely the one! But then we draw up outside and our disappointment levels hit an all time low. First impressions and count!

Planning a border for your garden can be an exciting and creative process. It’s really worth the time and effort planning plants and their placing, however. It needn’t be a total plant refresh either, a tweak here and a plant move there can make the world of difference to creating the look and feel you want. Perhaps your garden needs an expanded colour palette, planting that will take you through the seasons or a general refresh.

If you’re thinking about redesigning your garden, where should you start? How can you make sure your outdoor space will work better for you? Here’s how to think about getting in tune with your space, what you need and how you’d like your garden to look and feel.

“Gardening adds years to your life and life to your years”. Whoever came up with this quote is on the money. Because gardens and gardening make us feel good, it’s a fact.

Wow, winter well and truly arrived in Edinburgh last week! Gazing out of the window got me thinking about winter gardens and what makes a good one. With so many options to give you colour, scent, shape and interest during the winter months, there’s definitely no need to settle for an empty, desolate garden. And while we might not be able to or want to get outside, we still want to look out at something lovely, don’t we?

Another pot refresh for winter and this time I've replaced some slightly sad-looking grasses which I've cut back and saved for next year and replaced with something lighter that will brighten up a patio or terrace.

A perfect activity for right now is getting those tulips planted. And a tulip lasagne in a pot will look so gorgeous in the spring, you'll be glad you put in the planning and hard graft now!

Now is the perfect time to refresh and replant your pots and containers for autumn and winter. In this video, I show how you can use your pots and containers to inject autumn and winter colour into the garden when everything else is starting to fade.

Do I actually walk around the garden with a notebook?! The answer is yes! Admittedly this was earlier in the summer and rather than planning a plant move I was contemplating the self-seeding machine that is angelica (I do love it but it also loves my garden). But I've been out with my notebook the last few weeks jotting down what needs to move this autumn and next spring.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