ANA GARDEN DESIGN
Bespoke border design services
Creating planting designs that are individually tailored to you and your outdoor space in both residential and community settings
ABOUT ANA
Qualified with the RHS, I bring 18 years of hands-on experience cultivating not only my own gardens but also creating planting plans for family, friends and more recently commissioned projects. I'm passionate about gardening and horticulture and making it more accessible for all. I promote gardening for wellbeing, mental health and believe in the philosophy that nature nurtures.
I approach every project with care and meticulous detail. I believe in building lasting relationships with my clients by understanding their unique needs and personal style. This allows me to bring their visions to life. I am committed to creating spaces that reflect my clients tastes while promoting biodiversity.
GARDEN DESIGN SERVICES
Border Design
Bespoke border design service, whether you are stuck for ideas on how to improve your existing borders or you new to gardening and unsure of what plants would work where?
I can put together for you different planting ideas and options tailored to your conditions and aspect, as well as ensuring there is seasonal colour and interest.
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Included in the border design service:
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A pre questionnaire for you to fill in ahead of our call
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A 30 minute virtual call
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A detailed summary email of our discussion
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A full list of recommended plants, quantities of each plant and planting instructions
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Virtual Session £100
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Planting service available on request for an additional fee.
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In-person consultations also available on request as well as follow-up site visits.
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Garden Consultation
If you are looking to improve your small garden layout or an area of your garden or would like some bespoke advice on planting or design features then a garden consultation could be for you.
I can give you different planting ideas and layout options tailored to your position and current garden design, as well as ensuring there is seasonal colour and interest.
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Included in the consultation:
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A pre questionnaire for you to fill in ahead of our call
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A virtual call
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A detailed summary email of everything discussed and suggested design/layout changes
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A full list of recommended plants, quantities of each plant and planting instructions
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In-person follow-up site visit (5 mile radius of CR2) or call
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Consultation Session £150
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Planting service available on request for an additional fee.
SEASONAL JOBS
What to do now
MAY JOBS
May is a busy month in the garden. Here are a few jobs that you can be doing over the next few weeks.
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Now is the the time to be hardening off your summer annuals, things like Cosmos & Dahlias are ready to be planted out once the risk of frost has passed. You do this by getting your seedings or plug plants accustomed to the outdoor weather and temperatures by bringing them outside in the daytime and undercover of a cold frame or greenhouse at night.
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May is a great month to to divide or move any existing perennial plants.
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Ensure you stake emerging perennials before they get too big and need support.
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Tie in climbing plants that are putting on a lot of growth at this time of year such as sweet peas, climbing roses and honeysuckle.
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Cut off the browning leaves on alliums to tidy them up whilst the flower is still in bloom.
NO MOW MAY & THE CHELSEA CHOP
No Mow May - you can take part in this by leaving your lawn to grow during the month of May. This improves biodiversity within your garden. If you can’t face not mowing your lawn for the whole month, then you could try just leaving a patch, or mowing the edges or simply a path through the lawn to keep it looking tidy.
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The Chelsea chop is so called because it is usually carried out at the end of May, coinciding with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which starts tomorrow!
It is a pruning method by which you limit the size and control of a number of perennials by a third or up to a half. This delays the flowering season of many herbaceous plants.
You can either cut all the stems or just prune half so you stagger the flowering.
There are a number of perennial plants which this is suitable for, such as:
Phlox
Nepeta
Pestemons
Echinacea
Asters
Rubeckia
Achillea
GREEN THERAPY
What is it?
GARDENING FOR WELLBEING
Gardening for wellbeing refers to the practice of engaging in gardening activities to promote physical, mental and emotional health.
I am a qualified complementary therapist and reflexologist so the bringing together of my love of gardening and my holistic therapies feels very natural and just another form of therapy - green therapy.
Gardening for wellbeing can be practiced by anyone, regardless of age, capabilities, gardening experience or size of outdoor space.
Both holistic and green therapies improve your physical and mental wellbeing in a wide range of ways, some of which are listed below:
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Stress reduction - gardening lowers cortisol (a stress hormone) and encourages relaxation.
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Mindfulness - focusing on tasks like planting or pruning fosters a sense of presence and mindfulness.
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Mood Boost - increasing feelings of happiness and contentment by increasing serotonin levels.
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Improved sleep quality.
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Physical wellbeing - with gardening activities, improved vitamin D levels from being outdoors and nutritional awareness from growing your own fruits and vegetables.
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Sense of purpose - watching plants grow and thrive gives a sense of accomplishment.
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Mental stimulation and memory support - planning a garden and learning about plants all keep the brain active
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Ecotherapy - the act of connecting with the earth and the natural cycles and seasons can bring feelings of grounding and balance.
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Environmental awareness - gardening fosters a greater appreciation for the natural world and sustainable practices.​
PROJECTS
I offer planting designs for a range of different settings, in both residential and community spaces. Here are a few of the completed planting plans I've designed recently.
Residential Garden
This south-facing border runs the length of the garden. Although it had some established plants, it was missing a cohesive design. I created a planting plan with a blend of perennials and annuals for a homeowner who loves to garden and wanted something more hands-on, rather than low maintenance.
Memorial Community Garden
It was a privilege to design and plant two large raised planters in a memorial garden for The Evelyn Rae Foundation, a babyloss charity (@theevelynraefoundation). The planters needed to be low maintenance and drought-tolerant, so I chose a combination of tough perennials, self-seeders, and spring bulbs to provide enduring interest with little upkeep.
Residential Front Garden
This expansive front garden border required a design that was both low maintenance and drought-tolerant. With a large, established blossom tree as a focal point, we opted for a mix of resilient perennials and grasses to ensure year-round interest.
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Container Garden
This project focused on creating a low-maintenance container display for a partially-sighted client. The design emphasised the use of vibrant colours, scented plants, and easy navigation around the existing familiar pots. I combined reliable perennials with bright annuals to create a welcoming and accessible display.
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PRESS & SOCIAL MEDIA
I have two accounts on instagram which follow my home garden journey and garden design that I keep regularly updated.
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Magazine coverage
March 2021 I had a double-page feature in Modern Garden magazine which covered my home garden.
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January 2024 I was mentioned in The RHS The Garden magazine and won a prize in Garden News magazine.
I used Ana's garden designs to revamp my garden after moving. Her natural flair and passion, combined with her expertise and knowledge has created a beautiful little oasis that I couldn't be more thankful for. From planning, planting and advice, Ana has made it easy and affordable. I would highly recommend her services to anyone.
Victoria
Ana has transformed our garden with her planter designs. She understood and interpreted our brief perfectly! Â It was easy to order plants and plant the beds following her design instructions, and everything has matured beautifully. Â We would definitely recommend her.
Vanessa
Ana really helped me visualise what my garden border could become and gave me the all the necessary information for me to make the design a reality. Ana took into consideration all my garden likes and dislikes and gave me a border design totally unique to me. I love it!
Andrew
GIFT VOUCHERS
If you’re stuck what to get someone for a birthday, a special event, or even a moving in present to a new home then why not give them a gift of a garden!
I offer a bespoke border design service, whether it’s ideas on how to improve your existing borders or you’re new to gardening and unsure of what plants would work where. I can create planting designs that are individually tailored to you and your outdoor space.
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The vouchers can either be sent electronically or a card version in the post.
CONTACT US
QUALIFICATIONS & CPD
I am qualified with the RHS and have attended numerous London College of Garden Design workshops and have a CIMA certificate in Wellbeing in Horticulture.
I am currently studying for a Diploma in Botany.
