July 2026 – Chew Magna Project

 

This garden is such a pleasure to see developing and is really beginning to show off its best flowers, even through these stifling summer heatwaves.

A lot of the planting is really finding its feet now, becoming more abundant and beginning to have a much greater impact. It is creating a strong visual effect while also providing an increasing amount of food and habitat for wildlife and pollinators, from bumblebees to hummingbird hawk moths.

It’s a project I’m increasingly proud to have designed and to be continuing to develop, particularly with such appreciative and positive clients.

I’m very pleased to say that I’ve been invited to stay on and keep developing the garden further. The next stage will be about creating more of a journey through the space — moving up through different planting areas, stopping at seating areas and perhaps the odd pond along the way.

There is also a dry creek-style river in the works, which should add another interesting element to the garden and help tie some of these spaces together.

Taking a permaculture-inspired approach, I’ll also be moving the vegetable garden into a more frequently visited area closer to the house. The idea is simple: make it easier to access, enjoy and maintain, while integrating it more naturally into everyday life.

It’s really rewarding to see the original ideas developing into something much more than a plan on paper. The garden is becoming increasingly established, but there is still plenty of scope for it to evolve.

Watch this space for more progress :)