Heather's Gardens create beautiful outdoor spaces in Maidstone,
Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Ashford, Canterbury, Brighton and all areas of the South East.
Kent, Surrey, Sussex and London.
Award winning garden design by Heather Ritter.
Tel: 01622 762764
Heather's Gardens: Garden Design, Landscaping, Planting, natural stone,
large ceramic and terracotta containers, sculptures (and commissions) bespoke garden furniture, waterfountains with pools,
metalwork, statuary, trees, shrubs, perennials, box topiary, clematis and rare plants.
Profile of Heather
A keen gardener all my life, in 2000 I attended a year-long City and Guilds
design course at Hadlow College of Horticulture. While there I worked as a gardening assistant at a nine-acre plot, learning
gardening techniques such as sowing, pruning and planting. After 18 months' on-the-job training I started a garden maintenance
business, which led to requests for planting schemes, and within a year I created complete garden designs. In 2003 I was accepted
by the Royal Horticultural Society to exhibit in the city gardens category at the Chelsea Flower Show and was awarded a bronze
medal.
My own garden, built from scratch in 1997, was
open for two years under the National Gardens Scheme. In 2004 I received a letter from the county organiser,
which stated: 'It was wonderful to have an exquisite, small self-designed town garden - have you thought of entering The
Times back garden competition?'
In 2003, a family
in St John's Wood, NW8, asked me to design a back garden and arrange containers and planting for their roof terrace. Two
years later they moved to Hampstead, NW3, and again invited me to design their front and back gardens.
In 2004 I was hired by Premier Homes of Norfolk to design two show gardens for a new residential
development in Norwich.
I continue to work for individual
clients, designing and planting anything from a small border to a one-acre plot. The experience I have
gained allows me to pay great attention to detail. This is reflected in every aspect of my work, from the initial design template
to the choice of materials for hard landscaping and the arrangement of plants to form beautiful vistas throughout the year.
I enjoy the personal involvement in every project. Unlike large design practices, I work directly
with the clients, contractors and suppliers, draw the designs, monitor the work and see the project through to completion.
I have built up contacts within the landscaping industry for supplying natural stone, large terracotta
containers, sculptures (and commissions), bespoke garden furniture and water fountains with pools.
Nurseries I visit provide trees and shrubs (including large Italian specimens of semi-mature stock)
clematis, box topiary and rare plants. For several gardens I have sourced and organised the supply, delivery and planting
of semi-mature trees up to 30ft high.
The Society
of Garden Designers
I have successfully passed the application process for pre-registered
membership with The Society Of Garden Designers.
The Society of Garden Designers is
the only professional association for garden designers in the UK and is dedicated to supporting, promoting and maintaining
the highest quality of standards within the membership.
Below:
| The garden before work started in February 2011 |
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'The Tranquil Space' garden for The Heart
of Kent Hospice, Preston Hall, Aylesford Kent
The brief:
To re-landscape the gardens, making all areas accessible
to patients with mobility problems and to create a space that is:
Tranquil
Discreet
Flexible
With Sensory
Planting
Heather's Gardens designed a 'Tranquil Space' for The Heart
of Kent Hospice in Maidstone Kent.
Construction of the garden started in February and was completed in May 2011.
| The Masterplan for 'A Tranquil Space' |
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| The Heart of Kent Hospice Garden |
| The build in progress for 'A Tranquil Space' |
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| The garden is nearing completion |
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| 'A Tranquil Space' |
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| At The Heart of Kent Hospice Aylesford Maidstone Kent |
Below:
This garden in Marden near Tunbridge Wells in Kent is awaiting a new
design.
| Garden awaiting new design |
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Photographs of the garden's construction to follow
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| The watercolour masterplan |
Below:
This is Richard...my planting partner.
Below:
Recent planting, for a garden in West Malling Kent, to provide
structure and dramatic colour for winter.
The shrub Astelia has stunning strappy leaves of silver. Hence,
it is also known as 'The Silver Sword'. Astelias provide dramatic leaf colour contrast. An
invaluable shrub for winter plantings.
Below:
The
photos below show part of a large garden. This area had become tired and rather neglected. The clients requested
a design that would make the garden easier to look after. Heather and the landscape contractor worked closely together, making
changes to the hard-landscaping materials, without compromising the design, to produce this garden within
the constraints of a low budget.
Newly planted.... but it won't be long before the plants will be softening
the hard-landscaping.
Below:
This small town garden was open for two years for the National Garden
Scheme (yellow book gardens)
Below:
This wonderful
allotment belongs to my brother in law, John Gibson, of Newcastle, Tyne and Wear.
| My favourite allotment |
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| My favourite allotment belongs to John Gibson of Tyne and Wear |
| Heather's Gardens: Design Landscaping Planting |
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| Heather's Gardens: Garden Design, Landscaping and Planting Maidstone Kent |
