Kenneth Cox Woodland & Rhododendron Garden Consultancy

On Site Garden Consultancy    Kenneth Cox

Woodland Garden design. Specialising in woodland and rhododendron gardening, Kenneth Cox is probably the world's leading expert in this field and the author of the award-winning book Woodland Gardening. 

Ken has extensive knowledge of climatic conditions all over the UK and further afield, which allows selection of plants ideally suited to local growing conditions. Advice can be provided on making a rhododendron collection, establishing woodland gardens, restoration of old gardens, identifying existing plants and making collections of wild-origin material.

Kenneth Cox, managing director has advised on many larger landscaping and restoration projects in Scotland, England and Ireland, often working alongside landscape architects and garden designers who wish specific advice on rhododendrons, azaleas and woodland gardening.

On site consultancy will be charged at a day rate (see below) which includes a report on the site visit.

• Evaluation of site potential and assessment of what the client wishes to achieve. 
• Selection of trees to remove and advice or limbing and pruning. 
• Establishment of screening and shelter. 
• Eradication of weeds and soil preparation. 
• Planting advice: timing and methods. 
• Pruning, thinning, restoration of existing mature plantings.
• Provision of plants from Glendoick. 
• Sourcing of hard-to-find material, bulk buys of bulbs, hedging, etc. 
• Delivery of plants by van locally. Nursery catalogue stock sent mail order: October-1st April. 

Following a site visit, a summary of conclusions and advice offered will be sent, but we advise the client to take notes during the site visit. For best use of time, please provide bamboo canes or stakes to mark where plants or beds should go, labels and suitable markers for identifying plants and numbering areas/beds, spray paint to mark limbs or trees to be removed. Ideally garden plants should be made: you can use a drone to get aerial shots which really help with the garden layout.

Kenneth Cox Selected Garden Advisory Projects

• Consultancy for Millenium Restoration Project at Crystal Palace Park 1999-2001 with Guftasson Porter.
• Member of the Gardens and Planned Landscapes Panel of the National Trust for Scotland 2007-12: advising on Arduaine, Crarae, Inverewe, Culzean and other NTS properties.
• Restoration of Highfields Park, Nottingham, including management and maintenance plan 2009, 2011
• Author of Scotland for Gardeners, the largest ever survey of Scottish gardens.
• Patron of and advisor to Emu Valley Garden, Tasmania, Australia from 2009.
• Supply and Planting at Maggies Centre, Dundee with Arabella Lennox Boyd.
• Advice and plant identification, Cragside, Northumberland 2009
• Instigator of and member of the RHS hardiness committee which revised the RHS hardiness ratings in 2010-11.
• Selection and supply of material for the restoration of Sintra garden, Lisbon, Portugal 2010-12.
• Selection and supply of plants for Rivierenhof Gardens, Bruxelles, Belgium 2011
• Running Day workshop for Cornish gardeners on Woodland Gardening April 2012 and April 2019
• Restoration of Kinross House Gardens, Scotland with Alistair Baldwin 2012, new driveside plantings and Fish Gate beds.
• New Woodland walk, Fort Belvedere, Windsor 2012-13 with Tom Stuart Smith.
• 2013 Irish Woodland Gardens, advising National Trust and Avoca on Mt Stewart, Rowallane and Mt Usher.
• 2013-14 Restoration of Dalswinton Gardens in Dumfries.
• 2015-16 Aldourie garden, Inverness, supply and planning of woodland garden with Tom Stuart Smith.
• 2016-2019 Identification of rhododendrons at Mount Stewart, Co Down N Ireland.
• 2019: Advice to Exbury, Leonardslee, Sofeiro (Sweden), Annesgrove (Ireland).
• 2020-21  Author of the garden management plan for Leonardlee Gardens, Sussex.
• Spring 2022  Consultancy: Madresfield Court, Malvern, England.
• October 2022   Woodland Gardening Study Day, Harlow Carr, Yorkshire.

Please note that I do not offer: Scale/formally drawn landscape plans, hard landscape: walls, paving etc and we dont offer a planting service. 

CHARGES

Charges: £700 daily rate (minimum). (Exceptions can sometimes be made for very local gardens). Travel expenses extra. 

Please e mail orders@glendoick.com. Tel 01738 860205 Web: www.glendoick.com

Kenneth Cox Consultation at Glendoick

Advice on all aspects of growing rhododendrons & woodland gardening

We are happy to advise by e mail on selection of rhododendrons and azaleas.  We can meet clients at Glendoick Garden Centre or the nursery to discuss plans. E mail orders@glendoick.com

Ideally, clients should bring a rough scale plan of the site with pictures (can be on a laptop). Please bring information on shelter from south west and easterly winds and information on drainage/heavy soil areas of the garden. 

We do not charge for this service unless you need a report and plans drawn up. For this I charge £50 per hour of work.