FINALIST INSPIRATION
Dionne Sambrook’s garden in Warwickshire transforms an empty new-build garden into a wildlife haven. She moved here with her family in 2018, and although it was daunting, she embraced the blank canvas and has created her dream garden. She also uses her garden as a base for a range of work and community projects, growing trees for local forestry projects and seedlings for projects with the charity that she works for.
What was the garden like when you moved in?
It was completely bare, with just some trees, climbers and shrubs – including a beautiful Japanese maple and a wisteria – and a few paving slabs. It was different to any other garden I’d lived in. Previous homes I’d rented were old country cottages with established gardens, whereas this was a new build.
How did you transform the garden?
It’s developed over time. I had an idea of what I wanted to do, and knew I wanted a productive area behind the garage. I wanted to have a really lovely space, incorporating nature and wildlife, and to make it more private.
I did have an original plan but it’s transformed over time – as you get used to your garden you discover what works and what doesn’t. It’s been a very organic process.
I’ve also been able to develop the garden over the years, as my sons grow up and need less lawn space for football or badminton, the lawn is getting smaller and smaller. We just need a bit of room for our dog Cooper to have his zoomies.
The front garden is quite different to the back. I thought hard about the planting and enjoy the fact that my home office overlooks this area. When I’m in the back garden I’m more focused on the pond and the wildlife that I attract into the garden, as well as the productive areas.
I’ve had to have a lot of patience. It’s the most important attribute any gardener can have; if slugs eat every single bean you’ve grown, you just have to say “Okay, we’ll do that again”. I don’t believe that some people don’t have green fingers – you just need time and patience.
What were the biggest challenges you faced?
There wasn’t a good layer of soil in the garden – it was just boggy, wet grass – so that’s been a bit challenging. Starting from scratch has its
