Five star clients

If there was ever a website where you could review your clients, these wonderful people would get five stars every time (and the guys at Water Gems who built this garden agree).  We all loved designing and building this garden for Tina and John.  They had been struggling with their garden for years – keeping it well tended but knowing it lacked the wow factor.  We hit it off from the first meeting and negotiated budget, design, construction schedule without a hitch.  Transforming the sloping garden into something special involved starting afresh with most of the planting but keeping their stunningly fiery coloured Rhododendrons and rich Paeonias.  Tina and John enjoy being outside but like to feel the warmth of the sun so we agreed to create three seating areas so they could follow the sun around the garden.

Circular pergolas

The pergolas were designed not to block out sun but to define the seating areas and offer height and structure.  There was much discussion about whether or not to grow climbers over them.  So far, they have been left bare so the rebar rings on sturdy larch posts are in full view.

Plants on fire

Tina was adamant she didn’t want any wishy washy colours in the garden so as a rare treat I was able to go to town on red hot colours. The spring kicks off with Narcissus Tete a Tetes and then moves up a gear with Tulip Daydream and Tulip Spring Green.  Geum Totally Tangerine then rubs shoulders for much of the summer with the likes of Achillea Moonshine, Rudbeckia Goldsturm and Monarda Jacob Cline.  Winter structure is offered by grasses and clipped box as well as Choisya Ternata Sundance.

Scottish Field Edinburgh

I was contacted by Scottish Field’s Edinburgh publication, SF Edinburgh in the summer of 2018 asking if I had any gardens they could feature.  Tina and John were delighted to welcome the photographer and answer questions on their new ‘baby’ and the article was published in October that year.  Thanks Tina and John for being so good to us.