Studio Notes

Are Traditional Gardens Dead? Part 2: Summer Colour

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 15:28:10 GMT

Part 2: Summer Colour. Has this Summer left your garden looking less than colourful? It might be time to rethink your long term plant choices.

Dry Summers are brutal for a lot of our nations beloved, traditional garden plants.

If the aim is survival on minimum inputs specifically, water, we need to proactively consider the planting our gardens contain and manage our expectations of what they will look like.

Trial by drought

The work of the late, great Nigel Dunnett, James Hitchmough and many others have led the way on low input - high impact planting - making it a mainstream option for designing green spaces particularly, within the public realm (think Sheffields Grey to Green schemes).
However, there is still some way to go in weaning the wider gardening public off some of the more traditional routes to a colourful, Summer garden.

What I’m doing

My own garden is looking pretty crispy in places. I really haven’t watered any of the beds in my garden this Summer with the exception of a couple of Peonies I have a soft spot for but, I’ve definitely lost quite a few plants and I know I need to change up not just the type of plants I use. More plants! Specifically in areas that currently feel baked dry for their inherent cooling effect and shade in the Summer and their ability to take up water in the Winter. .

Despite the fact I have access to river water, collect and store rain water as much as I can (and have been making the family shower over buckets and boxes this Summer!) it’s fair to say I’d rather not spend a miserably hot Summer watering things that aren’t realistically going to survive the long haul.

Taking stock of what the last few months have done to the established planting I have and seeing what adjustments are required will hopefully stand me in better stead in the Summers to come.

Look beyond the bedding for Summer colour:

I’m not adverse to a pot of flouncy bedding plants in the right spot (and those will need watering!) and self-set annuals like Nigella are a joy anywhere. However, the traditional bedding display may (should?) become a thing of the past.
Resource intensive to produce, wasteful when it gets scrapped after flowering, these plants don’t have chance to put down meaningful roots and are the first to flop when it’s dry.

Switching to annual wildflower varieties like Cornflowers, Poppies, Wild Carrot and Scabious that thrive in scant conditions and growing from seed gives the best chance of establishing strong roots and being more resilient whatever the season throws at them.

Once the above plants get going, I collect their seeds to scatter for the following year but, for the backbone of the planting, I’m in it for the long haul. Perennials are better value - buy once, get years of interest. Pick something that suits the
conditions and gives you the colour you love. It’s better all round for ground cover, drought resilience, habitat creation and your wallet.

Consider more drought tolerant plants and ways to integrate rain water management into the garden. It’s not just having a water butt. There are lots of creative ways to get water from your roofs and paving to where it’s needed instead of disappearing down the drain.

When you allow ground water to replenish when it does rain, planting is more resilient when it doesn’t. However, you also need to bear in mind the soil you have as plants will likely face wetter Winters in which many Mediterranean style plants won’t tolerate in heavy ground.

Historically, gardening has been about controlling nature – creating environments that didn’t exist in soils they often weren’t suited to and the ensuing support they required to perform.
If we want more sustainable gardens - thriving with minimal intervention, we need spaces designed to cope with what the elements throw at them.

Time to start working with nature not against it.

Are Traditional Gardens Dead? Part 1: Trees

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 20:56:13 GMT

Part 1: Trees.

Climate change means we all need to start thinking differently about what it means to and, how, we garden.

A fair share of Clients I speak to are looking for a garden that is somewhere between Chelsea ready and low maintenance’, however, the new normal (ostensibly meaning ‘anything could happen but there’s probably going to be a hosepipe ban at some point’) means achieving any garden at all is going to need some forward planning.

Trees, in particular will require careful consideration. Especially the trees we choose for our gardens from now on.

With most hoping to live at least 50 years, the right ones in the right place, 100’s, they will bear witness to everything Climate Change brings over the decades to come.

They are also some of the most important flora in terms of supporting both people (think shade, cooling, maybe, oxygen?!) and wildlife.

I went to Ely earlier this week for Barcham Trees ‘Our Urban Forest Future’ event. As a primarily residential designer based in rural Northamptonshire I do get to design a few urban gardens (and I do love the challenge of designing a small space and they are some of my favourites to work on!) but, they’re not something I do everyday.

So, why go to an urban tree focused event?

