Ongoing Garden Design & Planting in Canterbury, Kent – Case Study
The Brief
This ongoing garden design project in Canterbury, Kent focuses on developing a large, evolving space through naturalistic, wildlife-friendly planting and long-term collaboration with the client.
This long-term garden project centres on a large, near two-acre site. The aim has been to maintain and evolve the garden collaboratively with the owners, offering planting guidance, overseeing care and pruning, and reconfiguring sections as the space develops. The goal is to create a garden that grows in harmony with the family’s needs and aspirations, while enhancing its charm, character, and connection with nature.
The Challenge
Working on a garden of this scale and over an extended period requires flexibility and foresight. Each season brings new growth, new challenges, and shifting needs. The garden’s evolution demanded ongoing planning, careful maintenance, and collaborative decision-making, ensuring that every intervention supports both immediate enjoyment and long-term development.
The Solution
Through regular visits and close collaboration with the owners, we have nurtured the garden’s transformation. Planting guidance, careful pruning, and thoughtful reconfiguration of areas have allowed the garden to mature gracefully, while ongoing dialogue ensures that every change reflects the family’s vision. This evolving partnership has created a rich, layered outdoor space that combines beauty, practicality, and a deep connection to the surrounding environment.
“Elly has been helping with our garden—its design, planting, and upkeep—and with my own personal horticultural education and development over the last 5 years. Over that period, Elly has responded brilliantly to the changing needs of the garden and our family, and has been instrumental in maintaining and developing a wonderful outdoor space for our enjoyment, for others, and for nature and wildlife. She is energetic, enthusiastic, and calmly very efficient, considering options for improvements and sharing resources for review. Her hands-on experience means she is knowledgeable not only about documented plant attributes but how they develop in real situations. She has been invaluable, especially in preparing our garden for a family wedding and in designing a small new garden for the newlyweds, which will be put into action this spring.”
— Helene McWilliams