Garden Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes On The One Plant He Can’t Live Without
Contributions From PAUL HERVEY-BROOKES
Paul Harvey-Brookes is a Garden Designer and recently won a People’s Choice Award and Gold Medal at RHS Hampton Court in 2023. He has a degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Gloucestershire and a Diploma in Plantsmanship from Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Paul has been a Gardens Judge & Assessor for the RHS since 2015, judging entries at RHS Flower Shows across the UK.
Recently winning a Gold Medal and the coveted People’s Choice Award for his garden at RHS Hampton Court, Paul Hervey-Brookes has established himself as one of the UK’s most conscientious designers.
In our short chat, Paul shares his route into Garden Design and names a half-hardy plant he can’t live without!
How Did You First Get Into Gardening?
“When I was at school, I had the opportunity to become aware of the natural world and plants,” shares Paul.
“This included plants which came from all over the world. In a way, they were the ultimate escape.”
What Led You To A Career In Garden Design?
“I was studying at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh with an interest in working in herbaceous nursery production,” he explains.
“George Anderson, the Head of Horticulture there at the time, took us to Paris for a field trip. There he showed me the school of landscape architecture at Versailles and the rest, as they say, is history.”
What Does Your Process For Designing Gardens Look Like?
“It’s very simple. My ambition is to create an emotion using a series of problem-solving tools which allows the space to enter the mind of the user and become part of their world.
“I am inspired by what the client never says, the vernacular space and time – and above all, emotions.”
Do You Have A Favourite Memory Of A Garden You Have Designed?
“I once designed a garden for a very introverted client who wanted the landscape to feel defensive,” Paul shares.
“I didn’t tell them that under a large dry moat which elevated the house which they rather liked, I had planted thousands of blousy parrot tulips!
“It amused me greatly that the power of landscape can transform our perceptions of others and ourselves.”
Do You Have Any Secret Gardening Tips?
“It goes wrong,” he says simply.
“Don’t be scared of that, as it is often the best way to learn and is ultimately part of the process of creating a garden.”
What Is One Plant That You Can’t Live Without?
“Melianthus major, mainly for the memories it evokes of my early work at Cotswold Garden Flowers.”
What Does A Day In Your Working Life Typically Look Like?
“I tend to work on paper and computer-based work in the morning, then most afternoons I either make site visits, research trips or work in my own garden, which is my experiment pad,” he explains.
Do You Have Any Advice For Those Thinking Of Giving Garden Design A Go?
“Like all creative fields, if it is your passion, go for it.
“It is hard work where at the start you will feel undervalued and underpaid, but the flip side when those moments arrive are indescribable.”
