Wishing you a chilly but Happy New Year to all! This header photo was taken in France where I spent my Christmas break. I’m not a huge fan of freezing temperatures but it does make everything so beautiful!

Thanks so much to my lovely clients for the wonderful opportunities & challenges you have given me over the past 12 months. I had my best year ever last year with an array of fascinating projects of all sizes & this year sees more to come. I will try to keep you up to date but I’m usually so busy working I forget to share my news! There are several ongoing very large schemes that will be completed this year of between 7 & over 30 acres. Lakes have gone in, avenues of mature trees (thanks Jim & team at Hilliers!), enormous topiary, reflection pools, kitchen gardens & lots between. As they are completed & I can get them photographed I will upload photo’s. I feel very proud as they are looking just wonderful.

Here is a small scheme for Millview Barn, a front garden project that was completed (almost) at the end of last year by Rob & his talented team in Norfolk…

Part of the original drawing

My sketch above shows the layout which is a series of circles & arcs. The dotted line on my drawing indicates the original drive/lawn boundary which made an unattractive shape. The existing silver birch tree is now showcased & the parking space has actually been extended as these enormous ‘crazy paving’ arcs are sufficiently stable for vehicles. Rob & his team had quite a job building this as each slab was so enormous & heavy but the result is well worth it. Well done team!

I recommended Paul of Igloo to create a porch & look at what he did! It really makes an impact & is so practical too. My role as a garden designer is never limited & I am often asked to design other components of my clients’ gardens & houses… on this occasion Jane asked me to design the text for the glass porch. We wanted it to look like a funky upmarket bar or restaurant & Jane specifically wanted a mix of fonts. I loved designing it but foolishly offered to install it too. Trying to place huge 1.5M+ sheets of sticky film onto the windows around the beams without getting any dust & dirt on the sticky stuff was a challenge to say the least! My husband acted as my helper (he mistakenly thought he was going to have a jolly hol by the sea with Charlie our dog!) & thankfully kept me sane. All worth it…

I will post more photo’s of this completed front garden when I get the opportunity & there aren’t any leaves on the ground. We’re all delighted so far – there’s some pleached trees yet to go in that are being grown to order as we need specific trunk heights. It makes the space more inviting, seem larger & certainly more interesting.

Part of the plan drawing

Here’s one that’s going to be built from Autumn which will be an exciting one. There are enormous level changes, a kitchen garden, pool with boardwalk, bog garden & lots of spots for marquees as my clients love a party! There are several others in the queue to be built & I will fill you in as they progress.

I have just won an award so there’s lots to celebrate! I heard this morning that I had won the best design category on the Houzz website for the 3rd year running which is fabulous so thank you very much to the Houzz community. Please take a look. My images have been saved to idea books more than 10,000 times which is just incredible!

All for now – lots to do 🙂