Over the last decade I’ve built my own business through word of mouth alone. Specialising in ornamental horticulture, I offer Garden design, development and consulting services throughout Edinburgh, the Lothians and the surrounding areas- from tiny New town City gardens, to large country homes.

Background

I trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh and hold a DIPLOMA in Plantsmanship with Distinction. I then went on to complete a year-long internship in Planting design, and Historic Garden Managment at Cambo Estate Gardens in Fife: CERTIFICATE . This was a pivotal year spent saturating in art and design theory, planting, and garden management. What I learnt during this time really forms the backbone of what I do now.

From there I spent two and a half years as Head Gardener at Arts and Crafts destination hotel ‘GreyWalls’ in East Lothian, before deciding to start my own business. Other significant experiences include interning at Laos Botanical Gardens, developing and running a cut flower business, training as a florist, and creating wedding florals for clients.

I’ve maintained gardens for some of Edinburgh’s top designers, spent time in specialist plant nurserys, maintained indoor plant collections, and looked after tropical glasshouses. I’ve been responsible for propagating thousands of seedlings for annual displays, from sowing, and pricking out, to final planting. I’ve planted thousands, and thousands of bulbs, and mulched many borders….all these experiences and more have informed my love of gardens and gardening as a creative art.

I am most passionate about the beauty of nature and the artistic side of gardening. I see gardens as a canvas and I love applying the principles of Art and design on the micro and macro: the daily tasks, and the overall design of a space.

I am currently studying Botanical art, and spent several years in the City of Edinburgh Music School growing up. Of all the arts and crafts I’ve studied I’ve found that music with it’s tenets of Rhythm, and Timing to be a uniquely transferable skill in the garden.

If you would like to see my current projects, and day to day work feel free to have a look: @terranova_gardening