Well, consider the conditions your average urban tree has to contend with:

Often limited soil and planting space, soil compaction, erosion. Warmer temperatures and microclimates due to the urban heat island effect and limited water and nutrients. (As well as pollution, potential vandalism etc).

As Climate Change bites, these sound remarkably similar to the stresses that a lot of planting will experience in one form or another. Certainly the trees in your average garden might be in for a shock as temperatures rise and the convenience of watering gardens with drinking water is seen for insanity that it really is and the feast or famine effects of extreme weather affects soil structure and stability.

The insights provided came from a wide range of schemes - large scale tree planting in the Middle East, tree audits from across the American North West parks to the current challenges facing the Royal Parks Treescape teams.

Perhaps the biggest face-palm moment of the day for me was that in the USA, Native American Tribes Partners are being consulted to help in the management of areas of national woodland (presumably, that their ancestors had acted as custodians of for millennia, prior before being removed to create 'National Parks'?) as the approaches typically used in modern forestry management are not working to mitigate the now, increased, risk of wildfires.

(Finally. Waking up to the idea that working with nature instead of against it is a good idea)...

Another take away that can be applied to planting at any scale was resilience in diversity.

The example of one of the Royal Parks which has had a heavy historical reliance on London Plane trees (Platanus hispanica - as does much of London) and the emergence of a hitherto, unknown, pathogen attacking it. This is another by-product of a changing climate and in this instance, has led to the removal of a large number of mature trees, fundamentally changing the character, canopy cover and associated ecosystem of the space.

There are other species that have been and will be impacted by the influx of previously unseen pests and diseases brought about by the changing conditions with their effects rendering trees even more susceptible to less hospitable climate conditions.

There are many other impacts that will be seen and felt amongst our trees. Phenological adjustments (how plants adjust the timing of their seasonal lifecycle in response to changing climate patterns (such as longer growing seasons) will mean that species will survive based on their ability to adapt.

So, as we observe how some of our own garden favourites over the next few years and, when some of them inevitably fail, choosing their replacements from a range of trees better suited will be critical in helping to maintain ecosystems and all the other benefits they provide that we tend to take for granted.

Finding The Right Garden Designer For Your Project

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:39:06 GMT

Finding a Garden Designer

Engaging a design professional can be a daunting prospect if you’ve never done it before.

So, how can you maximise your chances of choosing the right one to work with you to help create your perfect garden?

It's going to depend a little on what your ideal space looks like (or, if you don't know, to understand what the important things are going to be for you - wildlife, sustainability and rain water management, family friendly, clean minimalism or plants, plants, plants?)

You’re also going to be spending time with and / or talking to them a lot over the lifespan of the project and it’s important you’re on the same page when it comes to approach.

When I moved out of London about 14 years ago, I wasn’t a garden designer. My husband and I had moved from a one bed, first floor flat in London to a partially-completed barn conversion project in a rural village with 2 acres of mud, docks and nettles.

We’d wanted a project and that’s exactly what we had. However, instead of taking a breath and listening to myself and treating the garden as wonderful part of the jigsaw that didn’t have to be fixed there and then, I panicked.

I phoned a local (very well known) designer to see what first steps in engaging her might be.

The call was not what I would have hoped for and I put the phone down feeling small and a bit silly to have bothered her.

It was a moment I reflected on considerably when I came to start my own design practice.

We have access to lots of information at our finger tips these days so, what would I consider if I was looking for someone now?:

Not all designers have necessarily been to ‘design college’ and not all have taken RHS exams. Many have gained their knowledge and experience in a practical context over time. Equally, there are lots that have one of the many professional qualifications out there currently without necessarily having lots of practical experience. There are also lots of people that have all of the above.

Understanding the designers ‘how I got here’ is a starting point and for me, personally, it would be of interest. However, I would also look for examples of their previous work both in design and having been built as an indication of experience, style and approach to visually communicating their ideas rather than obsess about what certificate they got from where.

Most things can be learnt, not everything can be taught.

Professional Accreditation:

The garden design industry is not currently regulated in terms of qualifications needed to be a 'professional designer' although, I do think may change at some point. However, there are professional bodies such as the APL (Association of Professional Landscapers*) and the SGD (Society of Garden and Landscape Designers) which designers can apply to for accreditation to show their commitment to professional standards and an agreed Code of Practice.

