Jo Newton Garden Design & Consultancy

10/04/2026

A little bit of a selection here from my typical working week:

1. The magnificent Magnolia in full bloom in Deane churchyard. My morning job sometimes entails a walk over to church from my office - which I love!

2. & 3. One of my recent Garden Consultations which involved lots of advice for this Manchester client's long back garden and my Plan Idea for the lower end of their garden. The garden work keeps me busy in my afternoons.

I'm currently working on a Plan Idea and write-up for some clients north of Bolton, and am very thankful that I have 2 more lined up for the next couple of weeks, one already visited, one yet to visit. Both very different but very plant-orientated.

If you would like a Garden Consultation with advice or a Plan Idea, get in touch!

20/02/2026

Our Cornus alba sibirica looking brilliant after the rain this afternoon!

I've been off sick today with THE VIRUS but felt the need to pop out for a breath of fresh air. Nice to be rewarded with this.

On a gardening tip note: it's almost time to prune this down. Sounds harsh but it helps to keep that vibrant colour. I also don't want it to grow too big.

06/02/2026

I've been working on a consultation for this lovely garden in the last couple of weeks. I'm now moving on to a very different, modern, family garden as my next project.

I specialise in Garden Consultations with Plan Ideas and planting ideas. And I'm happy to say, I'm getting well booked up, for which I'm grateful.

If you would like a Garden Consultation, get in touch!

16/01/2026

27/10/2025

Many thanks to Dave at Green Fox Gardening Co. for planting out these beautiful plants in our clients' garden. I just love the Sorbus and the multi-stemmed Birch especially!

Dave is one of the people that I recommend for installing my garden ideas or designs - he's not only a reliable, trustworthy, good quality landscaper, but he also loves plants and is experienced in horticulture - and that's so important to me.

It's very satifying to see a job through to completion.
(Photos by Dave Bryant)

18/10/2025

The first chop and drop of the season.

I decided to cut the Peony stems down now as they won't last that lovely yellow colour much longer anyway. The chopped bits form a bit of a mulch and will compost eventually.

I've kept most of the Echinops seed heads as they retain some structure in the garden over winter.

23/09/2025

I've been rather busy lately, so haven't posted in a while, but this is one of the latest in my garden consultations.

The garden shown in the 2nd and 3rd photos are how this client's garden is now, and how I propose it could be with one of my plan ideas.

The first photo is in our garden, where we have a lovely Euonymus alatus (Spindle tree) which I have recommended to my client. He was inspired by The Rainforest Garden by Zoe Claymore with The Woodland Trusts seen at Chelsea Flower Show, and wanted the planting she used in her garden. I had to use a mixture, combining the shade-loving plants at the back where it is also wetter, then coming forward to the house with less 'foresty' plants but still trying to keep planting that would look natural and 'work' - hence the Spindle.

There is still time to book me for this season, so if you would like advice and help with your garden, including plan ideas, get in touch!



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22/08/2025

I finished this consultation with a write-up and plan idea this week. As I said in my previous post, there's very little wrong with this garden - the client mainly just wanted a couple of areas tweaking.

And this is what they said in response:

Hi Jo,
Thank you so much for this very detailed and informative plan. I have just had a quick read through and I’m really impressed, in particular, with the amount of planting advice you have included...

I'm very thankful to be able to help people with their gardens, and am able to carry on providing this service at present, alongside my other job in church administration.

If you would like help with plants or plan ideas for your garden, get in touch with me.

05/08/2025

I visited this garden recently and although - as I'm sure you would agree with me - it's a very lovely garden, the client wants some ideas of how to improve a couple of areas. So I'm doing this as a consultation with a write-up and re-design ideas for those parts that they don't feel quite flow at the moment, or the privacy aspect needs reassessing.

I'm quite booked up for the next few weeks but am still open to enquiries. This would mean being added to a waiting list, but going into Autumn I am happy to continue helping people with their gardens in this way.

Please get in touch if you are in the Bolton or Greater Manchester areas and we can chat about your requirements.

11/07/2025

Nigel and I had a walk through the woods at Smithills, Bolton and then up to Smithills Hall yesterday.

It was a real pleasure to see the herbaceous borders that have been so lovingly planted and tended! I think some of the plants have been there a long time, and several have been kindly donated by members of the public.

If you have a large garden some of these plants could be suitable for you, for example, the yellow Inula on which we saw lots of butterflies. Others of the smaller or medium-sized perennials would work in smaller gardens.

And the Sidalcea featured in the close-up photo is one I've seen more of in the last couple of years. Related to the wild 'Mallow' it looks like its cultivated varieties are becoming more popular.

If you would like help with plant ideas in your garden - what might work and what won't, what will attract pollinators, what works in shade and what prefers full sun - get in touch and we can arrange a Garden Consultation 😀

04/07/2025

Hi folks!

As from next Monday 7th July there will be some changes in my working pattern, so I want to let you know what I'll be doing.

I'm taking on another job in the mornings - unrelated to gardening - but I will be available to carry on with my Garden Consultations and Planting Plans during the afternoons.

I do have a few consultations booked already, and a large planting plan that's been part of a long-term project; these will keep me going for the rest of July and into August. But if you are interested in a Consultation it's worth getting in touch and we can chat and I can get you onto the waiting list.

In the meantime, I hope you all have a good weekend with its mixture of rain and sunshine, and enjoy your gardens 🌞🌻🌼🦋🐝