From Vogue House to Deepest Devon
Having spent years choosing clothes from catwalk shows for my fashion shoots, I now edit ideas for my garden in the same way – stealing ideas from everything and everywhere. It’s not just other gardens, but hedgerows, sculptures and paintings that inspire me. My iris bed came about because I liked a painting called “Iris seedlings” by Cedric Morris – all muted blues and yellows, gold and rust.
Whether it’s a field of irises, or a tub of one colour of tulips, less is almost always more. You get a better, more brilliant impact by block planting lots of the same plant to create a block colour effect. Avoid the temptation to plant two or three types of plant when one will do (naturally, this requires considerable restraint at garden centres, village fetes etc!).
As a constant gardener, I am always looking for new ideas and inspirations. Separate raised beds of calendula, cornflower and borage look amazing in the summer. And don’t be afraid to take shortcuts: cut down on the endless mowing of grassy areas by cutting paths through the long grass to create a meadow feel.
Finally, wherever you like to spend time in your garden, always have something to sit on so you can enjoy the view. I find old benches at car-boot sales, and make ad hoc seats from old oak planks and old stone blocks I’ve found lying around. Happy gardening!