About Me


Claire Humphries I am a plant addict with a love of travel. I hope to share the great plants and gardens I get to see.

La Pozas was built by Edward James in East Central Mexico. It took him 40 years to build the follies and garden.


Showing Tag: "" (Show all posts)

Orto Botanico

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, September 14, 2015,


Romneya coulteri is also known as the Californian tree poppy.


Continue reading ...
 

Lovely Couple

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, May 8, 2015,



You have got to agree that this wisteria and clematis combination just look gorgeous together on this pergola

Continue reading ...
 

New Forest

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, March 2, 2015,



I guess I would be a bit shocked if I came home to find three horses lingering in my front garden. At least no plants were harmed in this process.

Continue reading ...
 

Mexico Jungle

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 12, 2015,

Continue reading ...
 

Barrafundle Beach

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, January 26, 2015,


I was not expecting to see much flower colour ( or sunshine) on a recent visit to Barrafundle beach in Pembrokeshire but this broom was in full bloom and was looking gorgeous. I think the proper name for it is Cytisus scoparius.

Continue reading ...
 

New Border

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, April 13, 2014,

Continue reading ...
 

Species tulips

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 3, 2014,



I just love these Tulipa praestans Shogun with the forget me nots and  I am not going to forget to order these bulbs for my own garden.  



Continue reading ...
 

East Beach, Selsey

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, March 1, 2014,


The common teasel or Dipsacus Fullonum can grow up to 2 metres and is a great food source for wildlife.

Continue reading ...
 

Looks Like Spring

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, February 10, 2014,

I just love mini daffodils. These are tete a tete but there are loads to choose from! 

Continue reading ...
 

Grass Masterclass

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, November 11, 2013,

This was a guided tour around Knoll Gardens in Wimbourne for garden designers . As you can see from the photo the grasses were looking glorious in the late afternoon light.

Continue reading ...
 

Gertrude's Garden

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, September 6, 2013,

Created in 1911 by Gertrude Jekyll for the inhabitant of Lindisfarne castle located on Holy Island. When I got there 2 weeks ago it was filled with a colourful array of cornflowers, vegetables and lambs ears.  

Continue reading ...
 

Gorgeous Roses

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, July 18, 2013,
 
I prefer roses that are highly scented, repeat their flowering, have an old fashioned look and are disease resistant. My favourites include ' Iceberg,' 'Constance Spry,' 'Golden Celebration' and ' Munstead Wood.' Don't just plant them on their own though because they look great teamed up with a perennial geranium such as ' Johnson's Blue' or Nepeta ' walkers low.'
Continue reading ...
 

Allium

Posted by Claire Humphries on Tuesday, May 21, 2013,

Continue reading ...
 

Aquilegias here.

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, May 18, 2013,

Continue reading ...
 

Pretty Pots

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 11, 2013,


There's still not a great choice of colourful plants around because it's just been too cold. I did however plant up this collection of lavender, scabious, mini pink tulips and hyacinths and as soon as I had arranged them on the client's patio the sun came out.


Continue reading ...
 

snakes head fritillary

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, March 14, 2013,


  


Delicate checkerboard flower petals on long slender stems are something special. Plant bulbs in autumn in soil that will remain moist in summer. Or buy some in pots now for a more instant look just like these for sale yesterday morning at Covent Garden Market
Continue reading ...
 

The Gantry, Brockley

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 21, 2013,


The lovely owners at the Gantry Restaurant, Brockley asked me to help create a garden area for their customers. I do hope there will be good weather this year for plenty of outdoor dining.   
Continue reading ...
 

Sri Lanka

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, February 4, 2013,


Did you know that the Coco de Mer ( Lodoicea maldivica) has the largest and heaviest seed in the vegetable kingdom? It also has huge fan like leaves which are useful for standing under to get shelter from the rain.
 Peradeniya botanic gardens gets nearly 200 days of rain a year and when I visited in Dec 2012 I made use of these botanical umbrellas too!
Continue reading ...
 

Autumn Favourites

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, November 11, 2012,

Believe it or not there are still a few plants out there looking rather wonderful despite it being late autumn. I would definately recommend planting the climber Parthenocissus quinuefolia if you have a rather large wall to cover. If like me you don't, why not mix some Sedum spectible with some Rudbeckia fulgida? The bright yellow and pinky red work a treat together. Finally the wonderful bright berries of the Pyracantha 'orange glow'  really do brighten up the trellis. 


Continue reading ...
 

Floriade, Venlo

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, August 20, 2012,


Ever wondered what the new trends in horticulture might be? Well there were some candidates at the flower expo in Holland that I went to last week both based around clothing.  I think the knitted tree trunk cover is perfect for those chilly nights in the garden and the orchid ballgown ( modelled by Cordelia my god daughter) is perfect for the heated glass house!





Continue reading ...
 

London Olympics 2012

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, August 12, 2012,





I visited the Olympic park in Stratford on Monday and was keen to look at the landscaping but was even more excited to see cycling in the velodrome. Jason Kenny got a gold medal for his efforts on wheels but I reckon if the gardens were in the olympics..... 
  • Bronze medal would go to the South African style planting with torch like red hot pokers and agapanthus mixed with grasses.
  • Silver medal I would award to the American prairie style planting with bands of Echinacea and Rudbeckia.
  • G...


