Ian McBain On The Specific Challenges That Arise When Designing Gardens

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Ian McBain is a renowned garden designer and founder of Tythorne Garden Design, a company dedicated to creating beautiful and practical gardens in Grantham, Stamford, Newark and surrounding areas.

With a background in design from the Royal College of Art and teaching experience at various UK universities, Ian’s reputation as a trusted professional in garden design is further established through his monthly column in Link Magazines and guest speaking engagements at Nottingham Trent University.

Please note that all imagery in this guide is provided with permission by Ian McBain.

Watch my full interview with Ian McBain in the video below:

What are some of your earliest memories of gardening?

“I wasn’t an early gardening convert,” Ian confesses.

“I do have childhood memories of my parents looking after the garden. I was occasionally asked to mow the lawn, but I didn’t really get it. I didn’t really understand what the fuss was about.

“That was until my wife and I bought our first house. We inherited a little garden from the previous people in the house, so we kind of felt duty-bound to look after it.

“It was then that the penny dropped and I suddenly realised how much enjoyment a garden can provide and it slowly dawned on me that garden design could become a viable career option for me.”

Can you share a bit about your journey from studying design at the Royal College of Art to establishing Tythorne Garden Design?

“I’d already done a product design degree and knew that I absolutely loved designing and making things,” he says.

“I also found I quite enjoyed learning about the theory and the history of design, which is a crucial part of the course. I was lucky because I was offered a place at the Royal College of Art to take a Masters degree in the history of design, which was a fantastic experience.

“Although I loved that course, I realised that I missed the actual process of designing, so after a little detour, I enrolled on a garden design foundation degree at Nottingham Trent University.

“That course helped me embed the horticultural and the practical knowledge that I needed. Alongside that, I went to work as a part-time landscaper with a local company so I could develop those practical and construction skills as well.

“About 2 days after I finished the course, I set up my own landscaping and design business and nearly 20 years later, here I am, still doing it.”

You’ve been designing gardens since 2004. How has the landscape of garden design changed over the years, and how have you adapted to these changes?

“The thing that’s probably changed most is customers aspirations; people now want so much more from their gardens. They want them to do more than they generally did in the early 2000s.

“When I first started doing this, it would be a case of looking through a few books or magazines, or maybe visiting a few gardens. Whereas now we’ve got Instagram and all the other platforms that give us so many opportunities to see different ideas and get inspiration from different resources.

“The other thing that’s changed is that we have started to realise that pollinators and wildlife are really important to our gardens and that’s now starting to make a difference in how we approach design.

“In terms of how I’ve adapted, it’s about constantly looking at what’s changing, listening to people, talking with other designers and landscapers and trying to make sure that I’m keeping on top of things.”

How do you go about approaching a new design?

“It’s always about listening,” explains Ian.

“The customer is king or queen in the process, so I’ll always start by wanting to understand who they are and what they perceive to be the issues with their current garden.

“It’s key to trying to make sure that the garden responds to its location and the architecture of the house but the primary aim should always be, in my view, to create the garden that will deliver solutions to the customers.

“Above all else, it’s trying to make sure that the plants are always the star. Beautifully laid paving is great, but it never is going to delight in the way that glorious planting can.”

Are there any specific challenges that come with designing gardens?

“The biggest challenge at the moment I’m finding, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this as a designer, is budget,” he shares.

“So often people, particularly if it’s their first time having a garden designed and built, don’t really appreciate how much it can cost. I always make a point in my first conversations with the customer where I ask about budget and we’ll try and have that conversation early on.

“It’s not about taking a commission and designing a garden that looks amazing and they love everything about it until they get it priced. That doesn’t do anything for the customer, doesn’t do anything for my reputation, doesn’t do anything for my personal satisfaction.

“It’s about being honest and helping people get the best value they possibly can and avoid some of the expensive mistakes that people tend to make if they go their own way.

“We’ve also got opportunities as well. I get to help people create spaces that hopefully they’re going to spend lots of happy time in with their friends and family. It doesn’t really get much better than that.

“To be able to play a tiny part in that is a joy. So yes, there are challenges and yes, particularly at the moment, budgets are a concern because prices aren’t going down. But when it works, and we’re able to guide a customer through the process and they end up with a garden that they adore, it doesn’t get any better.”

What’s your favourite part about your job?

“I’m lucky because I get the variety so no two gardens are ever the same. I also really love the process of working with a customer and seeing a garden being transformed is great.

“To see how the customer responds to that is amazing. To take somebody from a garden that is uninspiring and isn’t doing what they want it to do to a space that they love spending time in is fantastic.

“I can’t imagine doing anything else.”