The mild microclimate running along the north Aberdeenshire coast meant the end of ice harvesting almost 60 years ago. Instead, the area is attracting tourists, artists and gardeners, drawn by the dramatic scenery and superb growing conditions. It is not too hot in the summer and not too cold in the winter - a ‘goldilocks zone’ for plants. The times may be a-changing, but there is a silver lining too!

Many plants are beginning to fade – becoming passed their best. It is easy to become a little despondent, thinking that the gardening year is almost over, whereas we are really just transitioning from one season to the next. But even now, there are many plants still in flower … reasons to be cheerful …

The open gardens of country houses and castles are a fantastic resource for gardeners. They are the places to go to, to see a huge variety of plants growing in different conditions and in different combinations. They are packed with ideas to easily take away with a phone camera. And, they can be visited more than once, to see how plants performs over their annual cycles. When planning a border, this is one of the key considerations, which is why we invented SeeHow – a flowering guide that actually shows the whole lifecycle of each plant.

Plants come and go throughout the year, each one making its contribution to the ‘garden fuse’. But this contribution is much more than just a few colourful weeks … a significant part of this is plant foliage. Foliage gives form and structure to gardens over the whole gardening year. And sometimes forgotten, foliage also provides all sorts of nooks and crannies for our struggling biodiversity. Ideally, leave it in place after the plant starts to die as it still provides a home for numerous insects. SeeHow can help planning for foliage as well as flower colour as the illustrations actually show the whole annual cycle of each plant including foliage growth. Use SeeHow to help understand the annual life-cycle of your whole garden and support biodiversity too!

Urban meadows are everywhere. They take all sorts of forms. There is the less manicured look - do nothing or maybe throw wildflower seeds onto existing grass and leave to grow. And there is the more structured approach - formal beds, containers, even vertical walls of selected meadow planting. Whatever the approach, this is great for biodiversity and it’s great for us too!

Exciting Opportunity! SeeHow is looking for investors / future partners to help it grow. This blog is the first step. For anyone interested in becoming part of the SeeHow adventure – in any capacity – please contact Wicek Sosna on +44 (0) 7939 226417

If yellow gorse and broom give natural definition to the wider landscape in spring and early summer, dandelions and buttercups extend the yellow colour-theme along 1,000s of kilometres of verges criss-crossing the countryside. SeeHow’s latest blog looks at the colour ‘yellow’ in the landscape.

There are few places left where nature has some freedom to grow wild, which is why roadside verges and field boundary hedges have become so important. They can offer sanctuary for a wonderful array of wild plants, insects, butterflies and bees as well as small mammals and even fungi – it just a matter of getting out there and having a look!

We don’t talk enough about the benefit of scented plants when planning our gardens. Yet they can brighten our moods and lift our spirits in an almost subliminal way. Why not plant your gardens for year-round scent as well as year-round colour and structure. SeeHow’s latest blog looks at a few examples of fragrant plants. There are many more in the SeeHow manual.

Do buildings in your area suffer from graffiti? SeeHow’s latest blog looks at some plants that may help reduce the likelihood of graffiti occurring.

Discover the wonders of deciduous magnolias. SeeHow’s latest blog shows some of the different flower forms. If you are looking for a show-stopping specimen plant and have a the room in a sunny garden, a magnolia may be the answer!

Winter seems to be dragging its feet this year, delaying the appearance of many plants. As a result, snowdrops, crocus and daffodils can be seen crowded together growing side by side and tulips are pushing their way in between. Gardens have gone from empty to colourful in no time at all. SeeHow’s latest blog looks at some of the spring flowers that are bringing colour to our gardens, our public green spaces and to our wild places too.