9 Advertising feature
Dartmouth and I spend a lot of time here, I therefore approached 100-150 Devon based companies. “I was very fortunate that SW Water responded and invited
me to meet their head of PR – I convinced them that this was a great opportunity to promote one of their key initiatives at the time – which was called downstream thinking, which aimed to show their customers how to use their domestic gardens to manage the problem of rainwater run-off. If we can control this without overwhelming our sewage system there are considerable environmental benefits. “RHS Hampton Court invited us to show a garden (one of 20) at their 2018 Show. The garden I designed demonstrated some of the solutions that gardeners could use to manage rainwater run-off. I was thrilled to win a Gold that year with the garden, something we didn’t expect. It was very hard work and a real family effort. Our budget was very tight and my parents, my aunt and my fiancée’s parents were all roped in to help! “Our success led to me being invited the next year (2019) to take part in a competitive pitch for a garden at the same show sponsored by Cancer Research. The garden was very successful winning Gold, Best Construction in Show and the People’s Choice Award. Following this success, Cancer Research have invited me again to do a new garden at the 2021 Show which will be taking place early in July, just as this interview is published – so fingers crossed…”
What sort of gardens are you designing? “After graduation, I worked freelance for one of the UK’s leading garden design practices whilst at the same time building a portfolio of my own work – I launched the practice full time a couple of years ago. We are based in London but I am increasingly doing work across the country including here in South Devon. I have worked on 5 projects so far in/around Dartmouth. “My approach is very client led – whilst I probably have a personal style, I am not there to impose that on my clients. I set out to agree with clients a very clear brief that fits with their needs and desires – creating beautiful personal spaces that marry with the architecture of their home, the local vernacular and surrounding landscape. My current work does tend to concentrate on contemporary schemes, but at the moment I am working on a scheme in a listed landscape – it’s a real variety. The projects can range from postage stamp-sized courtyard spaces or up to 50 acres and everything in between. The challenges of a small garden can be as enjoyable and as creative as something much larger.”
Why do we need garden designers? “With gardens, unless gardening is a big part of your life, then it is difficult to understand how such a large and living space, which changes over time, can be brought together coherently and in a way that allows you to enjoy your outside space in a manner that’s personal to you. It’s quite a challenge but garden designers can help bring order and flair to a garden project. We have a similar role as an architect in helping you make the most out of these spaces. As we have found during lockdown, gardens enrich our lives, they help us relax and they add to our wellbeing.”
What must we have in a garden? “Every garden should have a really lovely space, doesn’t have to be big, where you can enjoy a cup of tea/coffee or a gin & tonic, where you can relax surrounded by vegetation.”
Name a favourite plants (for a Devon garden)? “Pinus mugo ‘Mughus’ (dwarf pines) – perfect for a coastal setting and well suited to the local environment.
Tom Simpson - Landscape & Garden Designer 07762 608 765
tom@tomsimpsondesign.com
www.tomsimpsondesign.com
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