Front border - clearing, design and replanting
This border had become overrun with Carex pendula (the big grass) and choked by wild strawberries. I removed these and also replaced the topsoil to about 4". The 'After' photo was taken in August, but the design includes successional planting, so there are flowers from February onward.
Back border - clearing, design and replanting
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The old lavender which dominated these beds had become woody, and wasn't really at it's best any more. My client wanted a "cottage garden" feel with pinks and purples. I removed the old plants, refreshed the soil with organic material and replanted the beds with a pretty mix of perennials and bulbs.
Rose pruning and training
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This rose had become rather unruly, was taking up a lot of space and while it was flowering well, they were mostly at the ends of the stems.
In winter, I removed a significant amount of dead and unproductive wood, and trained the remaining stems, creating a cage-like structure. The result is a better behaved plant with more even distribution of flowers.
Hand weeding and edging
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These examples give an idea of some of the more everyday aspects of gardening. Where weeds have become established, hand weeding is a much more effective removal method than hoeing as the roots can be fully removed. And a sharp edge is a simple way to enhance the look of a border (there's also a bit of new planting and some soil improvement in this one!).