Continue reading ...
 

Majorelle Gardens, Marrakech

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, April 27, 2012,









 The garden was designed in the 1920's by artist Jacques Majorelle. The cobolt blue painted on the buildings is named 'majorelle' blue. Monstera delicosa or the swiss cheese plant grows well there under a shady canopy but planting consists mainly of cacti and aloes.

Continue reading ...
 

New Plants and Kerb Appeal

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 26, 2012,












Here are some photos of a garden in Clapham that I replanted. A thick layer of farmyard manure was applied to all the raised beds to keep the moisture in the soil. Plants chosen for the sunnier border included Corylus avellana 'Contorta' (twisted willow) and  Rosa Princess Alexandra of Kent which I chose because it has unusually large, strongly fragrant, fully-double, pink blooms and it flowers twice. Shade tolerant plants such as Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae and Helleborus x hybridus ...
Continue reading ...
 

Spring Is Here

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, March 23, 2012,

One of my clients thinks I should tell everyone what I have been up to recently !


    






Here is a garden in Notting Hill that was spruced up ready for the new owners. After the decking was power washed, the planters were rearranged and plants that had perished replaced. It looked so much better with the new buxus balls, french lavenders and helleborus niger. Perfect spot for a gin and tonic don't you think?   


Continue reading ...
 

Terra Nostra Botanical Gardens, Azores

Posted by Claire Humphries on Tuesday, February 28, 2012,


 Here are some pics from Terra Nostra Botanical gardens on the Azores island of San Miguel. It was lush, green and tranquil with a vast array of tree ferns and animal sculptures. Tree ferns are a wonderful feature in London gardens and enjoy plenty of water and seaweed feed during the growing season. It is probably best to protect the growing part of the fern with straw in winter as they are hardy to about -10 degrees centigrade.
Continue reading ...
 

Hellebores

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, February 18, 2012,



It is wet and miserable outside today but I have just seen that some of my hellebores are in flower. Hellebore foetidus with the lime green flower is also known as the 'Stinking Hellebore' because the leaves whiff a bit if they are crushed. The purply black one with nodding flowers is known as the Lentern Rose or  Helleborus x hybridus 'Harvington Shades of the Night.' I use hellebores regularly in shade borders planted in groups of 3 or 5 as the evergreen leaves provide good ground cover. Co...
Continue reading ...
 

Cypress Trees in Mexico

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 9, 2012,



This time last year on a 450 km journey from Xilita to Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico I came across 20 Cupressus sempirvirens 'stricta' planted neatly around Auto Hotel el Acueducto. I would have offered to prune them but didn't have my ladder
Continue reading ...
 

Xmas box- January flowers

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, January 13, 2012,



This must be the most lovely smell ever to lift your mood on a miserable January day! Such a sweet strong scent from the tiny flowers. There are different types. I usually go for Sarcococca confusa which tends to be a more compact shrub. Sarcococca hookeriana is similar but gains more height. If you have a shady spot in your garden and want a low maintenance evergreen shrub this will not disappoint. It even has shiny black berries too.


Continue reading ...
 
 

Showing Tag: "" (Show all posts)

Orto Botanico

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, September 14, 2015,


Romneya coulteri is also known as the Californian tree poppy.


Continue reading ...
 

Lovely Couple

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, May 8, 2015,



You have got to agree that this wisteria and clematis combination just look gorgeous together on this pergola

Continue reading ...
 

New Forest

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, March 2, 2015,



I guess I would be a bit shocked if I came home to find three horses lingering in my front garden. At least no plants were harmed in this process.

Continue reading ...
 

Mexico Jungle

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 12, 2015,

Continue reading ...
 

Barrafundle Beach

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, January 26, 2015,


I was not expecting to see much flower colour ( or sunshine) on a recent visit to Barrafundle beach in Pembrokeshire but this broom was in full bloom and was looking gorgeous. I think the proper name for it is Cytisus scoparius.

Continue reading ...
 

New Border

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, April 13, 2014,

Continue reading ...
 

Species tulips

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 3, 2014,



I just love these Tulipa praestans Shogun with the forget me nots and  I am not going to forget to order these bulbs for my own garden.  



Continue reading ...
 

East Beach, Selsey

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, March 1, 2014,


The common teasel or Dipsacus Fullonum can grow up to 2 metres and is a great food source for wildlife.

Continue reading ...
 

Looks Like Spring

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, February 10, 2014,

I just love mini daffodils. These are tete a tete but there are loads to choose from! 

Continue reading ...
 

Grass Masterclass

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, November 11, 2013,

This was a guided tour around Knoll Gardens in Wimbourne for garden designers . As you can see from the photo the grasses were looking glorious in the late afternoon light.

Continue reading ...
 

Gertrude's Garden

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, September 6, 2013,

Created in 1911 by Gertrude Jekyll for the inhabitant of Lindisfarne castle located on Holy Island. When I got there 2 weeks ago it was filled with a colourful array of cornflowers, vegetables and lambs ears.  

