Why is Seating so Important in a Design?

One of my favourite all-time design quotes is by a man called William H Whyte. He did a famous study on public spaces back in the 1970s that looked at how people use space. The best quote out of the whole study is “People tend to sit where there are places to sit” Now the beauty of this statement is in the simplicity of the idea. You sit where there are seats. Now you might be thinking well that’s obvious and why are you telling me? When it comes to designing places, public places, parks, schools, your garden. The importance […]

What Is So Important About Soil and Why Should I Care?

This is a question I get asked to explain by most clients. Whether you are an architect, homeowner, town planner, engineer. It can be confusing, and I am not going to lie probably somewhat boring for people who have no interest in soil science and plants. Now I can imagine a lot of you are about to hit the close button on this blog but just hold with me. I want to tell you the one secret that will help you understand why landscape architects, horticulturalist and other plant lovers jump up and down about soil so much. Drum Roll….. […]

Designing With Plants On Podiums – Problems You Need To Consider

As a designer, I am working on more projects where the garden does not touch the earth. They are becoming part of multistorey buildings or on top of car parks. They are climbing up walls and screening areas we don’t want to see. Designers are trying to spread the “green” across the city. Designing with plants on podiums and buildings is one way to do this. These types of gardens can be amazing. Yet, they are not without their challenges. A little thought at the beginning of a project can ensure a lot less pain later on when designing with […]