Autumn is here, it feels colder and the days are shorter. It’s a beautiful time of year – with the trees changing colour, bright blue skies, berries, seeds and crisp mornings. Perfect for preparing the garden for winter. GOOSE GREEN DESIGNThe Grey Cottage, Goose Green, Gullane EH31 2ATt: 01620 842866 | m: 07971163565e: joy@goosegreendesign.co.uk

When garden designer Joy Grey first visited this garden of a substantial Victorian Edinburgh terraced house, its main feature was sandbags. Now, it’s a beautiful, secluded, low maintenance garden which offers the owners a welcome respite from their busy working lives. Living next to a river may seem like a dream for many, but in…

Garden designer Joy Grey shares the sources of gardening information she has found useful. Perfect for those of you who are new, or not so new, to gardening! As I write, it’s early May and we’re in the midst of the COVID-19 lock-down. Hopefully, by the time you read this issue of Local Life, life…

Joy Grey tells us February is the time to get your garden properly prepared for springtime. February feels like a turning point in the garden. It’s still cold outside, but there are signs of spring’s imminent arrival. Bulbs slowly emerge, days begin to lengthen, and, with luck, temperatures begin to rise. 1. Tidying Give everything…

Garden designer Joy Grey tells us adding a water feature of any kind will change the whole appearance and feel of your garden adding another dimension and enhancing its ambience. Water has a sensory value and an ability to soothe and calm, plus it attracts a variety of wildlife. But with so much choice, it…

Roses are among our favourite garden plants – and deservedly so. They are versatile, produce vibrant colour all summer long and well into autumn or even winter, and many are deliciously scented. Garden designer Joy Grey shares her favourites. The British have a long-time love affair with roses and this has been a bumper year…