Continue reading ...
 

Gorgeous Roses

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, July 18, 2013,
 
I prefer roses that are highly scented, repeat their flowering, have an old fashioned look and are disease resistant. My favourites include ' Iceberg,' 'Constance Spry,' 'Golden Celebration' and ' Munstead Wood.' Don't just plant them on their own though because they look great teamed up with a perennial geranium such as ' Johnson's Blue' or Nepeta ' walkers low.'
Continue reading ...
 

Allium

Posted by Claire Humphries on Tuesday, May 21, 2013,

Continue reading ...
 

Aquilegias here.

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, May 18, 2013,

Continue reading ...
 

Pretty Pots

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 11, 2013,


There's still not a great choice of colourful plants around because it's just been too cold. I did however plant up this collection of lavender, scabious, mini pink tulips and hyacinths and as soon as I had arranged them on the client's patio the sun came out.


Continue reading ...
 

snakes head fritillary

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, March 14, 2013,


  


Delicate checkerboard flower petals on long slender stems are something special. Plant bulbs in autumn in soil that will remain moist in summer. Or buy some in pots now for a more instant look just like these for sale yesterday morning at Covent Garden Market
Continue reading ...
 

The Gantry, Brockley

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 21, 2013,


The lovely owners at the Gantry Restaurant, Brockley asked me to help create a garden area for their customers. I do hope there will be good weather this year for plenty of outdoor dining.   
Continue reading ...
 

Sri Lanka

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, February 4, 2013,


Did you know that the Coco de Mer ( Lodoicea maldivica) has the largest and heaviest seed in the vegetable kingdom? It also has huge fan like leaves which are useful for standing under to get shelter from the rain.
 Peradeniya botanic gardens gets nearly 200 days of rain a year and when I visited in Dec 2012 I made use of these botanical umbrellas too!
Continue reading ...
 

Autumn Favourites

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, November 11, 2012,

Believe it or not there are still a few plants out there looking rather wonderful despite it being late autumn. I would definately recommend planting the climber Parthenocissus quinuefolia if you have a rather large wall to cover. If like me you don't, why not mix some Sedum spectible with some Rudbeckia fulgida? The bright yellow and pinky red work a treat together. Finally the wonderful bright berries of the Pyracantha 'orange glow'  really do brighten up the trellis. 


Continue reading ...
 

Floriade, Venlo

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, August 20, 2012,


Ever wondered what the new trends in horticulture might be? Well there were some candidates at the flower expo in Holland that I went to last week both based around clothing.  I think the knitted tree trunk cover is perfect for those chilly nights in the garden and the orchid ballgown ( modelled by Cordelia my god daughter) is perfect for the heated glass house!





Continue reading ...
 

London Olympics 2012

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, August 12, 2012,





I visited the Olympic park in Stratford on Monday and was keen to look at the landscaping but was even more excited to see cycling in the velodrome. Jason Kenny got a gold medal for his efforts on wheels but I reckon if the gardens were in the olympics..... 
  • Bronze medal would go to the South African style planting with torch like red hot pokers and agapanthus mixed with grasses.
  • Silver medal I would award to the American prairie style planting with bands of Echinacea and Rudbeckia.
  • G...


Continue reading ...
 

Majorelle Gardens, Marrakech

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, April 27, 2012,









 The garden was designed in the 1920's by artist Jacques Majorelle. The cobolt blue painted on the buildings is named 'majorelle' blue. Monstera delicosa or the swiss cheese plant grows well there under a shady canopy but planting consists mainly of cacti and aloes.

Continue reading ...
 

New Plants and Kerb Appeal

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 26, 2012,












Here are some photos of a garden in Clapham that I replanted. A thick layer of farmyard manure was applied to all the raised beds to keep the moisture in the soil. Plants chosen for the sunnier border included Corylus avellana 'Contorta' (twisted willow) and  Rosa Princess Alexandra of Kent which I chose because it has unusually large, strongly fragrant, fully-double, pink blooms and it flowers twice. Shade tolerant plants such as Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae and Helleborus x hybridus ...
Continue reading ...
 

Spring Is Here

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, March 23, 2012,

One of my clients thinks I should tell everyone what I have been up to recently !


    






Here is a garden in Notting Hill that was spruced up ready for the new owners. After the decking was power washed, the planters were rearranged and plants that had perished replaced. It looked so much better with the new buxus balls, french lavenders and helleborus niger. Perfect spot for a gin and tonic don't you think?   


Continue reading ...
 

Terra Nostra Botanical Gardens, Azores

Posted by Claire Humphries on Tuesday, February 28, 2012,


 Here are some pics from Terra Nostra Botanical gardens on the Azores island of San Miguel. It was lush, green and tranquil with a vast array of tree ferns and animal sculptures. Tree ferns are a wonderful feature in London gardens and enjoy plenty of water and seaweed feed during the growing season. It is probably best to protect the growing part of the fern with straw in winter as they are hardy to about -10 degrees centigrade.
Continue reading ...
 

