Holley Designs - Garden Design

02/05/2025

Our latest little project. Transforming a front garden into a lovely sunny spot.

15/11/2024

12/11/2024

Tip #1 : Spend time planning⁠
We all have so little time these days, but plan well and your garden will be a space you can spend more time relaxing in than working on. The more time you spend on planning the less time you will need to spend putting right your mistakes. If you are in a new property, do not rush into any major changes until you have seen a few seasons go by.⁠
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10/11/2024

As a self- confessed lazy gardener and an experienced garden designer, I want to pass on a few tips about planning your garden; that will help you have an easier garden to look after in years to come.⁠
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12/08/2024

I'm very excited to announce that I am now back in the garden design business.
My master's degree has been completed.

01/03/2023

Credit to The Woodland Trust for all the information supplied during this series of posts.

The Woodland Trust is a charity registered in England and Wales (No. 294344) and in Scotland (No. SC038885). A non-profit-making company limited by guarantee.
Registered in England No. 1982873. https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/

22/02/2023

Tree #5 Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)

Blackthorn grows as a shrub and can become an attractive tree once mature.
Early flowering, blackthorn is an essential source of pollen and nectar for bees and butterflies like the black and brown hairstreak. Its foliage feeds the caterpillars of many moths while birds nest among the thorny thickets, eating insects and sloes. Blackthorn is quick to mature and doesn’t take long to begin capturing carbon.

15/02/2023

Native Trees for a UK Garden
Tree #4 Hazel (Corylus avellana)

When coppiced, hazel can capture carbon for several hundred years – but it only takes three to five years for the first harvest of tasty hazelnuts. Hazel is a fast grower and a favourite among birds, caterpillars, squirrels and even dormice. You’ll have to get in quick before the nuts are all gone!

09/02/2023

Native Trees for a UK Garden
Tree #3 Osier willow (Salix viminalis)

Expect a burst of yellow catkins to brighten your outdoor space in chilly winters. Introduced in ancient times, the osier willow has long since benefitted native plant and wildlife species and is naturalised in the UK. Birds enjoy nesting among the branches and its catkins provide an important source of early nectar and pollen for pollinators. Caterpillars of moth species like the lackey, herald and red-tipped clearwing feed on the foliage.

01/02/2023

Native Trees for a UK Garden
Tree #2 Juniper (Juniperus communis)

Juniper is a much-loved evergreen that grows as a shrub or small tree. Its hardy nature and year-round foliage allow it to absorb carbon at a steady pace. A popular nesting spot, the juniper provides dense cover for small birds such as goldcrest. The fruit is a favourite among birds including fieldfare, song thrush, mistle thrush and ring ouzel.

26/01/2023

Native Trees for a UK Garden
Tree #1 Crab Apple

Crab apple (Malus sylvestris) : The crab apple’s rounded shape is great for casting shade and cooling the air. A trooper in dry seasons, the crab apple is considered drought tolerant. Its leaves are a food source for the caterpillars of many moths. Pollinators enjoy an early blooming season, finding an important source of pollen and nectar from early spring. The fruit is popular among birds like blackbirds, thrushes and crows, as well as mammals like mice, voles, foxes and badgers.

Preferred conditions: The crab apple can tolerate full sun and most soil types – it’s partial to dryness, making it an excellent choice to endure droughts.

18/01/2023

Species of wildlife depend on every tree for different reasons. As temperatures rise, water supplies suffer and natural cycles change. Planting more trees increases the chance for wildlife to secure food and shelter during increasing times of trial.