We have been running garden design experience days for more than 10 years.  They have been run on behalf of Boots, W H Smith, Argos and others.  The days are run with Kathy Brown in her world famous garden at the Manor House, Stevington, Beds and include a light lunch, prepared by Kathy herself and often including recipes from her "Edible Flower Garden" book.  For the first time we are offering these days direct and details can be found on my website - www.grahamapavey.co.uk or Kathy's kathybrownsgarden.homestead.com

Hi everyone,

I've got to do some coloured plans for my college projects using different mediums. I already use water colours and coloured pencils.

I want to experiment with some marker pens, something more vivid,  but there seem to be so many different makes and sets out there, of which some can be quite expensive, and don't know which to go for. Someone has already recommended Tria markers. I've looked on line for them and there are a number of different sets available.

Can anyone recommend which sets are good for general garden plans?

Cheers

Trevor

It can sometimes be lonely working as a sole trader, we could all benefit from the continued support of other Garden Designers for on going development, problem solving, information pooling and sourcing ideas, - is there anybody out there that would be interested in starting a group or is there such a group I could join within 1 hour of SN11 , Wiltshire   Contact [email protected]   

Today at college we were finishing off our community project before the end of term next week (boo!)  We were asked to renovate the roof garden at our local hospital, Dr Gray's in Elgin. 

All year we've been begging materials from local companies and we had loads of half barrel planters donated from a local distillery (we're on the Morayshire Whisky Trail and have loads of distilleries in the area), compost donated from a big DIY chain (you can do it!)  and we've raised funds for plants. 

Well, today was the day we've all been waiting for after the hard toil of lifting all the materials up the fire escape so we didn't disturb the poorly folks on the ward!  We went and spent our money on all the plants.  I had an absolute ball!!  After lunch (we raised a glass together cos it's the last Tuesday we'll all be together this year) we climbed back up the fire escape stairs to do the planting.  Hoorah!!  Even the torrential rain didn't dampen our spirits!

The place looks great now, the nurses came out to say thank you and the photographer from our local paper came round to take photos of us (soaked to the breeks and looking glam, haaa, my other half will fall in love with me all over again when he sees it!)

I'm back at home in the warm now and in my jammies with a cosy glow inside!  What a lovely day!

Sharon

Who we are and What we do

This scheme has been devised to offer practical gardening training to those interested in a career in horticulture.  Trainees may be returning to work after

having a family,changing career or facing redundancy/unemployment.  The GTG offer the opportunity to learn a variety of gardening skills working with a

professional gardening team or garden owner, who in return benefit from a committed, responsible and enthusiastic trainee.  Trainees are interviewed by

the Head Gardener or Garden Owner and every effort is made to find a garden close to the trainees home.  The trainee will be expected to learn a number of

practical gardening skills carried out over two days per week for one year.  The placement is monitored by the GTG throughout the training period.

Costs involved

The Garden Owner and Trainee pay a registration/finding fee of £150 and £300 respectively to the GTG and the Trainee is paid the minimum wage by

the Garden Owner for the hours worked.

For further information

Please call 01795 42777 or email [email protected]

Hi to all.....   Only 7 more weeks until i sit my exam at Sparsholt College. i am totally bogged down with assignment work, just finished site plan / ****ysis, and i had to do 4 concept drawings for lord Baden Powells house, Pax Hill Lodge in Bentley Hampshire. I am now working on 1/50 scale of chosen concept. ive also got 3 experiments for plant and soil science to write up, a contracting assignment, a business assignment. and last but not least 4 construction drawings to produce. oh what fun.

It will all be worth it in the end. my college experience at sparsholt comes to an end on june 27th. i might possibly go back next year to do a top up course on garden design, but not full time, once a week will be more than enough.

went on a visit yesterday to Stourhead in whiltshire. What a Fantastic place. i can certainly see why it is classed as one of the finest landscaped gardens. i would highly recomend a visit there to anybody.

well its time for me to get back to it. take care all, summer is almost here. yippee.