We are delighted to work with Maxine Brady, interior stylist, whose urban garden in Brighton is to die for! Maxine used a selection of our products well suited to maintaining a smaller garden and did a fab write up on her blog. We caught up with Maxine for a Q&A to find out more about her garden life and her recommended nifty tools to help maintain a stylish small garden.

How did you get into gardening? 

When house sitting for some friends, it was my job to look after the garden and I loved how they grew salad and herbs. So when I bought my first flat with a roof terrace, the first thing I did was fill it with flowers, plants and salads. When I bought this house in 2015, the garden was very overgrown and the first thing I tackled was the garden. Top of my wish list was to create a space to grown things in, a private space to relax and lots of flowers and edible plants.

What is your favourite thing to do in the garden? 

I love nothing more than having a potter. I can spend hours moving pots around, sweeping up, trimming and clipping the plants. I’ve started to grow things from seeds and I have a mini greenhouse now which I love. And on sunny days, there is no better place to have a snooze on the sofa.

What is the Bokashi Composter and how do I use it? 

During lockdown last year, I struggled to get my gardening gloves on organic compost, as there was a nationwide storage. I decided to make my own. I’ve got a Bokashi Composter which ferments food waste to create a compost for my plants and flowers. It’s really small and compact so doesn’t take up much room.  And as the lid is sealed, I don’t have to worry about smells or pests.

What are your watering tips for a small garden? 

As I have lots of planters and pot rather than beds, my garden needs watering every day. I used to use a watering can which was painfully slow. That was before I discovered the Micro Reel from Hozelock. It has a long handy hose, so I can water the whole garden in less than 20 minutes. And when not in use, I can tuck it in my shed out of sight, keeping my small garden looking neat and tidy.

Is it important to change the spray setting on my hose spray gun?

Yes! For the larger planters I use a fuller setting so take the hassle out of watering them. I have lots of delicate climbers like Honeysuckles and Clematis so I use mist setting on the Multi Spray Pro which doesn’t damage the the flowers.

Do you have any recommendations for how to remove pesky weeds from patio areas? 

I’ve got a Hozelock Pulsar Plus sprayer which I have filled with Wet & Forget to get rid of all the moss and weeds that grow in between my hexagonal paving. It saves me having to pull them out by hand.

• In my small garden, I have a ‘living area’ with a waterproof sofa, chairs and coffee table under a pergola.
• Place a bench in the sunniest spot in your garden to enjoy your morning coffee outdoors.
• Working from home? Have a dining table with an umbrella which functions as a home office when it’s hot.

• I painted the fences from natural wood to white to bounce light around – and on them I’ve hung baskets full of flowers.
• Fill the garden with solar lights along the fences and in the plants, so that you can enjoy the garden way past sunset.
• If you have a small space, try and make it as cosy and comfy as you can with lots of outdoor cushions and a throw for when the weather turns a bit chilly.

I’m Maxine Brady – and I’m an Interior Stylist living in Brighton.  I share my peppermint Victorian terrace house with my dog, Teddy.

For the last 20 years, I’ve been a creative force in the world of home design. As well being a stylist, I’m also a TV presenter, art director, interior designer and content creator.

I create interiors that make you feel amazing, lift your spirits and bring you limitless joy.

Check out my Instagram and blog page.