Where do you start in the garden when you want to do more than just mow the lawn?

The first step is always to dream about the ideal space you want, to get excited about doing something new. Before you even start buying things, make a plan. Then as part of that, look at what grows in the area, chat to people, see what’s growing in their gardens.

Then you start looking at ideas; Pintrest, friends, public gardens. This is kind of gathering ideas. Also looking at books by garden designers, so many people have books out, including myself.

Educating yourself is a great way of going about things. Learning the different styles of planting and realising then, that’s the kind of stuff I like and that’s what I want in my garden.

Should you start on a small scale or go big?

People don’t know sometimes do you start with a big or small plan?

Think big and then start small. Create your dream idea and divide it into phases. So you can make it achievable and you can make better decisions as you go.

Divide into stages, so for example, doing the hard landscaping first. Once you have the big plan it’s easy to divide it.

Everybody is so busy doing stuff, it’s hard to get everything done in one go. It’s also better, because you do make better decisions then. If you do it in stages, you know what’s happening in the garden over time.

Are there any particular plants, trees and shrubs you would advise people starting out to go for? What’s durable?

I think some form of flowering nectar-rich tree is a must. Flowering scented shrubs for bees too. Thinking about height, vertical accents, honeysuckle climbers or jasmine – all the scented stuff.

The lavenders and catmint, all those kind of things are brilliant for bees and they look fantastic.

Money wise, should people invest or budget tightly when they start into their garden?

It’s a tricky one, isn’t it? The biggest thing I would say in this case is to spend the money on quality, even if it’s less. Even if you can’t pave the whole section you had in mind, get the better material and concentrate on a smaller section.

Obviously, most people can’t lay their own paving, but a lot of people can plant their own plants. Spend the money where it’s most important and then have fun doing the other stuff.

Starting out in the garden what are some of the common pitfalls?

I think, going back to it again, not making a plan is a big one.

A lot of people don’t make that plan and they start buying plants and sticking them in all over the place, or they have a patio that doesn’t match in material to other parts.

The other thing I would say is that people forget about wildlife. A lot of people create gardens because they’re beautiful and they’re there for the people’s enjoyment, but it’s so important you don’t forget about the wild – the biodiversity, pollinators and birds, especially in winter months.

What are good ways to incorporate biodiversity in the garden?

Pollinating plants, including plants that bees love. Bees love purples, blues and bright yellow, so including lavenders, Napata and golden rod, butterfly plants and butterfly shrubs too. Bird boxes, bee hotels.

The other thing is leaving a tiny patch of your garden wild – people are embracing this more now.

If you’re not into gardening can you get into it?

I think everybody can get into gardening in either a small or big way. Not everybody is going to be out there digging in the soil. But I think everybody is interested in the beauty that brings, and in how it makes you feel.

It’s proven that gardening and even being around nature is beneficial in so many ways. First, the physical side of it, but if people don’t get out actually doing it, even being surrounded by green is great. That calm flowers and bees bring.

Even to visualise it, it’s like, ‘Ahh, exhale’. I think people who are not necessarily into gardens appreciate them anyway.