THE
PETERSHAM
PLANTSMAN
Where beautiful living takes shape
Just Moved House?
Discover your new Garden
A new home often comes with a garden you didn’t choose — and plants you may know very little about.
Before removing or redesigning anything, it is worth finding out what you have.
I have seen mature plants of considerable value needlessly removed simply because their potential wasn’t recognised. Others may look unremarkable at a particular time of year, yet become one of the highlights of the garden a few months later. Some can be transformed with careful pruning or simply given the space to develop properly.
Once a mature plant is gone, replacing its size, character and years of growth can be difficult and expensive. The same can be true of materials and features already in the garden. Old stone, brick, paving and other elements may have value, character or potential for re-use that isn’t immediately obvious.
A garden consultation gives you the opportunity to understand what you have before deciding what comes next.
The first step is often not deciding what to add, but what not to lose.
I can help identify the plants you have inherited, assess their condition and potential, and distinguish between those worth retaining and those that may genuinely have had their day.
From there, we can look at the garden as a whole and decide where a few well-judged changes could make the greatest difference.
Where do we go from here?
Once we understand what the garden already has to offer, we can decide what it actually needs.
That might mean a few simple changes, improving existing planting or developing the garden gradually over time. Where more substantial change would be worthwhile, I can help with planting design, a garden masterplan or a complete garden design.
The aim isn’t to change things for the sake of it, but to make the most of what you have and build on its potential.
Not sure what you’ve inherited?