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A week of site visits

It’s definitely Winter here at Manor Farm Barn this week as we’ve had the first flurry of snow. It looked so pretty but didn’t last long sadly. The Winter sun has taken over showing the Hakonechloa off in it’s Autumn colour against the Cotswold stone… Busy busy with work as always – I have several projects being built at the moment so am spending my time travelling about visiting 3 separate sites & my clients both new & existing. On top of that I’m madly trying to get some drawing done. All good – it’s great to be busy – …

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Tree buying at fabulous trade nurseries

Buying mature trees & topiary for clients is a real perk of my job. I get to go to wonderful places & buy fantastic specimen trees – some so enormous we have to plant them with the aid of a crane. Last week I went with Tom to find trees & topiary for my Bath project currently being built by his team. This is one of my drawings of my design. It is a courtyard garden behind one of the fabulous classical Georgian facades at this elegant townhouse just near the Royal Crescent. My aim is for the garden to …

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What do you think?

I don’t really advertise to be honest as I get so much work via word of mouth, my instagram page & here on my website. I’m lucky in that way – thankfully! When I first started out I put ads in various magazines to garner work but all I got were calls from people trying to sell me stuff! I have therefore avoided advertising ever since. Anyway, the Cotswold planning department got in touch recently & asked me if I would add my details to their new online portal. It seemed like a good idea so I said yes. It …

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Homes & Gardens Magazine article November issue 2024

Great news! I am really proud to say Homes & Gardens magazine dedicate a whole page of their November issue to a lovely shot of one of my gardens – see Pip’s Place in my portfolio. It’s a lovely article about Autumn & Winter gardens with other top designers work so I’m in excellent company. I’m always talking about how important structure as Winter here in England is a long time, is so this is really relevant!….have a look Thanks to Homes & Gardens magazine, Jacky Hobbs for getting in touch & writing the article, Garden Design Co ltd who …

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CAD or hand drawn? Which do you prefer?

I hold my hand up & state I only ever design & draw using pens & pencils on my AO drawing boards. I stand for hours & become totally absorbed in the process – which I love. It comes naturally & is just how I’m made. I never use Autocad. When I was studying garden design we were given a computer & a book on autocad & left to get on with it. I hated it as the book was written by engineers & I’m not one of those – I am basically arty through & through & my brain …

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Well – today is my birthday!

I am so sorry it’s been such a very long time since I wrote a blog. All I can say is I’ve just been exceptionally busy – apologies! Anyway I am not working today as it is my birthday but as David my web chap has told me off for not writing a blog since May I am writing an update now. Last week I was at my client Jane’s in Coleshill to discuss my design for her new garden & the house she is having built in Old Amersham. Designed by Gresford Architects it will all be stunning! I …

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Before & after!

I do love to show people before & after photos of gardens I have designed. It’s always great to prove what can be done & for me it’s reassuring to see the end results of my time at my drawing board & the toil involved in creating beautiful gardens. I saw a client yesterday who was originally incredibly nervous about making any changes at all but really wanted a lovely garden. She is now over the moon! …they use the garden constantly & will be celebrating a big birthday in it this summer. I hadn’t realised but yesterday she said …

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A birds eye view!

I had a busy day yesterday with several meetings. The third one was to present the next phase of a very large scheme in the Chilterns – see Pip’s Place in my portfolio. I arrived & all was looking lovely as the garden was coming back to life after a horrible Winter… I arrived to hear a real racket but couldn’t see anything so went to meet Ginni via the back door. Look at what I saw! A bright blue helicopter had landed on the back lawn. Doesn’t it look good with all the camassias! It transpired her gastro pub …

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Good news & bad

It’s been a difficult couple of weeks. I have good news & bad. Good stuff… blossom is out! these were taken in our garden… isn’t it beautiful? We were in France for a few weeks over Easter. I have a pretty tiny studio over there but it’s lovely – with a super view of our wildflower paddock at the rear of our house & this beautiful fabric on the wall & curtain by Zardi & Zardi which I absolutely love. I got lots of work done. Here are a few of my sketches. We’d not been there at Easter before. …

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My garden design drawings & illustrations

I got a call today from a lady asking if I sell my drawings. What do you mean? I asked. “Your drawings are gorgeous & those of us who can’t draw would love them framed on our walls!” . “Oh!” I said – “no I don’t; I illustrate my client’s schemes as part of my design process & actually they often do often frame them but apart from that I’ve never thought about it”. “Well you should!” she said. It’s funny as I’ve had a couple of people message me via Instagram asking if I sell my drawings & I …

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