Top Tips for preparing your garden for Spring & beyond
Our in-house gardener Sam talks to us about his journey into the world of plants, his love of garden design and offers our readers some tips for preparing your garden for Spring & beyond.
Sam Porter-Hardy
I grew up in the East Anglian countryside, spending as much time as I could outside, so my passion for nature started at a really early age! Initially, I began cutting grass and trimming hedges on the weekends and holidays whilst still at school. My interest and passion for gardens grew, this led me to start up my own business as soon as I could.
In the early days, I was fortunate enough to work in some beautiful country gardens and estates, enabling me to gain practical experience and learn from some wonderful experts in the field.
I went on to gain qualifications studying with the Royal Horticultural Society in Norwich, and from this both my business and knowledge grew. Primarily, I worked on maintaining large country gardens and took on some commercial work too. However, I was starting to realise that I found much more joy in the creative aspects of my job.
I began to apply my knowledge and skillset to designing and building outdoor spaces, rather than simply maintaining existing gardens.
After taking on several small design and build projects, I sold up my maintenance business and moved down to Brighton to further my studies in garden & landscape design.
How did the collaboration with The Grain Store come about?
Initially, I was approached by Beccy, Graham and Hannah from Marchants Hardy Plants, they were looking for someone to implement Hannah’s design for The Grain Store garden. Upon arrival, I certainly didn’t need any convincing to become part of the team!
It was a freezing February morning when I first visited the site, the wind was whistling through the downs, but I could see the potential for the development of the site immediately and despite the cold, I was enamoured with the natural beauty of the surrounding countryside and the quality of the build.
I was excited at the challenge of introducing planting that would complement both the surrounding landscape and the character of the property.
I typically work on my own designs, but it was a joy to collaborate with Marchants Hardy Plants, they are so knowledgeable and could get their hands on some fantastic locally grown plants. We also worked alongside Gavin Musk of GM build, who is an extremely talented builder/carpenter/project manager.
What would you say is your methodology & philosophy towards gardening?
My guiding principles come from John Brookes design philosophy of the ‘Room Outside’.
His belief is that gardens are to be an extension of the home, spaces that are to be lived in and enjoyed. Primarily garden design should focus on the client’s needs, but must also be contextually sensitive, taking into consideration the surrounding environment, the landscape and the architecture.
I also place a strong emphasis on the environmental impact of my work. Digging up a garden can be quite destructive and can create a lot of waste. I do my best to minimise the impact as much as possible and create spaces that have greater biodiversity and benefits for the local wildlife.
One area in which aesthetic design can provide much-needed assistance is by ensuring that planting schemes contain species which flower consecutively throughout the year.
An example of this would be our recent inclusion of Pyracantha at The Grain Store, the flowers are loved by pollinators and the late-season vibrant berries not only provide a splash of colour in the darker days but also serve as an excellent natural food source for birds at a critical time.
I have learned that the most enjoyable part of work for me, is to work collaboratively with my clients. I take great pleasure in solving problems to deliver truly unique, personal, practical spaces.
Gardens that not only look beautiful year-round but also work on a practical and horticultural level, by providing real experiences. This can be achieved through the creation of a secluded seating area, a bubbling water feature for quiet contemplation, a productive vegetable garden to feed the family, or a fun space for entertaining.
What are some of your project highlights during your career?
Here are some examples of our recent projects, you can see more on our website.
Having been fortunate to help out a friend, the talented John Mcpherson, with his Chelsea Garden Show design last summer, I took a lot of inspiration from the creative lighting on display.
I focused particularly on how different coloured lighting can be used to transform the atmosphere of a space from day to night. Here is a recent garden in which we built a smoking water feature from cor-ten steel and utilised colour changing lighting to add to the drama!
What are your future plans for the gardens at The Grain Store and the Studio?
Since implementing the initial planting phase devised by Marchants Hardy Plants, we have begun to develop the garden and grounds further.
In the Autumn we planted a small orchard, a feature tree (Fagus sylvatica Rohanii) beside the Shepherds Hut and some natural screening between the Grain Store and the Studio in the form of 5 weeping Elms (Ulmus glabra Camperdownii) and Pyracantha (saphyr jaune and saphyr orange).
I will also be working on seasonal updates and tips for The Grain Store readers in the form of a regular feature in the Newsletters!
In the future we have plans to introduce more year-round structure to the beds in the form of evergreen shrubs and grasses, look at introducing some lighting in the garden, renovate the raised bed at the front entrance, plant a new bed beside the hot tub, further develop the orchard area and much more!
We are (carefully) expanding! After completing several large projects last year and due to the fact that we offer aftercare services for our designs, we are focussed on ensuring that the planting establishes well and that the gardens can thrive as intended. However, I am always looking for new opportunities to design for tricky spaces, work with interesting clients, expanding my plant knowledge and construction skills.
I have recently devoted time to improving my digital design skills with both Vectoworks (this allows me to work closely and share files quickly with clients & other professionals such as architects, landscapers, specialists, and planners who may be involved in the project) and more recently Twinmotion (a 3D rendering program that allows for virtual walkthroughs). These programs really do help clients visualise my designs before committing to projects.
Spring & beyond - Top Tips from Sam
January to April
Ensure that the birds have food and water
Order seeds and summer flowering bulbs
Protect plants that are vulnerable to the wind and cold
Aerate lawns to improve drainage
Keep on top of winter-germinating weeds
Mulch bare soil into beds and borders
How do people find you?
Whilst still under construction the website is a great place to see some of our recent projects - www.porterhardy.com
Follow us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/porterhardy.gardendesign/
Sam, it’s been a pleasure hearing your story, we are so excited to see how the gardens develop and progress over the Seasons here at The Grain Store.
It’s my pleasure to work with you all and to be part of the Team!
I look forward to sharing our progress with you!
To end, can you please tell us 5 x things that you love about Sussex?
Hove Lawns / Walking or Rollerblade along the seafront
Seven Sisters
Royal Pavilion
The Wick Inn
Twisted Lemon & Lime cocktail bars
Discover our lovely gardens at The Grain Store by booking a break with us.
With the South Downs National Park on our doorstep, there is plenty to explore for those who love the outdoors. Click here for our latest prices and availability including some last minute dates for Spring.
Article by Pip de Villiers