Helen Elks-Smith

I will no longer be posting on Twitter/X. You can find what we are up to over on Instagram elkssmith and more info linktr.ee/elkssmithgarde… . Thanks to you all for your support and company. Hope to see you over on Instagram.

Thrilled to be included in the @_houseandgarden ‘Top 50 Garden Designers’ this year, among such illustrious company. #gardendesign #top50 #TheList #gardendesigners #landscapedesign

The key difference between interior & exterior rooms is living material. But for that to be possible, plants need soil. Soil is the foundation of what makes a garden a garden. Let's start protecting this most precious of resources.

If you want a low-maintenance outside space it's worth remembering that lawns are a high intervention feature, so either think about designing them out altogether or use a seed mix that contains low growing perennials such as clover and grasses that can be allowed to grow longer.

#EarthDay2024, a reminder of the importance of environmental conservation and a day when we are encouraged to come together and take action for a healthier planet and brighter future. Let’s unite in our efforts to protect the Earth and create a more sustainable world.

I’ve been sharing my thoughts on best practice for better soil management with the Garden Design Journal. I think it’s time for a cultural shift in attitudes to soil. I hope we can move towards ‘Soil Protection Orders’ in much the same way as we have ‘Tree Protection Orders’.

If you're looking for ways to update your garden on a budget, lighting can be a great affordable way of transforming it and there is an ever-increasing selection of fantastic garden lights that are rechargeable. I love these hand held lanterns that we used in our Poole garden.

PLANTING TIPS: If you're beginning to plan your summer garden, Verbena bonariensis is a wonderful choice for borders and one of my favourites, especially planted en masse to create a delicate screen of purple. Pictured here in our project in Poole.

There is no such thing as a no-maintenance garden but there is a big difference between the maintenance needed in a new garden and an established one. Once plants have knitted together, weeding is reduced and by appropriate selection of plants, watering will no longer be needed.

Summer is just round the corner, a time when I always see a surge in requests for outdoor kitchens but it's an area where I urge caution.  In particular, only include what you need to enjoy the experience. Less is more! @RichardBloom_

Getting the balance right between hard & soft landscaping is one important consideration but so too is the materials we use. Rather than simply paving over an area, a good alternative is to use gravel which will not only support the natural water cycle but can be planted through.

I often get asked how to create a sustainable, practical and low-maintenance garden? The simple answer is to use plants that will thrive in any given location. Learn about the local soils, climate and microclimate and then select plants that will work hard in that environment.

I love this fiery combination of orange, ruby-red and purple tulips. We used them en masse in the hot border in our New Forest project. This collection includes: Tulipa ‘Purple Dream’, Tulipa ‘Merlot’ and Tulipa ‘Ballerina’. Guaranteed to dazzle in the spring sunshine!

How lovely to see a few rays of sunshine for the spring equinox this morning. Today marks the official beginning of spring and from this day forward the day will be longer than the night, until we reach the autumn equinox in September. Enjoy! Photo: @richardbloomphoto

A great way to take a climate-friendly approach to gardening is to incorporating a rain chain into your garden. Not only will it add a visual and auditory dimension to the space but it will collect water and channel it to where it’s needed most.

Whilst hard surfaces are often needed for furniture so that you can enjoy being outside, by carefully considering when and how you spend time outside, you can make sure you incorporate the right amount of space which can be balanced by ‘green’.

While garden designers talk of soil, much of the construction industry talks of dirt or mud, an unconscious choice of language but one that immediately devalues it and impacts subsequent behaviour. By changing the language we use, we can start to change attitudes towards it.

An absolute honour to be included in Hort Week's list of 100+ Leading Women in Horticulture to mark International Women's Day last week.  What could be better than being included amongst such illustrious company for doing something that I love!

As a garden designer I’m passionate about soil. The success of a garden depends on the health of our plants and they can only thrive if we consider the soil that supports their growth. We need to rethink our attitude to soil and improve working practices on construction site.

Blue skies for a visit to one of our projects in Poole today. This garden has a dreamy location with its view of the Purbeck hills. It has been built using Purbeck stone to anchor it to its setting including some beautiful Purbeck pitchers for a walkway down to the water. #poole