WREN GARDENS CAMBRIDGE
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ABOUT ME
I am gardener who has a passion for design, wildlife and gardens as living spaces. I began my gardening career looking after the grounds of a medieval manor house. I manage larger properties as well as undertaking wildlife-friendly maintenance work for houses with small and medium gardens.
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I worked at a National Trust property in South Wales, training in hedge laying, fencing and tree-felling operations. Studying painting, drawing and design at Harrogate College in Yorkshire began my interest in colour texture and form in the environment. I am inspired by the landscape artist Andy Goldsworthy.
I also have a BSc Degree in Environmental Management and worked for many years in nature conservation, mainly with RSPB.
CARING FOR YOUR GARDEN
Case studies of projects for some typical customers
MAINTAINING A COUNTRY GARDEN
Optimising a garden for everyday utility, beauty and wildlife.
Here, I care for the gardens of a beautiful property ensuring that their lush borders remain natural-looking whilst maintaining the distinctiveness of each particular plant. A lot of mowing, weeding and shaping.
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I have selected new plantings to provide nectar for bees late and early in the season. I control ivy, but most is left in order to encourage hoverflies, nesting birds and also butterflies such as holly blue.
PLANTING A WILDLIFE FRIENDLY HEDGE
Securing a new garden with a blackbird- friendly boundary
These very spiky pyracantha bushes are easy to look after. They are a robust security barrier, drought resistant and produce lots of berries for wintering birds.
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Last winter, during a cold snap I saw three blackbirds gorging themselves on the berries. A great result!
PONDS
One of the best ways to bring beautiful and interesting creatures to a garden.
I was asked to clear a large, rotten area of decking, built within a square brick foundation.
But the client embraced my suggestion that we keep the foundation surround and turn it on to a wildlife pond.
In the summer there are clouds of blue damselflies flying over the floating island. Broad bodied chaser dragonfly breeds here every summer. There are also newts, frogs, water boatmen and a heron has been visiting.
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PRICING GUIDE
Do not worry if the options below do not fit your situation. Each new customer and each garden is different so I will propose a price when I have visited you and we have had the chance to discuss what is required.
£165
A single one off visit of 6 hours. This might be for a large and labour-intensive task such as to restore a garden that has got out of hand. If industrially strimming or scything out of control vegetation, lifting small tree roots, is required there might be a £10-20 surcharge depending on how heavy the work.
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It is a chance for you to get a head start on a garden that is too daunting to begin on your own.
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£75
For a 3 hour visit, based on regular fortnightly visits April - November.
This is likely to be the best option for maintaining and developing a typical medium-sized garden.
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Over time we can steadily develop the beauty and wildlife potential of your garden.
PROJECTS
If you are a regular customer I am particularly keen to help your garden develop, if there is something more ambitious you would like to explore. So interesting projects such as pond creation, meadow sowing and wildlife garden design, can be favourably priced on a case by case basis.