As an APL accredited designer myself, it’s a sign I have gone through a certain process to have my work recognised by a professional body. However, I also know there are also good designers who choose not to do this.

Word on the street:

Reviews and testimonials: Access to written feedback is instant these days and while I would definitely have a look at these I'd also consider word of mouth and personal referrals (especially where you can go and see the designers previous work in real life) to be more insightful.

If you the opportunity, ask lots of questions and get to understand the clients experience of the designers approach as well as the end result.

Feel Appeal:

Website and social media accounts: This is a virtual shop window so, if you like the way the designer and their process comes across, you like the look of their previous work and generally get professional and / or a warm, fuzzy vibes, it’s all good information.

Does the way they talk about their process resonate with you? Do you recognise similar challenges and aspirations from the projects included?

Ultimately, you're looking for someone who gets where you're coming from and understands any challenges you're looking to overcome and will get your project from A-B in an organised, professional and, ultimately enjoyable, manner.

So, I would say if you feel like you’d want to have a conversation with the designer after having read what’s written there, all good.

Make Your Move:

All the above are the preliminaries.

Making contact and having an initial conversation to discuss what you’re looking to achieve** and the designers suggested approach is the next step. If you end the conversation excited at the prospect of hearing more about how you can work together, it’s a good sign.

*******

*More about the APL and the accreditation process can be found here :

**During this conversation you should reasonably expect to have a discussion around your budget to ensure that your expectations are realistic, accounting for the size of your space and the length of your wish list. Some designers also have a minimum budget they are prepared to work with (often included on their websites).

My Why

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:30:54 GMT

Why I do What I Do

I've always loved growing things, drawing and been fascinated by how stuff gets built but, a few years ago, I experienced first-hand the positive effects of gardening, green spaces and nature and saw how it can positively affect others.

I still reflect on it as one of the reasons I do what I do.

A few years ago I signed up as a volunteer on a course run by the charity Headway, focusing on supporting people after brain injury.

It was delivered by a psychotherapist with a passion for permaculture at a local community garden.

There were practical gardening days but also classroom sessions where parallels were drawn between the cyclical nature of the natural world and the process of psychological, physical and emotional recovery.

I was sceptical about what I could bring to the table - I had no idea what to expect as a volunteer and feeling pretty lost myself after the death of my Mum the previous year, I wasn't sure I'd be much use to anyone else. However, it all made perfect sense.

I looked forward to the weekly sessions immensely - they were always filled with laughter despite the often, traumatic reasons for people being there.

It was wonderful to see the participants gaining confidence socially and physically and I also found it an extremely comforting way of helping make sense of my own grief. While I’d experienced the healing effects of time spent in my own garden, here the effects seemed amplified for sharing with others.

There’s no doubt that being amongst healthy plants, in pleasant surroundings is of great benefit to people, mentally, emotionally and physically. So, for me, helping people achieve this kind of environment in their own space is incredibly rewarding.

I've also been able to help some great organisations share the benefits even more widely by helping them improve their outdoor spaces.

If you are involved with or know of a charity that is looking for help, please feel free to get in touch:

studio@hpgardendesign.co.uk

Sustainable Water Use in My Garden

183:764267128 (Hannah Phillips) — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 13:20:06 GMT

Walking the Walk...

Given my propensity to bang on about how important sustainable rain water management is (it really is!) I thought it was time I share what goes on in my own garden.

Granted, it's not an average garden - part is classed as agricultural land and is part of a flood plain for the River Nene but, as such, we get to see both sides of the rain water management coin: Capture and handling of run off near the house and some of where it (and lots of other people's run off) ends up...

I recently calculated there's about 200m2 of less than permeable surface created by our house and associated patios, hardstanding and the like. In an average year of rainfall for our area, this creates over 155,000 litres of rainwater run off that might otherwise flow into the local drain network.

Here's what happens:

We have a gravel drive sloping down to the courtyard parking and a soakaway pit. This takes not only the water from a drive shared with our neighbours, but quite a lot of the roof run off from one of their houses (not ideal but it's always been like that and the alternative is it joining the highways drain).

