How to Create The perfect Outdoor Space with Garden Designer Tish Potter home
To celebrate National Gardening Week we are chatting to the delightful garden designer Tish Potter for this weeks THE FIND.
'I am a garden designer and mother of 8 year old twins Edie and Tom. I love the creative process of designing gardens; chatting with the clients and coming up with ideas together, drawing the plans, the physical aspect of working outside with the plants. It’s wonderful to help create a space that makes people feel calm and happy.'
TISH'S BEST TRAVEL TIP:
It’s awful I know, but load up the ipad and get one of those headphone splitters so they can both watch at the same time.
FAVOURITE QUOTE:
Ok, it’s not snappy, but I love it.
‘One evening a grandparent told their grandchild about a battle that goes on inside people. He said: “My little one, the battle is between two wolves inside us. One is anger, envy, bitterness, regret, arrogance, self-pity and greed. The other is joy, love, hope, humility, kindness, compassion, generosity and peace.” The child thought about this for a minute, then asked nervously: “Which wolf wins?” The grandparent replied simply: “The one that you feed.”
FAVOURITE BRAND PRODUCT and WHY:
Mrs Whites Unstung Hero £15.00
This anti mosquito spray is amazing. Totally DEET free and safe to use on kids and even the dog, it has a gorgeous lemony scent (not unlike Acqua di Parma cologne) and it really works. My daughter and I share a tendency to react badly to bites, coming up in big puffy, angry welts, so I am a bit obsessive with insect spray.This one is a joy to use. It also comes in a very handy non-breakable, non-plastic aluminium container in 100mls from THE FIND so is travel safe. I keep one in my handbag, one in the kids room and one in the kitchen!
WHAT IS YOUR CHOSEN SUBJECT:
How to create a lovely outdoor space.
You don’t need a huge amount of outside space to create an area of calm in which to sit and enjoy a book. If you have a balcony, or even a window box, you can create something to raise the spirits. My top tip is to keep it simple. If you know nothing about gardening, ask a member of staff in a garden nursery. In my experience, anyone who works in the gardening world is a bit of a plant obsessive and you’ll find that they will be happy to advise you on what will work for your space.
Right plant, right place. I know everything on sale looks pretty and exciting, but the truth is, if you plant lavender in heavy clay in a shady spot, it won’t be there next year! Work out whether you have full sun or a shady garden, heavy soil or sandy soil and buy what will survive.
Try not to let your outside space become too cluttered. I know, plastic toys and footballs and trampolines are the realities of a family garden despite what instagram seems to suggest, however, being disciplined in getting rid of grown up clutter helps enormously. That hideous plant pot you were given ages ago?Bin it. The garden gnome you inherited with the house and have always hated but the kids thought it was funny? Bin it. Look at what you have with fresh eyes and don’t be scared to change it. Bit like life really!
Look out for Tish at Chelsea, she is helping do the planting for Naomi Ferrett-Cohen whose garden is sponsored by Cherub, a charity that helps raise awareness about young people living with HIV in the UK and beyond.
@Tish_Potter