Katie Townsend - The Garden Designer Making Dreams a Reality

Based in the chilly city of Edinburgh, garden designer Katie Townsend offers complete garden restyling and planting services across the north. No space is too big or too small! 

With years of experience and a meticulous touch, Katie provides the whole package. But what's her inspiration? and why did she decide to become a garden designer? We had a chat with Katie to find all that out and more...

What inspired you to become a garden designer?

I spent quite a lot of time outdoors as a child. My family were really keen gardeners, so growing up in that environment definitely rubs off on you! I’ve moved around a lot since I left university, and I’ve been lucky enough to have my own garden which has helped me hone my style.

I absolutely love being able to do what I enjoy for other people, and I find it really rewarding to get feedback from them, now that they can finally use their outdoor spaces to the fullest. For example, my most recent project was working on an unsafe garden that needed to be child friendly. Their garden has now been built with different areas to create a safe and beautiful garden that they can use without worrying.

What’s your favourite part of your job?

I love receiving feedback from clients when I’ve hit the mark. Happy faces and people who can now use their spaces to the fullest make me a happy designer. I also love the planning aspect of garden designing, from deciding on plant combos to planting them and bringing the vision together.

What plant would you say has gotten increasingly popular over the years?

There are plenty of plants that have gotten more attention recently. For example, plants that give colour all year round, or strictly seasonal varieties. Low maintenance plants have also become incredibly popular over the last few years, as people are busier than ever.

I think the most popular though has to be the rewilding and organised wildness style. Natural but not too manicured.

What’s your favourite garden trend?

I love keeping things as natural as possible. Grasses are particularly great – airy ethereal grasses.

Off the back of that then, what are your thoughts on the fake grass trend?

Personally, I wouldn’t recommend using them at all. They’re actually one of my pet hates. They’ve become incredibly popular because they’re low maintenance, but overall, they’re really bad for the environment.

Instead, I would use a wildflower lawn. They’re great for the environment, and provide a colourful display. You can just leave your grass to overgrow in areas too, giving all kinds of critters places to live.

What’s your favourite way to jazz up a garden while on a budget?

Plant dividing! Autumn and Spring are perfect times to divide your plants. In Autumn, before your plants die back, simply split the root ball or clump in half (or more) and plant them somewhere else. Plants thrive when they’re split – particularly perennials which bulk out in Spring and Summer.

You could even swap plants with family members once they’ve been split, giving your garden a varied display. Growing plants from seeds is also a cost-effective way to grow on a budget. I recommend Cosmos as they’re easy to grow and produce great colours. I have a pink mix in the garden at the moment that looks beautiful.

What’s your all-time favourite plant or flower?

I grow Verbena bonariensis a lot in my garden. It looks lovely in drifts and grows to a nice height that pairs well with grasses. It’s really pollinator-friendly, and it self-seeds! Great for a wild setting.

What advice would you give to a budding gardener who has just a patio but wants to add some colour to the garden?

Containers are your best friend. Although this may depend on what you want to grow, you can even grow vegetables in containers, regardless of the size of your space. Try succession planting, as this will give you colour month after month.

Vertical planting is also great for small spaces, whether it’s on a fence or wall. Try creating a seating area to enjoy your space. Raised beds are also perfect for smaller spaces, especially if you’re looking to grow a cut flower display.

Do you have any big projects coming up that you’d like to shout about?

Recently I worked on a family garden project that took an unsafe garden and made it usable for the whole family. It was lovely to be in and look at! I have a few similar projects coming up like that soon too.

Edinburgh is very hilly, so I rarely work with flat gardens. It’s more so gardens on uneven levels that aren’t quite usable. I love making gardens on different levels and making them functional. That’s one of the caveats to gardening in the North – the hills. However, that’s all part of the fun!

If you could design a garden for any show, which would it be?

I’d quite like to go to Tatton Flower Show, as I’ve not been to that one yet.

What’s your favourite area of your own garden?

I have this area of planting where I love to try new combinations in. The plants surround a seating area, which you enter through an archway. There are lots of grasses in there at the minute, testing what works and is hardy enough for our climate (Edinburgh). I like changing our garden all the time, just to test out new things.

Want to learn more about Katie and her services? You can visit her website here, or follow what she's up to on her Instagram.