About Me

My experience in gardening began when we bought a house in Sea Mills, Bristol that came with a 160ft of wilderness. Its previous owners had sold it because the garden was too much work. Throughout their ownership the garden had disappeared under a choke of brambles which, when we arrived covered two thirds of the garden. We couldn’t see the paths or any of the original beds and borders, it was just a jungle of weeds and thorns. We inherited with the house two labelled pencil sketches from the original owner detailing every tree, flower and shrub that had once been planted. This garden had been her passion and was destined to become mine.

The next 15 years became my apprenticeship in gardening and sparked a love that I cannot live without. My mother, who is a retired florist and painter has been my aide, inspiration and mentor throughout. We set to work, unveiling the bones of the garden. Over time, many plants grew back where they had become unable to thrive before. We discovered the footprint of a former pond and rebuilt it to frame a now stately juniper, adding a crescent shaped lawn and border surrounding it. Geraniums, Alchemilla and Ajuga now crowd around to witness the waterlilies and dragonflies in the summer. Pergolas and arches were added one by one to create ‘rooms’ in which to sit, read, sleep, eat and drink. Rambling roses proliferate, scented climbers of Akebia, Jasmine and Holboelia make for heady walks in May, June and July. The shade of the trees welcomes ferns, bluebells and hellebores. Acanthus spires stand proud and offer architectural interest. And the box hedges maintain order and stability throughout the seasons.

My degree was in Fine Art and my practice was oil painting with a focus on landscape, architecture and urban decay. I found myself spending more time building landscapes than painting them and so the natural progression was to study with the R.H.S in order to combine these disciplines and attain the necessary botanical knowledge to take on other peoples gardens and design or adapt spaces in which they and their plants will thrive.