Client: Anne & Hedley
Location: Devon
Services: Garden Advice Gardening Course · MyGardenTeam Ongoing Support
Background
Anne and Hedley joined GardenAdvice in late 2025, participating in our one day gardening course in their own garden just before Christmas. Inspired by their course experience, they signed up for our MyGardenTeam service for ongoing, bespoke support throughout the year.
Their wish is to create the relaxed, colourful Hampshire cottage garden style they loved back home, while adapting plant choices and techniques to a wetter Devon site.
The Challenge
Anne and Hedley’s new garden suffers from naturally wet soil, fed by springs at the top of the site. This moisture makes growing some traditional cottage garden favourites — such as Agapanthus and other plants that dislike waterlogged roots — more challenging.
Rather than battling the site conditions directly, the Garden Advice team has worked with them to design and plant in ways that embrace and adapt to the moisture.
Our Approach
Practical Early-Season Tasks
To prepare the garden for a successful growing season and boost Anne and Hedley’s gardening confidence, we guided them through key maintenance tasks such as:
- Winter pruning of shrubs and fruit trees
- Winter washing of fruit trees to reduce overwintering pests
- Greenhouse cleaning to remove pests and start the season with a fresh, healthy environment
These tasks give the garden a strong foundation and put the couple in control of seasonal work.
Working with Wet Soil
From their MyGardenTeam page and design notes you can follow online, the strategy to manage wet soil focuses on raising planting areas rather than trying to engineer a complex drainage system. GardenAdvice.co.uk
- Gradually build up borders with added layers of soil, organic matter and compost
- This lifts roots above the wettest ground while retaining access to moisture
- Mushroom compost and other organic materials improve soil fertility and texture
This approach lets the garden feel natural and flowing, not boxed in by hard landscape structures. GardenAdvice.co.uk
Tailored Planting Plans
From detailed design notes on their project page, key planting approaches include:
- Early interest near the stream — primulas (e.g., Primula denticulata, Primula candelabra) and marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) thrive in damp conditions, bringing bright early colour. GardenAdvice.co.uk
- Structural backbone and winter interest — winter-stemmed dogwoods (Cornus spp.) and underplanting with Brunnera add winter and spring appeal, structure, and year-round interest. GardenAdvice.co.uk
- Screening and seasonal interest — Amelanchier canadensis enriches the border with blossom, autumn colour and gentle screening of neighbouring elements. GardenAdvice.co.uk
By embracing the wet conditions and working with them, the design encourages strong seasonal succession and a relaxed, cottage-garden aesthetic. GardenAdvice.co.uk
Ongoing Support with MyGardenTeam
As MyGardenTeam members, Anne and Hedley benefit from:
- A personalised gardening plan and calendar of tasks specific to their garden conditions and goals GardenAdvice.co.uk
- SMS and email task alerts triggered by local weather and soil conditions GardenAdvice.co.uk
- The ability to record progress, upload photos and keep notes as the garden grows GardenAdvice.co.uk
- Access to additional plant-swap opportunities and preferential plant purchasing options GardenAdvice.co.uk
This ongoing support ensures that Anne and Hedley are never alone — whether planning next steps or troubleshooting challenges as they arise.
Follow Anne & Hedley’s Garden Journey
Want to see how their garden develops throughout the year?
Follow Anne and Hedley’s garden updates on their MyGardenTeam project page:
👉 Click here to follow their garden
Stay tuned for seasonal progress photos, planting updates, task notes and the evolving design as this cottage-garden dream takes shape!
