Tim Matcham Garden Design

I’m a great believer in grabbing opportunity when it comes knocking. So when I discovered that the great John Brookes was delivering a garden design masterclass I re-arranged my diary to make sure I could attend.

John is a hugely influential garden designer who was designing gardens before it became fashionable to do so and in so doing developed methods of designing that are widely used today by a great many garden designers. I am a big fan of his grid system and it forms the basis of many of my garden designs.

John was speaking to the Oxford College of Garden Design at St. Hugh’s College Oxford on Thursday 11th March, 2010 and I travelled there to hear him speak. I was immediately taken by his genuine warmth and passion for garden design. John has been designing gardens for many years and he has clearly lost none of his enthusiasm.

What was also fascinating was that he treated the assembled audience as fellow designers, talking with us as opposed to ‘lecturing’ at us, which made it all the more real.

It was fascinating to discover his sources of inspiration – perhaps unsurprisingly coming from theatre, artists and sculptors of our day, in the way that other creative people draw their inspiration. It is this connection with and understanding of people that helps make his gardens believable. Apart from the money, it is those people that keeps him interested in continuing to design gardens.

His key tips, which are valid for anyone wishing to pursue garden design as a career, were to write down your justification, understand why your design ideas work or not! Build your contacts, you never know who might be helpful to you in the future. Photograph like mad, capture as many images of gardens as possible and let people know that you are around.

I certainly advocate his advice and as I develop as a garden designer ceratinly heed his words. As owner of the Garden Network building contacts is clearly an important part of my agenda and keeping a blog is a great way of writing regular articles about topics that interest you. What better opportunity then to combine these by meeting someone like John Brookes, taking some photographs and then sharing your experience!

John Brookes has written many books on garden design and owns Denmans Garden in Fontwell, West Sussex.

Tags:   blog · business · garden design · Garden Network · gardening · Inspiration · John Brookes MBE · masterclass · networking · opportunity · Oxford College of Garden Design · SuccessNo Comments