In depth articles
I believe that detailed knowledge and understanding provides an essential foundation for the work that I do in designing gardens for my clients; and that this is worth sharing with a wider audience. These articles are my own distillation of some of what I have learned over years of reading and study, and cover a range of topics in botany, soil science, design theory and many other areas of knowledge.
Where possible, I’ve attempted to explain my own understanding from first principles, meaning that some articles stray into core sciences such as chemistry and physics; and a few may be a little technical. I hope you find as much value in reading them as I did in writing them.
If you’re new to plant and soil science, you may want to read this article first.
To find a specific article, filter by category or use the search box.
Anatomy of a stem
An examination of the tissues present in a typical plant stem, their function, and how they develop and change as the plant grows and matures.
Anatomy of a leaf
A detailed look at the internal structure of a typical plant leaf, examining the types of cells and their function.
Types of tissue
The first intermediate level article on Getting Dirty, looking into the difference between plant and animal cells, and the four main types of tissue in plants: meristem, dermal, vascular, and ground tissues.
The naming of parts
An introduction to plant anatomy at the highest level: the main parts of a plant, their components, and their purpose in helping the plant survive, thrive and grow.