Recent Garden Design Projects

Inspired by a show garden at the Hampton Court Flower Show, I designed and created my own log wall as part of a garden renovation project. This feature includes a hedgehog house at the base and a bee hotel, offering vital nesting and shelter for solitary bees—an essential aspect of any garden transformation. Most materials were recycled from my local green waste site, making it a sustainable choice. There are plenty of nooks and crannies for spiders and other critters to nest and rest, enhancing the diversity of my Hertfordshire gardens.

For the landscape design, I thoughtfully selected plants known for their heady scents, which can be enjoyed while relaxing in the sun trap seating area, with the log wall as a stunning backdrop. This planting plan not only adds beauty but also supports the local ecosystem.

It's incredible how quickly wildlife is drawn to a garden renovation that includes a source of water. This addition fosters a breeding space for frogs, toads, newts, and dragonflies, alongside providing a habitat for numerous other creatures, from pond skaters to water snails. In this garden transformation, the pond features a shallow end that serves as a bathing area for birds and a watering hole for hedgehogs. For the landscaping design, grasses and ferns were selected for the pond's edging, along with oxygenating, marginal, and deep water pond plants. And of course, a beautiful water lily enriches the aesthetic of Hertfordshire gardens.

A shallow but wide garden renovation was marked by the abrupt end of a newly installed fence. The trees beyond and the height of the fence cast shade on the end of the garden, making it difficult to cut the grass right up to the fence. This landscape design was crucial in the garden transformation process. 

The shallow flower bed facilitated planting plans that kept the layout intact without encroaching too much onto the garden, which was predominantly used for young children to play. The brief for the plan emphasized a soft formal structure with pink and purple colours. Plants were selected for their strong structure, ability to cope with shade, and all-year seasonal interest, reflecting the beauty found in many Hertfordshire gardens.

The front garden was in need of some TLC as part of a garden renovation project. The brief focused on creating a garden transformation with prairie style planting, emphasizing movement and vibrant colour. For the landscape design, I chose the Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream', which beautifully echoes the accent colours of the house bricks. This striking tree not only adds a pop of colour but also enhances unity with the textures of the Hakonechloa macra, the Japanese forest grass, ultimately enriching the planting plans tailored for Hertfordshire gardens.

In this garden renovation project, we focused on a narrow south-facing front garden border in Hertfordshire. The brief was to achieve a garden transformation that acts as a wildlife magnet, showcasing hot zingy colours. The selected plants were carefully chosen with butterflies and bees in mind, offering a continuous source of nectar, which adds vibrant pops of colour throughout the seasons. To enhance the landscape design, I shaped the front of the border to make it deeper, complementing the planting plans while providing an appealing balance to the flower bed in contrast to the house.