Making Urban Areas Beautiful With Jinny Blom, Author Of ‘The Thoughtful Gardener’

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Jinny Blom is an award-winning, London-based Landscape Architect who owns and runs her own garden design studio.

Jinny’s first book, ‘The Thoughtful Gardener’, made the best seller’s list and her next publication is set for release later this year.

We spoke about her storied career and unique approach to designing outdoor spaces.

The imagery featured in this article is courtesy of Andrew Montgomery, Britt Willoughby and Annie Schlechter.

How Did You First Get Into Gardening?

“Gardening is something that everyone in my family has [always] done, so I’ve always been around it,” Jinny says. “My mother was a very keen gardener.

“She had got an allotment which we used to visit after school every day. I’ve got a real respect for anyone who grows their own food that I developed from this.

“I don’t remember a time when we weren’t doing something or other outside. I used to make mud pies when I was a child – my nickname was Mrs Mud! I started pruning a winter jasmine with a pair of secateurs when I was around 12 and I had no idea what I was doing!

“I just got into gardening by osmosis really. Until I made the career change, which was a lot later, I don’t even think I knew that I was into gardening, I just was. It’s just in you.”

From That, What Led You To A Career In Landscape Design?

“A very unorthodox path,” she says. “I’m completely untrained. Gardening is in me and part of the language of my life, so I never trained or saw it as a career path.

“I worked with a mental health charity and was making gardens for the people who lived at the residential place. That’s when I started to think about a change in career.

“Around 12 years into that job, I began to prefer the gardens over anything else and had a chance to give it a go, so I did. I jumped ship.”

Has Gardening Shaped Your Outlook On Life In Any Way?

“Yes, in quite a big way I would say. I’m really driven by the fact that the environment that we build for ourselves is the environment that affects who we are.

“We go on holiday to places that are beautiful but we don’t always live in beautiful places, so I think that somehow we should be pushier and garden the spaces around us.

“There’s a younger generation of gardeners who are trying to take direct action by making urban areas more beautiful, which I love.

“Gardening means massively changing our shared environment. I think we’ve got to come out of our houses and share our spaces.”

Do You Have A Golden Rule For Designing Gardens?

“Think before you act and think beyond the boundaries of what you’ve been asked to look at,” says Jinny.

“The more you think about what you’re going to do, the better the result is going to be and the more energy and money you’ll save.”

Do You Have Any Standout Career Moments?

“Making my first big garden,” she says. “I went very quickly from gardening myself to doing that job – I was probably only a few months in.

“I’ve always been confident that I know what I’m doing, but the day I rolled a load of diggers into a grade 1 listed space and started moving the earth around was a standout for me.

“At that moment I thought this is it – this is me – and I haven’t looked back.”

What’s Next For You?

“I’ve got a lot of very interesting projects on the go that I’m not allowed to share!” laughs Jinny.

“Having said that, I’m very excited for my book to come out. I can’t really talk about the actual projects I do, but the book is my way of sharing my work. I think gardening is for sharing, so hopefully it is helpful for people.

“My previous book surpassed all possible expectations of mine and became a best seller. I don’t consider myself a writer, so I was so pleased with that.

“This one doesn’t have to be a best-seller, but I hope people like it!”

Could You Tell Us A Little About Your Upcoming Book?

“It’s how I think about making gardens so it covers a lot,” explains Jinny.

“It covers art, culture, architecture, perfume, landscape, fashion, dye, science, all sorts of things. It’s everything I think about when constructing a garden space.

“I want people to enjoy the breadth of horticulture, as it means so much more than just the flowers. It’s a fascinating subject. My book is a constellation – that’s how I’d describe it.”

What Would You Say To Aspiring Gardeners?

“Just do it – it will change your life forever.

“I could never have expected that I would have ended up doing what I’m doing.

“I’ve just finished building a big garden for someone who had no interest in gardening whatsoever, and she rang the other day and said she couldn’t stop and that she was now out in her garden every day.

“I think that says it all. Give it a go as it definitely changes your life for the better.”

Jinny’s new book ‘What Makes A Garden’ is out on the 19th of October 2023 and is available for preorder here.