Hellebores

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, February 18, 2012,



It is wet and miserable outside today but I have just seen that some of my hellebores are in flower. Hellebore foetidus with the lime green flower is also known as the 'Stinking Hellebore' because the leaves whiff a bit if they are crushed. The purply black one with nodding flowers is known as the Lentern Rose or  Helleborus x hybridus 'Harvington Shades of the Night.' I use hellebores regularly in shade borders planted in groups of 3 or 5 as the evergreen leaves provide good ground cover. Co...
Continue reading ...
 

Cypress Trees in Mexico

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 9, 2012,



This time last year on a 450 km journey from Xilita to Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico I came across 20 Cupressus sempirvirens 'stricta' planted neatly around Auto Hotel el Acueducto. I would have offered to prune them but didn't have my ladder
Continue reading ...
 

Xmas box- January flowers

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, January 13, 2012,



This must be the most lovely smell ever to lift your mood on a miserable January day! Such a sweet strong scent from the tiny flowers. There are different types. I usually go for Sarcococca confusa which tends to be a more compact shrub. Sarcococca hookeriana is similar but gains more height. If you have a shady spot in your garden and want a low maintenance evergreen shrub this will not disappoint. It even has shiny black berries too.


Continue reading ...
 
 

Showing Tag: "" (Show all posts)

Orto Botanico

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, September 14, 2015,


Romneya coulteri is also known as the Californian tree poppy.


Continue reading ...
 

Lovely Couple

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, May 8, 2015,



You have got to agree that this wisteria and clematis combination just look gorgeous together on this pergola

Continue reading ...
 

New Forest

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, March 2, 2015,



I guess I would be a bit shocked if I came home to find three horses lingering in my front garden. At least no plants were harmed in this process.

Continue reading ...
 

Mexico Jungle

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 12, 2015,

Continue reading ...
 

Barrafundle Beach

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, January 26, 2015,


I was not expecting to see much flower colour ( or sunshine) on a recent visit to Barrafundle beach in Pembrokeshire but this broom was in full bloom and was looking gorgeous. I think the proper name for it is Cytisus scoparius.

Continue reading ...
 

New Border

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, April 13, 2014,

Continue reading ...
 

Species tulips

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 3, 2014,



I just love these Tulipa praestans Shogun with the forget me nots and  I am not going to forget to order these bulbs for my own garden.  



Continue reading ...
 

East Beach, Selsey

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, March 1, 2014,


The common teasel or Dipsacus Fullonum can grow up to 2 metres and is a great food source for wildlife.

Continue reading ...
 

Looks Like Spring

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, February 10, 2014,

I just love mini daffodils. These are tete a tete but there are loads to choose from! 

Continue reading ...
 

Grass Masterclass

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, November 11, 2013,

This was a guided tour around Knoll Gardens in Wimbourne for garden designers . As you can see from the photo the grasses were looking glorious in the late afternoon light.

Continue reading ...
 

Gertrude's Garden

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, September 6, 2013,

Created in 1911 by Gertrude Jekyll for the inhabitant of Lindisfarne castle located on Holy Island. When I got there 2 weeks ago it was filled with a colourful array of cornflowers, vegetables and lambs ears.  

Continue reading ...
 

Gorgeous Roses

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, July 18, 2013,
 
I prefer roses that are highly scented, repeat their flowering, have an old fashioned look and are disease resistant. My favourites include ' Iceberg,' 'Constance Spry,' 'Golden Celebration' and ' Munstead Wood.' Don't just plant them on their own though because they look great teamed up with a perennial geranium such as ' Johnson's Blue' or Nepeta ' walkers low.'
Continue reading ...
 

Allium

Posted by Claire Humphries on Tuesday, May 21, 2013,

Continue reading ...
 

Aquilegias here.

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, May 18, 2013,

Continue reading ...
 

Pretty Pots

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 11, 2013,


There's still not a great choice of colourful plants around because it's just been too cold. I did however plant up this collection of lavender, scabious, mini pink tulips and hyacinths and as soon as I had arranged them on the client's patio the sun came out.


Continue reading ...
 

snakes head fritillary

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, March 14, 2013,


  


Delicate checkerboard flower petals on long slender stems are something special. Plant bulbs in autumn in soil that will remain moist in summer. Or buy some in pots now for a more instant look just like these for sale yesterday morning at Covent Garden Market
Continue reading ...
 

The Gantry, Brockley

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 21, 2013,


The lovely owners at the Gantry Restaurant, Brockley asked me to help create a garden area for their customers. I do hope there will be good weather this year for plenty of outdoor dining.   
Continue reading ...
 

Sri Lanka

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, February 4, 2013,


Did you know that the Coco de Mer ( Lodoicea maldivica) has the largest and heaviest seed in the vegetable kingdom? It also has huge fan like leaves which are useful for standing under to get shelter from the rain.
 Peradeniya botanic gardens gets nearly 200 days of rain a year and when I visited in Dec 2012 I made use of these botanical umbrellas too!
Continue reading ...
 

Autumn Favourites

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, November 11, 2012,

Believe it or not there are still a few plants out there looking rather wonderful despite it being late autumn. I would definately recommend planting the climber Parthenocissus quinuefolia if you have a rather large wall to cover. If like me you don't, why not mix some Sedum spectible with some Rudbeckia fulgida? The bright yellow and pinky red work a treat together. Finally the wonderful bright berries of the Pyracantha 'orange glow'  really do brighten up the trellis. 


