Services

What I offer

Practical Gardening

I have a deep love of hands on, practical gardening and I am in a position where I can offer regular visits to clients. I bring years of down to earth experience, with a calm, diligent work ethic, where I can breathe life into gardens with an eye on long term development. I can travel to areas in Kent and East Sussex. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like to acquire my gardening services.

Training

Over the course of my career, I have been fortunate to have received excellent training in renowned educational settings. I hold a Diploma in Countryside Management from Merrist Wood College, which puts me in a great position to advise on wider areas of estate management, including working with livestock. I trained at The Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, which has given me a detailed understanding of the intricacies of horticulture. Training at Great Dixter has given me further insight into this incredible industry, allowing me to travel and broaden my horizons with plants, gardens and the people who develop them.

Design

Breathing life into an outdoor space is an invigorating process and one in which I have both experience and expertise. I bring years of knowledge and sensitivity to a garden, always with an eye on long term development with an ethos of ‘Right plant - Right place’, whilst listening to and engaging a with client in their visions for their garden. I feel that gardens are at their best when they fully engage their surroundings, and I always look for ways to create spaces that feel intrinsically linked to the landscape, with elements of flair and expressive potency. All of my designs focus upon longevity, creating spaces that have strong elements of self sustainability. Gardens should live and evolve and I create spaces that will deepen in their beauty with the passage of time.

Written reports

No great garden is instant, and the stewardship of our green spaces can take many years to truly come to fruition. With this in mind, I produce in depth, richly written reports that bring insight and knowledge of the measures required over the course of time to allow a garden to shine. My reports cover the first three years of working within a space, up to a complete five year plan. This allows the garden owner to have the grounding to see their garden evolve into something truly special, in a manner that is imbued with sensitivity towards aesthetics, alongside the practical implementation of goals. This is carried out with deft care of the wider ecological environment. My reports can be used as blueprints by the clients themselves or as a set of instructions to be passed to a gardener or garden team.

Organic

I have gardened solely with the use of organic practices throughout my career and I am passionate about the benefits of working in a manner which is sympathetic to the wellbeing of the wider biodiversity that we share our outdoor spaces with. Shifting towards working organically can present a range of concerns to even the most experienced gardener. My insight will provide a range of remedies and methods that will make that transition as seamless as possible. Gardens should fundamentally work in harmony with wildlife and I feel that now, more than ever, is the time to begin treating our wider ecosystems with the care they deserve. Regardless of how formal a garden is, it can absolutely work to the fullest with organic practices at the very core of its operation.

Media

I am delighted to be in a position where I can provide insightful content for media. I have written articles and editorial content for Blumenhaus Magazine, a publication which melds both arts and botany in a beautifully produced package.

I can deliver perceptive, enthusiastic, clear dialogue for radio too, where I have given regular expert opinion for BBC Radio, including for their live coverage of RHS Chelsea Flower Show. I am also relaxed and confident working in front of the camera, where I also have experience.

Lectures

I have presented group workshops and delivered illustrated lectures. These offer the opportunity for both novices and more experienced gardeners to access great advice, alongside the chance to have any queries answered.

Recruitment support

Finding staff for any garden can be a daunting process, but finding the right gardener for your outdoor space can make a huge difference in terms of how a garden develops over time. I have worked at every level within horticulture and have interviewed candidates across the broadest spectrum and am able to provide in depth support in filling roles. I can sit and work through applications, looking for qualifications and relevant experience, isolating the very best candidates who bring vital role specific skills.

I can also be present at the interviews themselves, where I will come prepared with a host of questions which will help in employing the most appropriate candidates. I am also well placed to provide coaching and tuition to gardeners, allowing the garden to reach its full potential.