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October news – my life in garden design

It’s been so incredibly busy lately I hadn’t noticed I’d not posted anything since July. Autumn is now here & the leaves are turning so he’s an update on what has been going on in my world. Lots of new clients which is just wonderful! I always have a queue of work but people also find me when wanting a garden design or are often recommended by existing clients which is so flattering & kind & keeps it all going. I now have new garden design schemes in Bath, Brighton, Marlow & Henley on Thames so I’ll continue to be …

Would you like a studio tour?

I work from home here in the Cotswolds & have been lucky enough to build my own studio ( correction! I actually used professional builders!!). We live in a barn conversion & my studio building was originally a Cotswold stone animal shelter when this was all part of the main farm back in the 1800s. It was converted to a double garage 20 years ago but that meant cars had to drive through our courtyard to get there. That was stupid, so we reconfigured it all & connected it via a link extension to the house. We now park cars …

A prestigious project in Bath

I have been asked to design the garden of this fabulous Grade 1 listed townhouse in Bath. It is a classic Georgian terrace built of Bath stone right in the heart of the city. Such a elegant property & the interior is being designed by Melanie of MW Interiors so that will be equally elegant too – I have seen the drawings & it will be fabulous!! UNFORTUNATELY this is what I have to play with! I certainly have my work cut out! My plan however is to make the back just as beautiful as the front so watch this …

Working from France

Six years ago our dream came true & we bought a house in France. I love the relaxed French way of life; their fabulous architecture, food, style, culture & in this area – the weather! We bought a stone house two miles away from the Medieval Royal City of Loches in the Loire Valley. It is a picture perfect French town with a fantastic market that takes over all the cobbled streets twice a week. We love to sit & people watch from one of our favourite cafes on a Saturday morning & buy wine from one of the independent …

A few new garden design drawings

As a designer, I am always juggling several schemes in order to meet deadlines & at the moment there’s no exception. I have a couple of very large Georgian houses in substantial grounds, a new oak framed house with several acres on a sloping site, a Gospel Hall conversion in Norfolk, a large modern house with underground parking & a lake near me in Witney, a cottage in the Cotswolds & a converted stone barn. I am never bored!! Here are a few new drawings to show you what I’ve been up to. It shows a range of projects I …

News in February 2020

2020 has been a great year so far. Firstly I’m very pleased to have been invited to be on The List by House & Garden. It’s a prestigious place to be & I am in impressive company so thank you very much House & Garden! I am also delighted to say I won the annual Houzz Best designer award 2020. It’s wonderful to open an email with exciting news so thank you to everyone at Houzz & all the people who follow my work there. Exciting news on the home front too – After two years of builders knocking our …

A Cotswold garden site visit today

It’s a lovely life being a garden designer & today was no exception. I visited a large Cotswold garden & despite being blasted by freezing cold wind & a threatening grey sky I was delighted with what I saw. Last time I was there there was a great deal of brown as it had all been seeded. Being forty acres that’s a lot of brown! It’s still really early spring but you can see it all coming to life & the structure is as I had hoped. Below I have planted Prunus Serrula trees through gravel for structural interest whilst …

My French Foray!

  I can’t remember not loving France & all things French. I find it so inspiring – particularly their grand gardens which are just tremendous. We always spent holidays there with our dog & our dream was to own our own place & work in France for part of the year. A couple of years ago we bought a place in Loches in the Loire Valley & now I divide my time between here & there. It’s working really well; I meet clients here in England, go to site meetings here & then draw over there where there are fewer …

Happy New Year!

I know I’ve been extremely quiet of late so apologies to those who follow my blogs – I can’t always find the time to write about what I’m up to aswell as getting on with what I’m paid to do! I am having the best year ever as I’m so inundated with fantastic work.Thank you so much to all my super clients old & new for trusting me with your gardens. How I love my job – I am one lucky designer. I’m juggling quite a few different schemes at present & have some lined up too. Here’s what I’m …

Like a child in a sweet shop!

Like a child in a sweet shop! I had a super day yesterday – in the sunshine no less! I went out with Rob, my landscape contractor to see some of my gardens being constructed, then on with Emma, Rob’s plant sourcer to buy specimen plants & trees for new gardens. We started near Henley at Nick & Nicola’s sloping garden where the team have been felling unwanted trees & laying a new hedge. It’s looking fantastic – such an improvement. I will post before & after shots shortly. Next onto the Estate garden near Amersham to say hi to …