Rob Hardy is an RHS Award - Winning Garden Designer who has established himself as one of the best in the concern .
With 20 twelvemonth of experience in the industriousness , Rob is now based in Harrogate and work on projects across Yorkshire and beyond .
We delve into the details of Rob ’s okay Art background signal , the lesser - speak challenges with a calling in garden design and the labor he is the most excited about in the future .
How did your background in Fine Art influence your approach to garden design?
“ My first degree in Fine Art open me an authoritative grounding in colour , form and mark making , ” shares Rob .
“ I find out about construction , soma and how to make the quad between object as authoritative as the objective themselves .
“ It was a helpful apprenticeship in aesthetics and one which has given me practical skills which I utilize every twenty-four hours in my design outgrowth . I still sketch with pencil and paper before moving to the computer and find that my honest breakthrough often come when I go back to those artistic staple . ”
What inspired you to pursue a career in garden design and horticulture?
“ I feel very favorable to be pursue a originative career doing something that I have intercourse , ” he explains .
“ Until I retrained in gardening and garden design , I ’d been working in project and operations direction . When the opportunity to make a radical calling move presented itself , I jumped at the chance . I wanted to do something creative that require being alfresco .
“ My Dad ’s career as a gardener , as well as childhood day pass at our family allotment or digging my first pool , gave me an other taste for garden and the joy they bring . follow up on a career in garden design in many path was about choke back to my roots .
“ In my teenage years I fill out two weeks of work experience in the Forestry Department on Harewood House Estate , where I played my part in planting some of the large tree diagram that are now resist tall . Many years later , and our design studio apartment stand in the same grounds . ”
Can you share the story behind your favourite RHS Gold Medal-winning design?
“ The [ primal ] theme for ourMacmillan Legacy Gardenwas ‘ Legacy ’ ; a simple conception that I was honoured to bring to life on behalf of Macmillan at RHS Tatton Park .
“ The legal brief was to create a place to exemplify the incredible sustenance that Macmillan supply for people who are living with a cancer diagnosis . This intriguing journeying was illustrate by a misrepresented pathway which cuts through the centre of the garden .
“ The planting scheme was initially jagged , gloomy and brooding , becoming more vivacious , then calming around the seating area . A contemplative puddle command the scheme ; a natural spot to pause and reflect .
“ Three orotund sculptural monolith represented how one - third of Macmillan ’s income comes from gifts in wills . The show garden purpose to raise awareness of this lively service and encourage more of us to entrust a endowment in our will to Macmillan Support , so that they can continue this right work .
“ We were delighted when the garden was award a Gold Medal and attain a honest in Show , too . It was a real honour to promote Macmillan ’s work with our design and bring much - needed attention to this excellent charity . ”
What does a typical day look like for you as a garden designer?
“ We ’ve of late relocated our studio apartment to the grounds of Harewood House , on the outskirts of Leeds , so my day start with a drive through the cervid Mungo Park , ” Rob United States Department of State .
“ It ’s an inspire landscape to work in . A typical day often involve a bit of everything . Liaising with customer , hash out ideas for conception plans with my squad of gifted decorator , settle a planting scheme or centre on the details of a masterplan .
“ We ferment with a prize team of comrade for service like surveying , digital visualisations and landscaping services so I spend a lot of sentence engaging with them to bring our designs to life . It is varied , busy and challenging but I screw it . ”
What are some of the biggest challenges you face in garden design and how do you overcome them?
“ Gardens are perpetually evolving – they are populate , breathing organisms which change over fourth dimension . Whilst many might consider the garden to be ‘ finished ’ when all the arduous landscaping has been completed and the planting scheme follow through , it ’s only just the beginning .
“ It might seem back to front to some people , but during our very first consultation with our clients , we talk about how the garden is going to be maintained once our landscapist have carry up and gone .
“ You might say that we embark on at the close and work backwards . We feel this is so important because we can ascertain right from the beginning how our gardens are going to develop and how we can put up our clients to give care , keep and grow their garden for the futurity .
“ All our node receive a upkeep schedule as a matter of course , helping them and their gardeners to make the most of their new space . ”
What are your top tips for beginners who are looking to start their own garden?
“ There ’s often a temptation to leap out directly in and put pen to paper , but we always encourage our client to step back a morsel before they do that , ” share Rob .
“ Instead , we like to sit with our client and form a brief . We write it down so that we can refer to it in future tense . How do you want it to look , what do you want to use it for ? What feature do we want to highlight , which views might we need to cover ? Think out front – you ’re not creating a garden just for now , but for twelvemonth to come .
“ Another important consideration is your palette and the space that you ’ve got to play with . wait carefully at the experimental condition in your garden and the type of place , and attempt to wreak with what you have got by creating a garden to complement your home , rather than shoehorning a radical blueprint into the blank , which will sense out of spot .
“ We also like to start thinking about who is going to build the garden , and then maintain it afterwards . If you ’re thinking about building the garden yourself , you may be more comfortable using sure fabric . ”
Are there any specific projects that you are looking forward to in the future?
“ We have a range of projects on our drawing panel at present , from delicious folk gardens to the talkative grounds of listed Country Halls , ” he says .
“ We are working on an exciting landscape scheme presently for a transition and growing project , alongside an architect , where the focal point is on harmonising the built and the natural landscape painting .
“ The importance of repurposing land to garden landscape in this way resonates with us as a studio apartment , whilst simultaneously benefitting our clients with an immediate association to nature . ”