From here it is piped underground, collecting run off from our own house downpipes and discharges into a bio-swale (basically a channel lined with vegetation) along the side of the garden that carries water along its length, towards the river. In reality, water from here never really reaches the river. The swale allows most of the water to infiltrate the ground below although, in times of heavy or persistent rain it can hold water until the ground becomes less saturated, with no ill effects.

Into the same swale goes the clean water run off from our bio-digester that deals with all the grey and black water from the house (for which we have a certificate from the Environment Agency).

As part of the flood plain we do usually get persistent standing water at the end of the garden during the wetter, Winter months. Depending on the seasonal rainfall, this can rise up during periods of intense rain (and the fact that it tends to reach peak level some 24-48 hours after the main rain event would suggest this comes from rising river levels created by run off from the wider, surrounding area.

This year we had standing water in places as late as the start of June (pictured above).

Around the house and greenhouse we have a series of dipping tanks (repurposed agricultural watering troughs) and water butts to keep a convenient supply of water nearby for pots and planters. We have standard diverter kits on the butts so, when they're full, the downpipes divert back to the drain-to-swale set up.

Butt (see what I did there?!) I know there's more we can do around our home and garden to conserve the water that falls .

Where there's one water butt, there could be 2, allowing overflow to fill the second up.

If we blow aesthetics out the window (or, you have a good sized roof to an outbuilding or barn) how about an IBC (one of those big water cubes farmers often use) to capture run off?

Even better, you could install an underground water storage system to really get some meaningful volume involved. This could also be used for non-potable things like washing clothes and flushing loos as well as watering plants. This would be something I'd love to do but it's not one of the cheaper options!

There could be more rain planters integrated into the dipping tanks to increase plant biodiversity (we already have a lot of water on site so I have decided not to do this so far!)

I'm in the process of* putting a new rain planter in a tiny, outdoor courtyard space. Partly because is gets really dry there and I don't want to have to water it and partly because I want to see (and hear) the water fall from the house gutter, down a rain chain and into a rain planter full of lovely plants!

I could do something more fancy with the greenhouse run off collection (a galvanised trough and a couple of less pretty receptacles around the back!) but, it currently does what I need it to do pretty well.

The point is, there's *always* something more you can do whether you currently consciously think about saving water or not but, if everyone just does a little something, every little helps.

***

If you have any questions about the sustainable water features mentioned above or, would like to know more about how sustainable rain management could work in your own garden, feel free to drop me an email: studio@hpgardendesign@outlook.com

Sustainable Rain Water Management

Wed, 08 May 2024 11:48:37 GMT

Why It's Important

As a nation we are developing a rather polar relationship with water: Too much in the Winter, too little in the Summer.

We lament both (with good reason if you've ever seen how much damage flood water can do to the average home) but, aside from the odd water butt here and there to tide us over a particularly hot Summer, that’s about as far as it usually goes (yes, I know I'm generalising!)

It's a unfortunate reality that the water companies responsible for managing our water supplies have not created the capacity required to cope with modern run off levels created by:

Increased development - less permeable ground for water to infiltrate and re-enter the water cycle
A legacy of rain water run off entering drains and sewer systems at volumes they were not designed for
Climate change creating extremes of heat and drought, then rainfall that drains and compromised soils are less able to deal with

You don't have to look very far to see that our current system of rain water management is broken.

As a nation we need to change our attitude towards it and see it as an opportunity rather than a problem and, it can start with how we manage rain and run off in our own gardens and outdoor spaces.

The best thing is, these kinds of sustainable, climate resilient, rain water management solutions can be attractive features in their own right as well as creating beautiful, biodiverse habitats for local wildlife or, fun, interactive opportunities for learning and play.

All it takes is a bit of imagination, understanding and design.

***

Making it rain.... (Or, at least, allowing us to enjoy it more when it does)...

Things we can do:

Keeping impermeable surfaces to a minimum - allowing water the opportunity to soak back into the ground, replenishing ground water and aquifers.
Creating rain gardens that allow run off to be captured and slowed, allowing it to be returned to the ground while increasing habitat and biodiversity.
Bioswales, wetlands and ponds can also do this while creating attractive features in their own right.
Choose the right plants for the situation - those which don't need irrigation or, can cope with periodic flooding.
Catch and collect water for future use.