Continue reading ...
 

Floriade, Venlo

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, August 20, 2012,


Ever wondered what the new trends in horticulture might be? Well there were some candidates at the flower expo in Holland that I went to last week both based around clothing.  I think the knitted tree trunk cover is perfect for those chilly nights in the garden and the orchid ballgown ( modelled by Cordelia my god daughter) is perfect for the heated glass house!





Continue reading ...
 

London Olympics 2012

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, August 12, 2012,





I visited the Olympic park in Stratford on Monday and was keen to look at the landscaping but was even more excited to see cycling in the velodrome. Jason Kenny got a gold medal for his efforts on wheels but I reckon if the gardens were in the olympics..... 
  • Bronze medal would go to the South African style planting with torch like red hot pokers and agapanthus mixed with grasses.
  • Silver medal I would award to the American prairie style planting with bands of Echinacea and Rudbeckia.
  • G...


Continue reading ...
 

Majorelle Gardens, Marrakech

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, April 27, 2012,









 The garden was designed in the 1920's by artist Jacques Majorelle. The cobolt blue painted on the buildings is named 'majorelle' blue. Monstera delicosa or the swiss cheese plant grows well there under a shady canopy but planting consists mainly of cacti and aloes.

Continue reading ...
 

New Plants and Kerb Appeal

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 26, 2012,












Here are some photos of a garden in Clapham that I replanted. A thick layer of farmyard manure was applied to all the raised beds to keep the moisture in the soil. Plants chosen for the sunnier border included Corylus avellana 'Contorta' (twisted willow) and  Rosa Princess Alexandra of Kent which I chose because it has unusually large, strongly fragrant, fully-double, pink blooms and it flowers twice. Shade tolerant plants such as Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae and Helleborus x hybridus ...
Continue reading ...
 

Spring Is Here

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, March 23, 2012,

One of my clients thinks I should tell everyone what I have been up to recently !


    






Here is a garden in Notting Hill that was spruced up ready for the new owners. After the decking was power washed, the planters were rearranged and plants that had perished replaced. It looked so much better with the new buxus balls, french lavenders and helleborus niger. Perfect spot for a gin and tonic don't you think?   


Continue reading ...
 

Terra Nostra Botanical Gardens, Azores

Posted by Claire Humphries on Tuesday, February 28, 2012,


 Here are some pics from Terra Nostra Botanical gardens on the Azores island of San Miguel. It was lush, green and tranquil with a vast array of tree ferns and animal sculptures. Tree ferns are a wonderful feature in London gardens and enjoy plenty of water and seaweed feed during the growing season. It is probably best to protect the growing part of the fern with straw in winter as they are hardy to about -10 degrees centigrade.
Continue reading ...
 

Hellebores

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, February 18, 2012,



It is wet and miserable outside today but I have just seen that some of my hellebores are in flower. Hellebore foetidus with the lime green flower is also known as the 'Stinking Hellebore' because the leaves whiff a bit if they are crushed. The purply black one with nodding flowers is known as the Lentern Rose or  Helleborus x hybridus 'Harvington Shades of the Night.' I use hellebores regularly in shade borders planted in groups of 3 or 5 as the evergreen leaves provide good ground cover. Co...
Continue reading ...
 

Cypress Trees in Mexico

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 9, 2012,



This time last year on a 450 km journey from Xilita to Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico I came across 20 Cupressus sempirvirens 'stricta' planted neatly around Auto Hotel el Acueducto. I would have offered to prune them but didn't have my ladder
Continue reading ...
 

Xmas box- January flowers

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, January 13, 2012,



This must be the most lovely smell ever to lift your mood on a miserable January day! Such a sweet strong scent from the tiny flowers. There are different types. I usually go for Sarcococca confusa which tends to be a more compact shrub. Sarcococca hookeriana is similar but gains more height. If you have a shady spot in your garden and want a low maintenance evergreen shrub this will not disappoint. It even has shiny black berries too.


Continue reading ...
 
 

Showing Tag: "" (Show all posts)

Orto Botanico

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, September 14, 2015,


Romneya coulteri is also known as the Californian tree poppy.


Continue reading ...
 

Lovely Couple

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, May 8, 2015,



You have got to agree that this wisteria and clematis combination just look gorgeous together on this pergola

Continue reading ...
 

New Forest

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, March 2, 2015,



I guess I would be a bit shocked if I came home to find three horses lingering in my front garden. At least no plants were harmed in this process.

Continue reading ...
 

Mexico Jungle

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 12, 2015,

Continue reading ...
 

Barrafundle Beach

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, January 26, 2015,


I was not expecting to see much flower colour ( or sunshine) on a recent visit to Barrafundle beach in Pembrokeshire but this broom was in full bloom and was looking gorgeous. I think the proper name for it is Cytisus scoparius.

Continue reading ...
 

New Border

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, April 13, 2014,

Continue reading ...
 

Species tulips

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 3, 2014,



I just love these Tulipa praestans Shogun with the forget me nots and  I am not going to forget to order these bulbs for my own garden.  



