Do you remember just how bad it was? The ‘warehouse with ample parking meets multiple personality disorder’  house we bought last August?? This blog post(opens in new tab) will refresh your memory, and while a year is a mere blink of an eye in garden terms, there has been significant progress in the front garden…

I recently had the opportunity to revisit a garden we had installed 5 year ago and I was thrilled to see how beautifully the homeowners had looked after it! The skies were grey that morning but this colorful oasis shone regardless. Designing and planning for growth and evolution of a garden isn’t always easy. Considering…

I’m just back from leading my garden tour Adventures in Yorkshire and the Lake District and couldn’t wait to share one of my favorite gardens with you – Littlethorpe Manor. Tucked away in the rural countryside near Ripon this stately manor house sits within 11 acres. The original structure of the landscape was set out…

Think back to your favorite book. The introduction drew you in, you followed the key characters with interest as the story was woven through a series of events and in the final chapter you were left feeling…..what? Surprise because there was an unexpected plot twist that you didn’t see coming? Contentment as you read the…

In this mini-design series of “telling your garden story” we’ve looked at the introduction (the entry sequence) and ideas for an overall theme. Today I want to explore ways to help you strengthen your narrative by unifying the individual garden chapters using repetition. There’s a balance between allowing each distinct garden area have its own…

In this mini  design series I’ve been challenging you to think of your garden as a personal story. We’ve covered the introduction and two popular themes; a romance and mystery already. This week we’ll look at two additional themes you may like to consider. Historical Fiction Do you enjoy those tales of medieval mischief or…

Do you love a good mystery? Or perhaps you’re more of a romantic novel fan? What are the elements of the story that keep you turning the page? Perhaps it’s one key character – or the unexpected details which make you reassess your original understanding? We can apply these same storytelling characteristics to our gardens.…

Designing a garden is rather like telling a story; there needs to be an introduction that draws you in, an understanding of the key characters as they weave through each chapter and a satisfying conclusion. The garden introduction begins when you get the first glimpse of the home and how it is settled into the…

When you purchase an internationally-acclaimed garden with your new home (itself a historic 100-year old homestead), it’s a formidable responsibility. Yet the new owners of Barewood have not only risen to that challenge they have excelled and their enthusiasm is infectious. This four-acre garden, in the Marlborough district of New Zealand, has matured over the…

Tucked away down a steep, winding lane near the charming French whaling village of Akaroa, South Island, New Zealand is Fishermans’ Bay Garden, home to Jill and Richard Simpson. Accessing this gem is not for the faint of heart as the homeowners discovered in December 2021 after extreme rain caused the gravel access road to…