Bean Nicholson Garden Design

26/11/2025

Homing in on the finish line in Salisbury. There is great energy in this garden with the bustle of the train station behind the house mellowed by the serenity of the water meadows at the foot of the garden, a perfect day for the last of the planting as the team sweep their way out and hand over the garden to our fabulous clients.

Beautifully built by
Paving
Stone
The best plants from
Summerhouse
Water bowl from
Bespoke willow fence on a very awkward slope award goes to
Lighting

28/09/2025

Beautiful autumn sunshine over the sunken garden where the verbena and pennisetum have already filled out and brought the space to life. Big thanks to for the photos and excellent exterior fabric choice!

19/09/2025

A day out of the office to visit yesterday for the grass masterclass with Neil Lucas whose passion for plants is absolutely infectious, and the cake was excellent! I learnt more than I thought my brain could cope with on grasses, swales, trees and how much fun a garden really is. Always good to catch up with our local SGLD cluster group .

02/09/2025

Heavy skies overhead and borders full of bees enjoying the lingering flowers which have collapsed under the weight of rain. Planted last December with the wildflower turf laid this summer, there is more filling out to be done, bulbs to choose and gaps to fill.

19/07/2025

We have played with layers of planting in this small Wi******er garden built by , from the evergreen pleached Portuguese laurels to the swaying grasses and perennials which give this garden a huge shot of life.

Dividing up the layout has provided plenty of space for their young children to play as they tiptoe through the planting, and a surprisingly generous level lawn, separated from the seating area by tall grasses which add another layer of much needed privacy. The standard trees need another year to fill out but bring the eye forward into the garden.

Sticking to a palette of the same limestone in both paving and herringbone pavers keeps it smart with their warm texture against the immersive planting scheme.

16/07/2025

26/06/2025

04/06/2025

Catalpa bignonioides Nana lining the chalk stream and making a fun arrival through the gates. They screen the parking area from the house without blocking the view of the stream.

Further along the pleached hornbeam have provided full screening for the pool area with catmint and roses keeping it country garden classic style.

The ground slopes away from the pool area and it wasn’t possible to continue the pleached trees so we planted a mini amelanchier grove to bring soft layering and privacy from the neighbouring top floor windows.

I try to put a Cornus controversa Variegata into most of my designs and here we had room for a few to lift the woodland area, spreading their wings slowly across the ground cover below.

for the trees and big plants
for the perennials

08/05/2025

Walking to work part 2 - passing Romsey Abbey north garden, previously fully mown grass, a large bare and pretty lifeless patch of green, now teaming with life. The apple trees have blossomed nicely and every day brings a new colour in the meadow.

So happy to see they agreed to installing benches, they offer a fully immersive experience and are always occupied, a perfect place to eat fish and chips from Caught or sit and catch the sunset.

I’m taking photos each week and will track progress from the gate.

08/05/2025

Walking to work part 1 - the most direct route is via King Johns House which had a terrible fire recently but the garden is now open and teaming with life.

24/04/2025

The best of days at Iford Manor with , with a down to earth, refreshingly open-minded insight by owner William on what a garden should be and how imperfection is in reality perfection, (it helps when Harold Peto was involved along the way) and an understated and intelligent tour from Steve the head gardener continuing the mantle from a line of impressive names which he can add his to.

An outdoor collection of worldly, and in many ways other worldly, artefacts curated across the Italianate/Japanese/Roman terraces in a very English valley.

21/04/2025

A beautiful facade deserves beautiful planting. Previously the driveway extended across the front of the house so we stopped cars at the side where there is ample space to park, and the short walk to the front door has created a welcoming and elegant approach.

Thanks to my lovely client for the photos 🙌