Kate's Cuttings

Hello winter! I thought it would never arrive. Some days in the garden in December and early January felt more like early spring – birds singing, bulbs coming through, no coat. I was weeding, mulching, pruning and trying not to get lulled into a false sense of security. It was great to be out and doing proper gardening in the middle of winter (I was even spreading mushroom compost on Christmas Day!), but when the serious and regular frosts arrived it did feel like the natural order of things had returned. A rather comforting thought now I am well into my middle age. I hope you all got y... Read more…

A wander round the garden this morning with the birds singing and the sun shining cheered me up no end. In flower or looking good at the moment at 'Charnwood': a white Christmas Rose under a red stemmed dogwood, Virburnum Tinus 'Eve Price - lovely pink buds opening white, and the bright leaves of a variegated holly livening up the back garden.It will soon be Spring! Read more…

'Charnwood' is open through the National Garden Scheme on the afternoons of Sunday 6 and Monday 7 May 2012. There will be a 'Kates Cuttings' plant stall and teas courtesy of Friends of South Wolds School. Read more…

From 10.30 am • Would you like tips and ideas for plant combinations and colourful borders? • Would you like to extend the season of colour and interest in your garden? Come and share a morning in the garden at ‘Charnwood’ with Kate where she will answer your questions and talk to you about her successes and failures over the last 24 years. To be followed by a delicious home made light lunch by Kate’s (experienced) chef husband, Peter, and a glass of wine. Prior booking essential. For tickets (£28) please email Kate@katescuttings.net or ring 0115 9375148 Read more…

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Books: How to use colour effectively in the garden and some good plant combinations: Christopher Lloyd Colour for Adventurous Gardeners (BBC books) Sarah Raven The Bold and Brilliant Garden (Frances Lincoln) My two favourite books on garden design: John Brookes Garden Design (DK) Piet Oudolf with Noel Kingsbury Designing with Plants (Conran Octopus) Good, general books and gardening diaries: Beth Chatto Woodland Garden (Cassell) Monty Don The Ivington Diaries (Bloomsbury) Christopher Lloyd Garden Flowers (Domino) Christopher Lloyd In My Gar... Read more…

The book is ready to go! It is £8.50 from Kate in person, or you can order online using the options to the right. For any other payment methods or wholesale enquiries, contact Kate directly - kate@katescuttings.net. This is an entertaining read about Kate's long experience of gardening at 'Charnwood', a Yellow Book Garden in Nottinghamshire she has been developing since 1987. It is full of tips, stories, planting ideas and easy to follow explanations of how to be a successful gardener. It is beautifully illustrated with many colour photos of the garden through the seasons taken by Kevin... Read more…

Welcome to our garden. Peter and Kate Foale moved into Charnwood in South Notts with their son, David, in August 1987. As time, money and fitness has been available they have gradually developed the acre of garden and continue to plan new areas. The backdrop of mature trees and countryside makes gardening here a joy. Through the gate the front garden is dominated on the right by a blue cedar, probably at least as old as the house (1950s). The clipped box came from a local nursery, Ivor Thompson and has, unfortunately, been ‘trimmed’ in places by Jamie the dog who sadly passed away in 20... Read more…

Kate can offer advice about plants and planting schemes and gives a range of gardening talks including succession planning, the use of colour in the garden, plantswomen and men who have inspried her and why and what its like to be a 'yellow book' owner. Please contact her for more details.She is also an experienced garden writer. Kate Kate has been a mad keen amateur gardener all her life. Both her parents were skilled gardeners, her Mum, Margaret Newton lovingly tended her herbaceous borders until her death in March 2009 just a few weeks short of her 89th birthday. Inspiration for Kat... Read more…

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