Matt Nichol-Garden Designer

Matt Nichol-Garden Designer A garden design practice is based in Cheshire, with commissions across Manchester, Cheshire, the North West and the UK.

Visualisation of a project currently being built at the moment in Mottram, Cheshire.
15/05/2025

Visualisation of a project currently being built at the moment in Mottram, Cheshire.

Always nice to get sent some ‘work in progress’ shots from gardens being created. The digger buckets are not a sculptu...
22/11/2024

Always nice to get sent some ‘work in progress’ shots from gardens being created. The digger buckets are not a sculptural feature btw!

Photo:

Contractor:

Pollarded Catalpa big. ‘Nana’ took a hit last night in the storm. Oh well! Quick tidy up and it’ll heal over in time. Lo...
23/08/2024

Pollarded Catalpa big. ‘Nana’ took a hit last night in the storm. Oh well!

Quick tidy up and it’ll heal over in time. Lots of nodes to regrow from next season.

Out and about visiting projects for the BALI awards 2024. Can’t say where or who but when the stone is cut with such pre...
16/07/2024

Out and about visiting projects for the BALI awards 2024. Can’t say where or who but when the stone is cut with such precision (even in the paving areas at the back of the building) you know the rest of the garden will be amazing.

A few pictures of a recent project having some of the final herbaceous planting placed ready for planting. It’s a mixed ...
14/04/2024

A few pictures of a recent project having some of the final herbaceous planting placed ready for planting. It’s a mixed shrub and hardy herbaceous perennial scheme. Approx 50/50. Built and planted by

Setting expectations with clients can be really important early in the design process. For example, clients often expect show garden results from a new design. All too often we see newly planted gardens stuffed with plants for a short term ´instant impact’. Whilst it’s very tempting to do this, you’re really doing your client a bit of a disservice in many cases. The garden will last 2-3 years before it’ll need replanting.

We should certainly be thinking longer term with our planting, it’s less wasteful and by talking to the client about the joys of watching the garden grow it’s possible to strike the right balance in terms of supply size, density and progressive maturity in the planting we do.

Specimen plants are also important, but let’s not forget that watching a garden grow and change can be half the fun. If you’re always designing a finished set piece ‘show garden’ you and your clients are perhaps missing a part of the garden equation, Time.

As the old adage goes ‘sometimes the best things comes to those that wait’.

Enjoyed the 2024 SGD awards last night a great deal. So pleased to have been honoured with a win for my garden ‘Living t...
03/02/2024

Enjoyed the 2024 SGD awards last night a great deal. So pleased to have been honoured with a win for my garden ‘Living the Good Life’.

All the gardens looked amazing and there are some very talented designers out there working with some amazing contractors and some brave and ambitious clients.

We are extremely lucky to have the opportunity to shape these spaces and the emphasis in all the gardens was clearly on ‘greening up’ rather than paving over!

Well done to all those who took part and braved the critical eye of the judging panel!

On the train and excited to be off to the BALI Awards today. Good luck to all, it’s great to be celebrating all things ...
01/12/2023

On the train and excited to be off to the BALI Awards today. Good luck to all, it’s great to be celebrating all things landscaping on such a beautiful day!!

A rare post of autumn in my garden and a shot of the office I build last year with my dearest dad (thanks dad!). It’s a ...
21/11/2023

A rare post of autumn in my garden and a shot of the office I build last year with my dearest dad (thanks dad!).

It’s a great time to review what’s gone well, what didn’t go so well, what’s taken over and what to do for next year!

The pond on the roof garden needs cleaning out and the the Verbena is rather taking over. I might take it out completely and make room for something new?!

Looking out on the garden while I work constantly reminds me to think about all the different functions our gardens have and how much they change through the year.

The birds are busy on the feeder and the fox comes through at 2pm most days doing its rounds. I hear the clatter of the fence as it is jumped, the flash of fur as it dashes through, then under the fence and away (I’m not quick enough to catch it on film!)

The fox and the birds are obvious reminders to that we are really custodians, not owners of our gardens. The value we can add or the damage we can do is worthy of careful consideration.

I might leave the Verbena after all, whilst it’s not a native it definitely makes a positive contribution.😊

🍁

BALI awards judging duties! Off to Scotland for a couple of days to visits some fantastic projects.
08/08/2023

BALI awards judging duties! Off to Scotland for a couple of days to visits some fantastic projects.

Love a bank of Iris sibirica 😊 I think? It was given to me so I’m not 100%
30/05/2022

Love a bank of Iris sibirica 😊

I think? It was given to me so I’m not 100%

Nursery visit to check stick prior to delivery. Magnificent cube clipped Carpinus betulus trees for site in Alderley Ed...
02/03/2022

Nursery visit to check stick prior to delivery. Magnificent cube clipped Carpinus betulus trees for site in Alderley Edge. Thanks to Ladybrook for handling the supply and logistics so efficiently.

Love the Hamamelis ‘Arnold Promise’. Establishing well in garden planted three years ago. Worth buying as a specimen as ...
24/02/2022

Love the Hamamelis ‘Arnold Promise’. Establishing well in garden planted three years ago.

Worth buying as a specimen as it can be slow to get established.

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Stockport
SK121PT

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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