Calm & Contemporary Garden Design
Story-Led Garden Designer based in Frome, Somerset
A Garden as Unique
as Your Story
Bespoke garden design for those ready to step into the life they've been imagining, where every morning feels restorative and every season unfolds with intention.
Story-led. Future-focused. Thoughtfully curated.
You've Been Carrying
This Feeling
You stand in your garden and something feels... off. Not wrong, exactly. Just somewhere along the way, you and your garden went in different directions.
Maybe the garden was designed around the kids, swings and trampolines that now sit unused, a lawn they've long outgrown. Or perhaps you inherited it with the house and have been making do ever since, patching and fixing but never really making it yours.
Whatever the reason, it feels more depressing than inspiring these days. You've moved on. Your garden? It's waiting to catch up.
You deserve a space designed to
support you.
one of a kind beauty
your story made visable.
This isn't about following trends or replicating what works elsewhere. Your garden should feel like no one else's, because no one else's story is the same.
Every element is woven together through three threads: person, place, and purpose. Who you are now. The land you're rooted in. The life you're creating. From the structure of the design to the smallest planting detail, each choice echoes your personality, honours your specific site, and serves the way you truly want to live.
No templates. No repeats. No cookie-cutter solutions. Just a deeply personal space that whispers: "Yes. This is me."
GARDENS THAT GROW WITH YOU
Intentional, Future-Focused, Unfolding Over Time.
You've spent enough time (and money) chasing quick fixes that never quite address the bigger picture.
What if your garden could be designed with the long view in mind? Not all at once - forcing you to "figure it out" immediately but thoughtfully phased over seasons and years, evolving as you do.
This is about ending the cycle:
No more band-aid solutions
No more money wasted on patches that don't last
No more starting over
Instead: A garden with a clear vision that unfolds in bite-size projects. Spreading costs over years instead of all at once. Prioritising what you actually need over what you think you should want. Season by season. Year by year. Beautifully aligned with where you're going, not just where you've been.
LIGHTNESS
Less Burden. More Joy. True Ease.
Imagine stepping into your garden and feeling lighter. No second guessing. No guilt when you travel. No seasonal shame about "not making the most of it."
A garden that works for you, not one you endlessly work for.
This is what becomes possible when beauty and low-burden living are woven together from the very beginning. A garden you can actually spend time in, not one you're constantly maintaining.
Realistic maintenance schedules that fit your life.
Irrigation solutions that work while you're away.
Low-maintenance planting that looks beautiful without demanding constant attention.
Spaces that invite ease, joy, and simple daily rituals (morning tea with herbs, evening walks) rather than endless weekend work.
I'm DianE
- And I Help Women Create Gardens That Feel Like Coming Home
For nearly a decade, I worked within the NHS alongside an arts and health charity, where I saw firsthand how thoughtfully designed environments can support mental health, reduce stress, and foster genuine connection. I learned that truly transformative design isn’t transactional - it’s collaborative, immersive, and deeply personal.
When I turned to garden design in 2016, I brought that same ethos with me. I wanted to reimagine the often transactional landscaping process and instead create gardens grounded in wellbeing spaces that respond to the science of how nature heals, restores, and regulates the mind and body.I now work primarily with women navigating change - empty nesters rediscovering their sense of self, women in menopause seeking calm and cool spaces, or those rebuilding life after loss.
Each garden I design is rooted in empathy and evidence: drawing on biophilic design, sensory awareness, and an understanding of how light, texture, and planting can soothe the nervous system and lift the spirit. My aim is always the same - to create gardens that not only look beautiful, but feel restorative and meet people exactly where they are in life.
My approach blends three elements:
Story-Led Design – We begin with your story, not a Pinterest board
Science of Wellbeing – Evidence-based design that calms your nervous system and supports restoration
Slow Movement & Phasing – Designed for real life: spread costs, work in stages, and enjoy each step.
Every garden is one-of-a-kind. Every design is completely bespoke.
No shortcuts. No templates. Just your story, translated into soil.
the story-led design journey
Every project begins with listening. I take time to understand your lifestyle, your vision, and the way you want to feel in your space.
From complete home design to thoughtful details, my goal is to create exteriors that are both functional and deeply personal.
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We begin by making space—inside and out. That might mean trimming back overgrown plants, clearing old garden features, or just figuring out what’s working and what isn’t. If you need help, I can organise people to do the clearing so you can literally see what’s there.
At the same time, we take a moment to think about what you’re ready to let go of mentally (thinking maintenance) and what still matters to you. Simple questions and relaxed chats help us find what you want to keep, refresh, or release before moving forward.
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Once your space is cleared, we take time to explore what truly feels like you. Through relaxed conversations and simple exercises, we look for the things that naturally bring you comfort and joy.
This might include favourite childhood memories, meaningful places you’ve visited, or the colors, textures, and landscapes that make you feel calm and connected. We call this pattern mapping—it just means spotting the things that keep showing up in your life, the clues that reveal what you naturally love and need.
When we bring these pieces together, we start to see the outline of your garden’s story—the personal touches and feelings that will guide every design choice.
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Now we take everything we’ve learned about you and start turning it into a plan. We do this through a friendly visualisation and design workshop — a relaxed, creative session perfect for couples or families to dream together.
It’s a time to share what matters most — how you want to spend time in your garden, what feelings you want it to bring, and how each person hopes to use the space. Maybe a cosy spot for morning coffee, a place for kids to explore, or a quiet corner to unwind.
This is also the perfect moment to look at your seasonal calendar — noting events, anniversaries, and meaningful dates that could be woven into your garden’s rhythm. It’s a lovely chance to dream up new traditions too — maybe planting something special each year or marking a family milestone in the landscape.
From these shared ideas, we shape a design that blends heart and practicality — using light, layout, plants, and colour to create a garden that feels personal, balanced, and alive.
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This is when your garden starts to come to life. We turn the plan into action — bringing in plants, materials, lighting, and structure, all chosen to suit both you and your space.
The work can happen all at once or in stages, depending on your budget and schedule. Spreading the process out often makes it easier and more manageable, letting you enjoy each phase as it unfolds.
We keep things organised with simple plans and regular check-ins, making sure everything runs smoothly and stays on track. The result is a garden that grows naturally over time — beautiful, practical, and perfectly suited to your life.
From Disconnect to Deep Alignment
Imagine stepping into your garden and feeling:
Seen – A space designed to meet your needs now and grow with you into the future
Held – Practical planting and thoughtful design that works with your schedule, not against it
Free – No endless maintenance cycles. No travel guilt. No money wasted on quick fixes that don't address the bigger picture.
Connected – Daily rituals that ground you, morning tea with herbs, evening walks, moments of quiet restoration
Light – More ease. More joy. Less overwhelm.
True freedom.
What Happens When We Wait?
Without a garden that supports you:
Another season passes where you avoid your outdoor space, feeling that persistent disconnect
More money spent on quick fixes that don't address the underlying problem
The cycle continues: patch, regret, repeat
Your garden remains outdated while you keep moving forward
That quiet voice "this could be better" keeps draining your energy
You've been carrying this feeling long enough.
Get in TouchLet’s Begin
I work with a small number of clients each year, women ready to prioritise themselves, who pressed pause on their dream garden for their families, and are now ready to give their gardens (and in turn themselves) the time and love they deserve.