As they say ‘Gardens are never finished’.
I am passionate about creating atmospheric spaces that evolve and are wildlife-friendly, rather than just places to be maintained and kept tidy.
The design drawings, hard-landscaping and initial planting are just the beginning; developing, editing and adding more layers over time is what I find most satisfying.
I often have my best ideas whilst gardening, rather than at the drawing board/computer screen; the physicality and fresh air helps to clear my mind. Frothy coffees and cake make my ideas flow even faster
Planting is a process and is constantly changing – even in well designed gardens – so needs to be managed, edited and rejuvenated to reach its full potential.
I have a few freelance gardeners who work with me, which enables me be involved in wide a range of projects.
We plant more of what is growing happily and weed selectively, thus allowing the desirable plants to seed and spread over time, creating a more naturalistic feel. By adding bulbs, biennials and annuals each year, we create high-density, multi-layered schemes that are continually evolving. We garden organically and love composting and mulching, not only to improve the soil structure, but also to retain moisture and suppress unwanted weed seedlings, thus reducing maintenance.
A few of the larger gardens I am involved in already have a gardener who cuts the grass and hedges, or the clients like to do a bit themselves. So we are able to concentrate on editing and improving the planting. As a result some gardens only require monthly or seasonal visits.