The garden
Discover the root of my inspiration and see how my approach to the interiors of my home and my studio echo my passion for planting and biophilic design.
“I rarely draw what I see, I draw what I feel in my body”
Barbara Hepworth
I visited Barbara Hepworth’s studio and Sculpture garden back in the mid nineties. It was hugely inspirational. I was particularly moved by the feeling I got walking amongst the Architectural planting and breathtaking sculptural forms.
On my return, I started to research planting possibilities that would not only survive but thrive in our cold soggy part of the UK. I had a little notebook that I used to take with me everywhere where I made a note of planting that inspired me that may work as garden possibilities. Nowadays it’s easier to use my phone.
I moved to my current home in August 2005 with my husband David and our children. We set about completely transforming the garden. My first budget purchase and an absolute game changer was a soil PH kit. For a few pounds It really helped with my list of planting that would work in the garden.
I had already collected 2 Dicksonia Antartica’s (Tree Ferns) both of which I brought with me from our previous home. I’ve slowly added to my Tree fern collection over the Space of eighteen years. I’m always inspired by nature and I wanted to garden to feel completely Immersive and more importantly, believable, like it had always been there. All the work has been done by us and on a very tiny budget.
Most of the mature specimens (apart from the Tree Ferns) you see are highly likely to have arrived in a yoghurt pots as young seedlings from auction sites and plant sales. I’ve split plants and repeat planted to anchor the garden and make it feel cohesive as well as being totally budget friendly.
Its been a wonderful process to watch my design slowly evolve over the years. Unfortunately I didn’t take too many photos at the beginning in 2005 but I’ll share the few I have. Patience has had to be a virtue but I enjoy every minute… and its still evolving!
I’ve always had to be resourceful and I love to work sustainably with natural fibres and as part of my work more recently experimenting with natural dyes, most of which are extracted from plants in the garden. The garden is a place of tranquility, calm and creativity. I’ve created some of my favourite pieces of work here.
In the warmer months the garden is the place where I create my work, in or out of my garden Studio that is nestled amongst the mature planting.
Even my front garden has been totally transformed, focusing more on sculptural forms in the form of Topiary.
I play with scale in the garden a lot. It really adds impact & makes the space feel completely immersive.
I wanted the garden to have that ‘feeling’. The feeling of being transported to somewhere entirely different. It’s come from the heart and I feel it with a passion. To me it feels timeless.
Garden gallery
This is the estate agent photo of the back garden in 2005 before we moved in. I loved the curved shape of the patio and my design for the garden grew from that.
I started cutting curved beds to echo the shape of the patio. Adding curves softens hard lines and adds fluidity, cohesion and interest. Linking the back garden to the curves of the front
The garden slowly beginning to take shape in 2015. My garden studio now sits where the Hammocks once were.
Adding more curves to create a seating area in a sunny spot.
Cutting deeper curved beds in the earlier days
I had little time to spend maintaining the garden. My first purchase was a soil pH kit and with its findings, I researched low maintenance species that would thrive in our clay based soil.
The garden is a place of tranquility, calm and creativity. I’ve created some of my favourite pieces of work here.
I love to create Drama with Scale and combine Foliage shapes.
In the warmer months. I can be found working outside of my Studio, its a wonderful place to create
Dracunculus Vulgaris (Stink Lily)
I like to mimic nature with my planting making the scheme as believable as possible
In 2021 we added two large sculptures to the garden. We constructed some plinths for the sculptures. The plinths worked a treat providing the much needed extra height.
Created on a budget I have split plants enabling me to fill gaps and repeat planting also adds an element of cohesion to the garden.
Cluster planting in pots: I plant pots of similar shapes, in different sizes, always in odd numbers and arrange them in clusters.
The Architectural Flowers of Gunnera Manicata
In late 2021 we added some subtle lighting to the garden. The garden takes on a whole different feel at night. Its magical!
Early Spring 2022. The garden is just waking up. Fresh fronds are unfurling. Its a period of rapid transition and growth
I have a few pots that I use for several purposes in the garden. I can use pots for planting species such as Eucomis that definitely don’t thrive in my clay based soil.
The Gunnera Manciata planted for interest as well as impact. With its mammoth leaves and wonderfully Architectural flowers, it really packs a punch
To me underplanting is essential to the believability of the scheme
In the Spring of 2020 we added and constructed the deck to echo the existing shape of the Patio that I had fallen in love with when we first viewed the house in 2005.
Beautiful Calla Lilies
Beautiful waxy leafed Bergenia Cordifolia Purpurea
You won’t see an abundance of flowers in the garden. I prefer to keep things simple.
I love to mix foliage shapes to create interest I plant species that give me that Jungle effect, but are fully hardy and can withstand our damp cold winters here in the UK.
Mediterranean Garden with a view into the main garden
The soft curved lines of a Large Terracotta pot makes a feature in the Mediterranean garden echoing the tones in the slabs
In 2022 we created simple cladded storage where the back garden meets the front seen here. We also planted a lightweight sedum roof system that is establishing itself well.
Mediterranean Garden with Grape vine canopy above
Front Garden: In 2005 I planted a yew hedge with bare root seedlings shaped in a curve and planted buxus in between the undulations shaped into balls.
The buxus balls soften and break up the hard lines of the black cladded storage and add sculptural Interest. The greens really pop against the black too
In early 2022 we converted the double garage to provide extra living space. I used statement Architectural planting in pots to break up the black wooden cladding.
I like to create year round interest and although the garden looks different in winter it still maintains its structure.