Continue reading ...
 

East Beach, Selsey

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, March 1, 2014,


The common teasel or Dipsacus Fullonum can grow up to 2 metres and is a great food source for wildlife.

Continue reading ...
 

Looks Like Spring

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, February 10, 2014,

I just love mini daffodils. These are tete a tete but there are loads to choose from! 

Continue reading ...
 

Grass Masterclass

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, November 11, 2013,

This was a guided tour around Knoll Gardens in Wimbourne for garden designers . As you can see from the photo the grasses were looking glorious in the late afternoon light.

Continue reading ...
 

Gertrude's Garden

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, September 6, 2013,

Created in 1911 by Gertrude Jekyll for the inhabitant of Lindisfarne castle located on Holy Island. When I got there 2 weeks ago it was filled with a colourful array of cornflowers, vegetables and lambs ears.  

Continue reading ...
 

Gorgeous Roses

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, July 18, 2013,
 
I prefer roses that are highly scented, repeat their flowering, have an old fashioned look and are disease resistant. My favourites include ' Iceberg,' 'Constance Spry,' 'Golden Celebration' and ' Munstead Wood.' Don't just plant them on their own though because they look great teamed up with a perennial geranium such as ' Johnson's Blue' or Nepeta ' walkers low.'
Continue reading ...
 

Allium

Posted by Claire Humphries on Tuesday, May 21, 2013,

Continue reading ...
 

Aquilegias here.

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, May 18, 2013,

Continue reading ...
 

Pretty Pots

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 11, 2013,


There's still not a great choice of colourful plants around because it's just been too cold. I did however plant up this collection of lavender, scabious, mini pink tulips and hyacinths and as soon as I had arranged them on the client's patio the sun came out.


Continue reading ...
 

snakes head fritillary

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, March 14, 2013,


  


Delicate checkerboard flower petals on long slender stems are something special. Plant bulbs in autumn in soil that will remain moist in summer. Or buy some in pots now for a more instant look just like these for sale yesterday morning at Covent Garden Market
Continue reading ...
 

The Gantry, Brockley

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 21, 2013,


The lovely owners at the Gantry Restaurant, Brockley asked me to help create a garden area for their customers. I do hope there will be good weather this year for plenty of outdoor dining.   
Continue reading ...
 

Sri Lanka

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, February 4, 2013,


Did you know that the Coco de Mer ( Lodoicea maldivica) has the largest and heaviest seed in the vegetable kingdom? It also has huge fan like leaves which are useful for standing under to get shelter from the rain.
 Peradeniya botanic gardens gets nearly 200 days of rain a year and when I visited in Dec 2012 I made use of these botanical umbrellas too!
Continue reading ...
 

Autumn Favourites

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, November 11, 2012,

Believe it or not there are still a few plants out there looking rather wonderful despite it being late autumn. I would definately recommend planting the climber Parthenocissus quinuefolia if you have a rather large wall to cover. If like me you don't, why not mix some Sedum spectible with some Rudbeckia fulgida? The bright yellow and pinky red work a treat together. Finally the wonderful bright berries of the Pyracantha 'orange glow'  really do brighten up the trellis. 


Continue reading ...
 

Floriade, Venlo

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, August 20, 2012,


Ever wondered what the new trends in horticulture might be? Well there were some candidates at the flower expo in Holland that I went to last week both based around clothing.  I think the knitted tree trunk cover is perfect for those chilly nights in the garden and the orchid ballgown ( modelled by Cordelia my god daughter) is perfect for the heated glass house!





Continue reading ...
 

London Olympics 2012

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, August 12, 2012,





I visited the Olympic park in Stratford on Monday and was keen to look at the landscaping but was even more excited to see cycling in the velodrome. Jason Kenny got a gold medal for his efforts on wheels but I reckon if the gardens were in the olympics..... 
  • Bronze medal would go to the South African style planting with torch like red hot pokers and agapanthus mixed with grasses.
  • Silver medal I would award to the American prairie style planting with bands of Echinacea and Rudbeckia.
  • G...


Continue reading ...
 

Majorelle Gardens, Marrakech

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, April 27, 2012,









 The garden was designed in the 1920's by artist Jacques Majorelle. The cobolt blue painted on the buildings is named 'majorelle' blue. Monstera delicosa or the swiss cheese plant grows well there under a shady canopy but planting consists mainly of cacti and aloes.

Continue reading ...
 

New Plants and Kerb Appeal

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 26, 2012,












Here are some photos of a garden in Clapham that I replanted. A thick layer of farmyard manure was applied to all the raised beds to keep the moisture in the soil. Plants chosen for the sunnier border included Corylus avellana 'Contorta' (twisted willow) and  Rosa Princess Alexandra of Kent which I chose because it has unusually large, strongly fragrant, fully-double, pink blooms and it flowers twice. Shade tolerant plants such as Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae and Helleborus x hybridus ...
Continue reading ...
 

Spring Is Here

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, March 23, 2012,

One of my clients thinks I should tell everyone what I have been up to recently !


