Gardening & Garden Design in East Devon
Every garden asks for something different.
Some need a little more care and attention. Others need fresh planting, a border rethought, an overgrown area brought back into balance, or a more complete redesign.
I work across both gardening and garden design, which means I can look at a garden practically as well as creatively — understanding what needs doing now, while also thinking about what the garden could become over time.
The starting point is always the same: to understand the place properly before deciding what should change.
Gardening
My gardening work is focused on developing gardens rather than simply keeping them tidy.
That might mean pruning and reshaping established plants, introducing new planting, improving a border, restoring structure to an overgrown area, or gradually helping a garden become more coherent over time.
I particularly enjoy working with established gardens, where there is already character and maturity to build on.
Gardening can include:
- Pruning and reshaping
- Improving established borders
- Introducing new planting
- Developing existing planting
- Rejuvenating tired or overgrown areas
- Restoring structure and balance
- Seasonal improvements
- Bringing neglected parts of a garden back into use
Garden Design
Sometimes you need a clearer idea of where the garden should go.
I work on garden design projects of different scales, from rethinking one part of an existing garden to developing a more complete design.
The aim is not to impose something entirely new for the sake of it, but to understand what already belongs in the garden and where there is room to make it better.
Garden design can include:
- Rethinking the layout of a garden
- Redesigning particular areas
- Border design
- Planting ideas and planting plans
- Improving how different parts of the garden connect
- Developing an established garden
- Complete garden redesigns
Garden Consultations
A consultation can be useful when you know something is not quite working, but are not sure what needs to change.
We can walk through the garden together, look at the planting, layout and character of the space, and talk through the possibilities.
Sometimes a few well-judged changes are enough. Sometimes the conversation reveals the beginnings of a larger project.
A consultation might help with:
- Deciding where to begin
- Planting ideas
- Awkward or underused areas
- Borders that are not quite working
- Understanding what is worth keeping
- Prioritising changes
- Thinking through a larger redesign
Garden Rejuvenation
Older gardens can become tired, overgrown or muddled over time without losing the qualities that made them special in the first place.
I like the process of uncovering those qualities again — working out what should stay, what should be edited, and what new planting or ideas might give the garden fresh life.
A rejuvenated garden can feel very different without losing its history or sense of place.
Garden rejuvenation can include:
- Opening up overgrown areas
- Helping different parts of the garden feel more connected
- Editing tired planting
- Restoring structure
- Reworking borders
- Introducing new plants
- Reshaping shrubs and established planting
- Bringing neglected areas back into use
How I work
Every project starts with understanding the garden as it is now — what is already working, what you love about it, and what you would like to change.
From there, I can help work out where to focus first and what kind of approach will make the biggest difference.
For some gardens, that might mean improving the planting and developing particular areas over time. For others, it might mean reconsidering the layout or creating a more complete garden design.
The scale of the work can vary, but the aim is always to make changes that feel right for the garden and the people who use it.
Based in East Devon
I’m based in the East Devon countryside and work with gardens across the surrounding area, including Honiton, Axminster, Seaton, Lyme Regis and nearby villages.
The gardens here vary hugely — from sheltered village plots and larger country gardens to coastal gardens and older spaces that have evolved over many years.
That variety is part of what makes the work interesting. Each garden has its own conditions, history and character, and I try to respond to those rather than apply the same approach everywhere.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you only take on complete garden designs?
No. I work on projects of different scales, from a consultation or improvements to one part of a garden through to more complete garden designs.
Do you offer garden maintenance?
My focus is on improving, developing and rejuvenating gardens rather than routine maintenance such as regular mowing or general upkeep.
Can you help with an overgrown or neglected garden?
Yes. Established and overgrown gardens are often some of the most interesting to work with because there may already be mature plants, structure and character worth keeping.
Can you help if I’m not sure what my garden needs?
Absolutely. You don’t need a finished brief before getting in touch. Often, working out what the garden needs is the first part of the process.
Do you offer planting advice?
Yes. Planting advice, border development and planting plans can form part of gardening, consultation or design work.
What areas do you cover?
I’m based in East Devon and work across the surrounding area, including Honiton, Axminster, Seaton, Lyme Regis and nearby villages.
Get in touch
Tell me about your garden
If you have a garden you would like help with, I’d be very happy to hear from you.
You don’t need to know exactly what it needs before getting in touch. Sometimes that is the first thing we work out together.
Drop me an email: info@hettyhenley.com
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