My career in horticulture has taken me from private gardening to commercial landscape maintenance to garden design, through ecological surveying and a lifelong passion for nature. This has all led to one of my current key focuses - wildlife habitat creation. It's been a journey that's perfectly positioned me for what's happening in development right now with the introduction of NPF4 and Biodiversity Net Gain requirements. What started as an environmental policy has become a practical reality that's reshaping every planning application. Architects are calling me about swift boxes for new housing. Estate owners want to know about wildflower meadow establishment. Ecological consultants want knowledgeable contractors who can install habitat for them.

Gardens have an extraordinary ability to connect us with nature through all our senses, offering therapeutic benefits that extend far beyond mere visual appeal. As a Chartered Horticulturist with over 20 years' experience in ecological gardening and garden design, I've witnessed firsthand how thoughtfully planned sensory gardens can transform outdoor spaces into powerful tools for wellbeing, education, and environmental stewardship.

Landscape gardening has changed dramatically over the past decade. What was once a straightforward profession focused on garden construction, turfing and predictable planting has evolved into a complex field requiring deep ecological knowledge and environmental awareness. The shift began when as a society we started considering more realistically the climate crisis facing us.

I'm absolutely delighted to share the news that I've been selected as one of the top five favourite garden designers by Homes & Interiors Scotland magazine. This recognition from Scotland's leading home and lifestyle publication feels particularly meaningful, given their reputation for showcasing the very best in Scottish design and their commitment to featuring professionals who are genuinely making a difference in their fields.

I've been working with gardens, in some capacity or other - be that designing, building or maintaining them - for over twenty years now, and there's one thing I see time and again: beautiful plants failing in the wrong conditions, and good designs undone by poor plant selection. A mediocre design can be saved by good quality planting, but the same is not true the other way around.

I've been working with gardens, in some capacity or other - be that designing, building or maintaining them - for over twenty years now, and there's one thing I see time and again: beautiful plants failing in the wrong conditions, and good designs undone by poor plant selection. A mediocre design can be saved by good quality planting, but the same is not true the other way around.