    






Here is a garden in Notting Hill that was spruced up ready for the new owners. After the decking was power washed, the planters were rearranged and plants that had perished replaced. It looked so much better with the new buxus balls, french lavenders and helleborus niger. Perfect spot for a gin and tonic don't you think?   


Continue reading ...
 

Terra Nostra Botanical Gardens, Azores

Posted by Claire Humphries on Tuesday, February 28, 2012,


 Here are some pics from Terra Nostra Botanical gardens on the Azores island of San Miguel. It was lush, green and tranquil with a vast array of tree ferns and animal sculptures. Tree ferns are a wonderful feature in London gardens and enjoy plenty of water and seaweed feed during the growing season. It is probably best to protect the growing part of the fern with straw in winter as they are hardy to about -10 degrees centigrade.
Continue reading ...
 

Hellebores

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, February 18, 2012,



It is wet and miserable outside today but I have just seen that some of my hellebores are in flower. Hellebore foetidus with the lime green flower is also known as the 'Stinking Hellebore' because the leaves whiff a bit if they are crushed. The purply black one with nodding flowers is known as the Lentern Rose or  Helleborus x hybridus 'Harvington Shades of the Night.' I use hellebores regularly in shade borders planted in groups of 3 or 5 as the evergreen leaves provide good ground cover. Co...
Continue reading ...
 

Cypress Trees in Mexico

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 9, 2012,



This time last year on a 450 km journey from Xilita to Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico I came across 20 Cupressus sempirvirens 'stricta' planted neatly around Auto Hotel el Acueducto. I would have offered to prune them but didn't have my ladder
Continue reading ...
 

Xmas box- January flowers

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, January 13, 2012,



This must be the most lovely smell ever to lift your mood on a miserable January day! Such a sweet strong scent from the tiny flowers. There are different types. I usually go for Sarcococca confusa which tends to be a more compact shrub. Sarcococca hookeriana is similar but gains more height. If you have a shady spot in your garden and want a low maintenance evergreen shrub this will not disappoint. It even has shiny black berries too.


Continue reading ...
 
 

Showing Tag: "" (Show all posts)

Orto Botanico

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, September 14, 2015,


Romneya coulteri is also known as the Californian tree poppy.


Continue reading ...
 

Lovely Couple

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, May 8, 2015,



You have got to agree that this wisteria and clematis combination just look gorgeous together on this pergola

Continue reading ...
 

New Forest

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, March 2, 2015,



I guess I would be a bit shocked if I came home to find three horses lingering in my front garden. At least no plants were harmed in this process.

Continue reading ...
 

Mexico Jungle

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 12, 2015,

Continue reading ...
 

Barrafundle Beach

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, January 26, 2015,


I was not expecting to see much flower colour ( or sunshine) on a recent visit to Barrafundle beach in Pembrokeshire but this broom was in full bloom and was looking gorgeous. I think the proper name for it is Cytisus scoparius.

Continue reading ...
 

New Border

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, April 13, 2014,

Continue reading ...
 

Species tulips

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 3, 2014,



I just love these Tulipa praestans Shogun with the forget me nots and  I am not going to forget to order these bulbs for my own garden.  



Continue reading ...
 

East Beach, Selsey

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, March 1, 2014,


The common teasel or Dipsacus Fullonum can grow up to 2 metres and is a great food source for wildlife.

Continue reading ...
 

Looks Like Spring

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, February 10, 2014,

I just love mini daffodils. These are tete a tete but there are loads to choose from! 

Continue reading ...
 

Grass Masterclass

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, November 11, 2013,

This was a guided tour around Knoll Gardens in Wimbourne for garden designers . As you can see from the photo the grasses were looking glorious in the late afternoon light.

Continue reading ...
 

Gertrude's Garden

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, September 6, 2013,

Created in 1911 by Gertrude Jekyll for the inhabitant of Lindisfarne castle located on Holy Island. When I got there 2 weeks ago it was filled with a colourful array of cornflowers, vegetables and lambs ears.  

Continue reading ...
 

Gorgeous Roses

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, July 18, 2013,
 
I prefer roses that are highly scented, repeat their flowering, have an old fashioned look and are disease resistant. My favourites include ' Iceberg,' 'Constance Spry,' 'Golden Celebration' and ' Munstead Wood.' Don't just plant them on their own though because they look great teamed up with a perennial geranium such as ' Johnson's Blue' or Nepeta ' walkers low.'
Continue reading ...
 

Allium

Posted by Claire Humphries on Tuesday, May 21, 2013,

Continue reading ...
 

Aquilegias here.

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, May 18, 2013,

Continue reading ...
 

Pretty Pots

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 11, 2013,


There's still not a great choice of colourful plants around because it's just been too cold. I did however plant up this collection of lavender, scabious, mini pink tulips and hyacinths and as soon as I had arranged them on the client's patio the sun came out.


Continue reading ...
 

snakes head fritillary

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, March 14, 2013,


  


Delicate checkerboard flower petals on long slender stems are something special. Plant bulbs in autumn in soil that will remain moist in summer. Or buy some in pots now for a more instant look just like these for sale yesterday morning at Covent Garden Market
Continue reading ...
 