***

RainVentures.co.uk was created to help schools, educational settings and residential home owners understand and create designs for attractive, climate resilient and sustainable outdoor spaces.

If you're interested in hearing more about how sustainable garden design can help in your project, email studio@hpgardendesign.co.uk or complete the form on the RainVentures.co.uk page.

Designing Small Gardens

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 14:21:19 GMT

City? Courtyard? Or, just small?

Having a small garden (or even a really small garden) doesn’t mean you can't enjoy it.

Whether you want to be out there entertaining and relaxing in or, have something lovely to look at while making space for local wildlife.

It just means that every inch needs to work hard to fulfil its potential.

It can be hard to know where to start.

In a city you’re probably a bit overlooked by neighbouring properties or you may have conflicting requirements (kids/pets vs a relaxing space).

If you’ve recently extended your property and nibbled into your garden to do so, it can feel a bit daunting working with even less space than you had before.

Blank canvas new builds can present broadly the same issues with the added roulette of what the builders might have (not) left behind, soil-wise and often a bit of a fish-bowl feeling when you step outside your back door.

It’s a good puzzle (you’ve got a garden after all!)

I’ve worked with families and professional couples in person and remotely, designing spaces that work for them, make their garden space feel inviting and, often most importantly, feel secluded as well as looking lovely.

The seclusion thing is interesting and it comes up with a lot of projects I work on.

Two of the main points Clients are usually looking to address, often at the same time, are:

- There’s nothing of interest out in the garden to draw them out there.

- Once they’re out there, they feel exposed and over looked and don’t feel comfortable settling in the space.

The first can be addressed creating destination points and, it doesn’t need to be much but, there needs to be a purpose - a bench to sit and read on, a dining or bistro set or, a BBQ station or pizza oven to cook and hang around. Even in small gardens it’s usually possible to get at least a couple of things in there.

Unless you live in the middle of a field, there’s a good chance the second issue is something relatable at which point I’m going to say what I say to pretty much all my Clients in that there’s a difference between actual, physical privacy and perceived seclusion.

In reality, the first is tricky to achieve 100% but, enough can be done with clever positioning of planting and screening and use of existing boundaries to provide privacy in the areas that it’s really needed and create what feels like, once you’re out there, a secluded and secure space.

Ideas for designing for small spaces:

- Space saving planting – narrow cultivars and clipped specimens.

- Multi-purpose features to add things like storage.

- No room for a lawn? No problem. There are lots of options (nope, I am not talking about artificial grass!)

- Use the vertical to add interest and utility

Designing for tricky spaces can be a fun exercise and, if your site is straightforward (no obvious drainage issues or big level changes) and you want to be engaged in the design process (and have the energy and enthusiasm to provide all the necessary info) a distance design may be a cost effective route to a garden space that adds utility and aesthetics to your living space and, ultimately, adds value to your property.

What Does Sustainability Mean for Garden Design?

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 19:23:43 GMT

How Does Sustainability Affect my Garden Design as a Client?

Sustainability is a hot topic but, how is it likely to affect the work that garden designers do and, ultimately, you the Client, pay for?

For me, it's something that should underpin good design from the outset:
Designing for longevity over fashion or trends, selecting plants for their suitability for conditions now and in the future and considering the impact or carbon footprint quarried, imported, grown or manufactured materials have on energy consumption, pollution and social impact in the countries they come from, are all considerations.

So, the short answer is, while it won’t affect the quality of design you get when you engage a professional garden designer, it may impact some of the choices and decisions they make around your project. Particularly if sustainability is part of their mission statement and brand values which is true for most designers or, forms part of your brief.

You are, after all, engaging them for their expertise and judgement and their professional preferences for materials for example, will be based on a good understanding of the resources required to make, transport, install and maintain them.
On the soft landscaping side, there is already discussion within the industry around plants that may become the new, stalwarts in certain regions as climate change becomes more apparent. This is something that’s already particularly relevant with respect to tree selection because of their longevity.
On the design side, sustainable elements such as water storage and composting may be things you're asked to consider if they don't already form part of the brief (because, ultimately what's better for the planet is generally also better for you, the Client!)

The bottom line is, sustainability doesn’t mean you’ll have a less beautiful garden designed for you. It’s just another factor that your garden designer will be considering along with many others, as they work on your project.