ABOUT ME
I am a qualified gardener and planting designer with 20 years’ experience. I trained at Capel Manor College in Enfield. My qualifications are a City and Guilds in Practical Horticulture and a City and Guilds in Plants and Planting Design where I gained a distinction.
I specialise in planting, border development and follow up maintenance.
I charge £25.00 per hour.
Free consultation.
I am North London based.
Please contact me on 07471 080143 or by email kittybutterwick@outlook.com.
TESTIMONIALS
"Working with Kitty was a pleasure from start to finish. She listened to all my needs, in terms of what I wanted to feel in my garden and my budget. Having Kitty in my house and garden was easy and fun, as were trips to the garden centre. I absolutely love the final result and sitting in it is a joy. And more to the point, who doesn’t want their garden done from someone called Kitty Butterwick!"
Anna N17
"I asked Kitty to design me a garden with low maintenance plants and lots of colour and this is exactly what I got! Kitty listened and gave advice and explained the whole process. I am really pleased with the final result and would highly recommend Kitty with her expert knowledge and experience for anyone looking to brighten up their garden or outside space."
Emma N17
PLANT OF THE MONTH
HYDRANGEAS
I love hydrangeas. They flower for a long period over the summer and even look good in the autumn when the flower heads begin to fade and often deepen in colour.
Hydrangeas come in a wide range of flower shapes and colours. There are the classic Hydrangea macrophylla, either mop head (see photo below) or the looser lace caps. There is also Hydrangea paniculata with large, almost pyramid shaped flower heads and Hydrangea arborescens
‘Annabelle’ with very large white flower heads, which is one of my favourites. ‘Lime Rickey’ has attractive lime coloured flowers that fade to white. Hydrangea quercifolia or oak leaf hydrangea is so called because of the shape of its leaves and it makes a great addition to woodland
plantings. It has white flowers and its large leaves turn a wonderful red and purple in autumn so this hydrangea has a long season of interest.
Hydrangeas look good in shady or sunny planting schemes and tolerate a wide range of soil conditions and aspects. Combine Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ with rhododendrons, ferns and acers in a dappled woodland setting or add to a quintessential English country garden border. My pink Hydrangea macrophylla is mixed with Verbena bonariensis, sidalcea, Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’, cistus, Eryngium planum, Salvia ‘Hot lips’ and Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ in a more modern planting style.
Plant in sun or part shade in any soil apart from very heavy clay or very dry soils. Blue hydrangeas need acid soil to keep them blue so test your soil first before planting with a PH soil test kit and, if the soil is neutral, add ericaceous compost when planting and feed regularly with an ericaceous feed through the growing season. I find the best way of keeping hydrangeas blue is to plant them in a large pot with ericaceous compost, that way you can control the PH of the soil.
Leave the faded flower heads over winter, that way you protect the developing buds from any frost. Prune in March when the risk of frost has passed. Prune to the first fat, healthy buds and remove any dead, diseased or spindly growth. Some people prune their hydrangeas very hard to promote more flowers. I prune them minimally to promote a strong woody framework which will survive a harsh winter.
