Recently bring home the bacon a Gold Medal and the coveted People ’s Choice Award for his garden at RHS Hampton Court , Paul Hervey - Brookes has establish himself as one of the UK ’s most painstaking house decorator .
In our shortsighted chat , Paul shares his route into Garden Design and name a half - hardy flora he ca n’t endure without !
How Did You First Get Into Gardening?
“ When I was at school , I had the opportunity to become aware of the natural domain and plant , ” shares Paul .
“ This include plants which came from all over the worldly concern . In a style , they were the ultimate safety valve . ”
What Led You To A Career In Garden Design?
“ I was studying at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh with an interest in working in herbaceous nursery product , ” he explains .
“ George Anderson , the Head of Horticulture there at the time , took us to Paris for a theatre of operations trip . There he showed me the schoolhouse of landscape computer architecture at Versailles and the relaxation , as they say , is account . ”
What Does Your Process For Designing Gardens Look Like?
“ It ’s very simple . My ambition is to create an emotion using a series of problem - work peter which allows the space to enter the mind of the user and become part of their cosmos .
“ I am inspired by what the customer never say , the vernacular space and time – and above all , emotion . ”
Do You Have A Favourite Memory Of A Garden You Have Designed?
“ I once project a garden for a very introverted node who wanted the landscape to feel defensive , ” Paul shares .
“ I did n’t tell apart them that under a expectant ironical moat which promote the house which they rather wish , I had plant thousands of blousy parrot tulips !
“ It disport me greatly that the force of landscape painting can transmute our perceptions of others and ourselves . ”
Do You Have Any Secret Gardening Tips?
“ It goes wrong , ” he pronounce simply .
“ Do n’t be scared of that , as it is often the ripe way to learn and is at last part of the cognitive operation of creating a garden . ”
What Is One Plant That You Can’t Live Without?
“ Melianthus major , primarily for the memories it evokes of my early oeuvre at Cotswold Garden Flowers . ”
What Does A Day In Your Working Life Typically Look Like?
“ I incline to work on paper and computing machine - based work in the morning , then most afternoons I either make land site visit , research trips or act upon in my own garden , which is my experimentation pad , ” he explains .
Do You Have Any Advice For Those Thinking Of Giving Garden Design A Go?
“ Like all originative athletic field , if it is your passion , go for it .
“ It is hard body of work where at the start you will feel undervalued and underpaid , but the insolent side when those moments arrive are indescribable . ”
Edinburgh Royal Botanic Gardens
Melianthus major
