West Dorset Living Aug - Sep 2021
The August/September issue is here, bringing together the best of high summer and early autumn. We are shining shoes in preparation for a new school year and feasting on delights for afternoon tea week. We’ve also got two fantastic interviews with chef Mitch Tonks and gardener Adam Frost. Don’t miss our competition page either - with over £1400 of goodies to be won!
The August/September issue is here, bringing together the best of high summer and early autumn. We are shining shoes in preparation for a new school year and feasting on delights for afternoon tea week. We’ve also got two fantastic interviews with chef Mitch Tonks and gardener Adam Frost. Don’t miss our competition page either - with over £1400 of goodies to be won!
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do some filming but I’m not building<br />
anything now.<br />
HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT BUILDING A<br />
GARDEN FOR CHELSEA?<br />
It can be 12 months to 2 years planning<br />
but at one point I was doing them back to<br />
back finishing one then moving straight<br />
onto the next one. But it’s fascinating, it’s<br />
how I built my career.<br />
“I think ultimately<br />
gardens are about<br />
4 things; People,<br />
Space, Plants and<br />
Place.”<br />
HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR<br />
FIRST CHELSEA GOLD?<br />
If I’m honest, I think I was slightly<br />
oblivious to what they actually meant. My<br />
dad was a landscaper and he built early<br />
John Brooks gardens in the early 70s I<br />
recently met Professor David Stevens<br />
Garden designer who also worked for<br />
John Brooks. We were talking about<br />
Chelsea and he said that my dad would<br />
have been a few gardens along from<br />
where we were. David also taught me a<br />
lot about design in that sense.<br />
WHEN YOU START A DESIGN IS IT<br />
FROM A THOUGHT OR ARE YOU<br />
PLANNING IT IN ADVANCE?<br />
It depends on whether its for a client.<br />
I think ultimately gardens are about 4<br />
things; People, Space, Plants and Place.<br />
It’s normally one of those that I tap into<br />
first and it might be a bit of landscape<br />
it might be an individual picture I’ve<br />
seen it might be the shape of something<br />
whatever it is that gives me an insight<br />
into a person or if it’s a show garden what<br />
particular design will drive it that’s how I<br />
start and then create from there.<br />
DO YOU THINK BEAULIEU WILL BE A<br />
REGULAR EVENT NOW?<br />
I think so, I walked in and thought<br />
what a glorious piece of landscape<br />
and the moment I walked in the gate it<br />
had a good feel. People really enjoyed<br />
themselves and as a setting it had quite a<br />
lovely intimate feel to it, even the stages<br />
had an open canopy, and everybody<br />
was sensible and had plenty of space.<br />
The standard of the displays was really<br />
good and Hilliers had gone there and<br />
built a garden, so it was great that you<br />
had something there of Hilliers quality. I<br />
think a positive out of the last 15 months<br />
is that people have slowed down have<br />
connected or reconnected with what’s<br />
outside their back door or in the area.<br />
I’ve seen a report saying we now have<br />
3 million new gardeners. Everybody<br />
22 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk
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