My Country Garden

I have always loved flowers and plants but got somewhat distracted by a career in finance for a number of years and living in London with a very small garden meant I had little chance to indulge my passion. A welcome career break to have a family, accompanied by a move to the countryside meant that I finally had the chance to develop my frustrated interest into something more focused. I started by

working on my own garden, a lovely 4 acre site on the Hampshire/Berkshire borders and soon realised that my layman’s knowledge needed expanding. I moved on to learn more about plants, planting and design through extensive self-study, hands on practical gardening, courses with the RHS and Sarah Raven and with KLC Design School. I continue to develop and expand my knowledge through constant reading and visiting local nurseries and flower shows as well as the practical lessons I learn from gardening itself. I am continually fascinated by the changes in my own garden as well as the many others I visit both home and abroad. In my own garden I have developed my own style of ‘country garden’ planting and design, which can include more formal areas, such as a rose garden; along with more relaxed areas for dining and children’s play areas. I am a passionate believer in gardens being practical and useful and has developed a kitchen garden, including a herb garden, as well as expanded on an existing old orchard. I also try to work with nature, choosing plants that are easy to plant and maintain and ones that help sustain the natural wildlife like bees and birds. I love working with people and hearing their thoughts about their own outdoor space. I set up My Country Garden Design Solutions to help people create a garden that brings you as much joy as mine does to me. Through this service I am able to offer you a variety of services from a review of your existing garden and how it could be easily enhanced and improved, through to a full redesign of your garden. However, My Country Garden as a website is much more than a garden design service. It will hopefully become a source of inspiration for you with fresh design and plant ideas, as well as a place where you can go for tips and tricks to make your garden work better for you. Additionally it will provide you with seasonal updates as to what is happening in your garden and what you could be doing now and what you can be doing with the flowers, fruit and vegetables produced by your garden. I write regularly about what I am up to and aim to let you in on a few secrets of good things and places that I find along the way, There is also an opportunity for a little retail therapy of some lovely items that I have either made or sourced that make your life a little bit more beautiful.