The Gantry, Brockley

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 21, 2013,


The lovely owners at the Gantry Restaurant, Brockley asked me to help create a garden area for their customers. I do hope there will be good weather this year for plenty of outdoor dining.   
Continue reading ...
 

Sri Lanka

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, February 4, 2013,


Did you know that the Coco de Mer ( Lodoicea maldivica) has the largest and heaviest seed in the vegetable kingdom? It also has huge fan like leaves which are useful for standing under to get shelter from the rain.
 Peradeniya botanic gardens gets nearly 200 days of rain a year and when I visited in Dec 2012 I made use of these botanical umbrellas too!
Continue reading ...
 

Autumn Favourites

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, November 11, 2012,

Believe it or not there are still a few plants out there looking rather wonderful despite it being late autumn. I would definately recommend planting the climber Parthenocissus quinuefolia if you have a rather large wall to cover. If like me you don't, why not mix some Sedum spectible with some Rudbeckia fulgida? The bright yellow and pinky red work a treat together. Finally the wonderful bright berries of the Pyracantha 'orange glow'  really do brighten up the trellis. 


Continue reading ...
 

Floriade, Venlo

Posted by Claire Humphries on Monday, August 20, 2012,


Ever wondered what the new trends in horticulture might be? Well there were some candidates at the flower expo in Holland that I went to last week both based around clothing.  I think the knitted tree trunk cover is perfect for those chilly nights in the garden and the orchid ballgown ( modelled by Cordelia my god daughter) is perfect for the heated glass house!





Continue reading ...
 

London Olympics 2012

Posted by Claire Humphries on Sunday, August 12, 2012,





I visited the Olympic park in Stratford on Monday and was keen to look at the landscaping but was even more excited to see cycling in the velodrome. Jason Kenny got a gold medal for his efforts on wheels but I reckon if the gardens were in the olympics..... 
  • Bronze medal would go to the South African style planting with torch like red hot pokers and agapanthus mixed with grasses.
  • Silver medal I would award to the American prairie style planting with bands of Echinacea and Rudbeckia.
  • G...


Continue reading ...
 

Majorelle Gardens, Marrakech

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, April 27, 2012,









 The garden was designed in the 1920's by artist Jacques Majorelle. The cobolt blue painted on the buildings is named 'majorelle' blue. Monstera delicosa or the swiss cheese plant grows well there under a shady canopy but planting consists mainly of cacti and aloes.

Continue reading ...
 

New Plants and Kerb Appeal

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, April 26, 2012,












Here are some photos of a garden in Clapham that I replanted. A thick layer of farmyard manure was applied to all the raised beds to keep the moisture in the soil. Plants chosen for the sunnier border included Corylus avellana 'Contorta' (twisted willow) and  Rosa Princess Alexandra of Kent which I chose because it has unusually large, strongly fragrant, fully-double, pink blooms and it flowers twice. Shade tolerant plants such as Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae and Helleborus x hybridus ...
Continue reading ...
 

Spring Is Here

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, March 23, 2012,

One of my clients thinks I should tell everyone what I have been up to recently !


    






Here is a garden in Notting Hill that was spruced up ready for the new owners. After the decking was power washed, the planters were rearranged and plants that had perished replaced. It looked so much better with the new buxus balls, french lavenders and helleborus niger. Perfect spot for a gin and tonic don't you think?   


Continue reading ...
 

Terra Nostra Botanical Gardens, Azores

Posted by Claire Humphries on Tuesday, February 28, 2012,


 Here are some pics from Terra Nostra Botanical gardens on the Azores island of San Miguel. It was lush, green and tranquil with a vast array of tree ferns and animal sculptures. Tree ferns are a wonderful feature in London gardens and enjoy plenty of water and seaweed feed during the growing season. It is probably best to protect the growing part of the fern with straw in winter as they are hardy to about -10 degrees centigrade.
Continue reading ...
 

Hellebores

Posted by Claire Humphries on Saturday, February 18, 2012,



It is wet and miserable outside today but I have just seen that some of my hellebores are in flower. Hellebore foetidus with the lime green flower is also known as the 'Stinking Hellebore' because the leaves whiff a bit if they are crushed. The purply black one with nodding flowers is known as the Lentern Rose or  Helleborus x hybridus 'Harvington Shades of the Night.' I use hellebores regularly in shade borders planted in groups of 3 or 5 as the evergreen leaves provide good ground cover. Co...
Continue reading ...
 

Cypress Trees in Mexico

Posted by Claire Humphries on Thursday, February 9, 2012,



This time last year on a 450 km journey from Xilita to Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico I came across 20 Cupressus sempirvirens 'stricta' planted neatly around Auto Hotel el Acueducto. I would have offered to prune them but didn't have my ladder
Continue reading ...
 

Xmas box- January flowers

Posted by Claire Humphries on Friday, January 13, 2012,



This must be the most lovely smell ever to lift your mood on a miserable January day! Such a sweet strong scent from the tiny flowers. There are different types. I usually go for Sarcococca confusa which tends to be a more compact shrub. Sarcococca hookeriana is similar but gains more height. If you have a shady spot in your garden and want a low maintenance evergreen shrub this will not disappoint. It even has shiny black berries too.


Continue reading ...