Non Morris , a Writer and Landscape Designer , is describe for her advanced planting designs – placing her at the head of some of the UK ’s most iconic garden .
Non has work on a range of public and private garden in the S of England , most notably on the main gardens at the South London Gallery and the garden at St Mary the Boltons in Kensington and Chelsea .
In this interview with Mollie Brown , Non share her early retentivity of gardening , what a distinctive working day face like and some trends she is adopting in her latest designs .
Can you share with us your earliest memory of gardening?
“ When I was five , my parent gave me a humble plot of land of my own to garden , ” says Non .
“ Ionly grew sweet peas , and what a brilliant , scented , colourful way to set out ! My father was a busy lawyer , always travelling between London and our dwelling house in Wales .
“ He barely had any time for horticulture but managed to garden whenever he could . He was still arouse aboutthe first tulip to openand the first rise to bloom until he died this summer , still work , senior 91 .
Image credits: Eva Nemeth
“ I have a wonderful photograph of the 1970s rockery he madein our steeply sloping garden . I lie with thatmy love of alpineshad its roots in my childhood garden , so much so that I am researching a book on our enchantment with these bantam plants which grow in such elusive conditions . ”
How did your approach to gardening and garden design evolve as you gained more experience in the field?
“ The here and now I decided to retrain in horticulture and planting design was on the coastal path near Llangranog in West Wales – my hubby Nick and I each carrying a newborn baby twin .
“ The pineapple scent of the windblown gorse against a unfounded blue sky and the warm exercising weight of the baby strapped to me in its stripy postman were enough for me to bed it was time to change from my busy vocation in film and television .
“ I studied at the English Gardening School which involve spending a glorious solar day each week at the Chelsea Physic Garden . I was wholly smitten by the humankind that was opening up .
Image credits: Eva Nemeth
“ I began by just about being ableto recognise a magnolia tree . It was extraordinary to find that there are so many dissimilar magnolias to opt from . I love the challenge of getting to understand where a plant has come from , how it likes to develop and what it will offer a garden throughout the year .
“ I am always search for gorgeous examples in just the right place . I lie with the black lily magnolia against faded red brick in the Sissinghurst Garden and how an elegant yellow - flowered magnolia lights up the entrance to Lambeth Palace . ”
What does a day in the working life look like for you?
“ I divide my time between writing about plants and gardens and designing garden , ” she shares .
“ I tend to get very immersed in whatever I am doing , so if it is an exuberant natural - looking front garden for a former chapel service in North London , I will be living , breathing and dreaming about a pallet of plants until I have made my conclusion .
“ I often source plants from a compass of specialist greenhouse , even for the smallest project , to get exactlythe right ticklish fernor mauve - flushed form of Solanum . I believe it is this passionate attention to item and to create air through planting that makes the departure .
“ Sometimes I trip to chitchat garden to indite about and wherever potential I spend metre wild flower hunt in the countryside .
“ A perfect twenty-four hour period might be catching an early train from London , find myself in the most exquisite moated garden in North Yorkshire by mid - morning time and spending the eternal rest of the Clarence Day with the Head Gardener find out why the planting works so well and how the garden has germinate . ”
You have written about gardens for many publications. How has this writing experience influenced your approach to garden design?
“ I have been fantastically prosperous to write about and figure garden , ” says Non .
“ I am a contributing editor program to House and Garden , write regularly for Country Life and have a monthly tower in The English Garden . I have also developed a serial publication of conversations with garden makers at the Garden Museum which take into account me to drop time analysing the journey of a certain garden in depth .
“ Visiting garden and spending privileged hours with a Head Gardener or the mortal who has made the garden has transform my understanding and is a constant origin of stirring .
Image credits: Eva Nemeth
“ Most of all , I have learnt how much passion and hard work go into garden fashioning . When I am designing a garden , I sample to ensure that it will be well looked after and ferment with some brilliant horticulturally cultivate gardeners who often look after my projects when they are discharge . ”
Can you share some of the current trends in garden design and how you are incorporating them into your recent projects?
“ Creating an immersive garden blank space feel right for the direction we are thinking about garden now , ” she share .
“ Clients often desire to keep some lawn and it may be practical for youthful children to play on , but I make plant expanse as generous as they can possibly be so that even in a minuscule town garden , you could often not narrate where the boundaries are and can enjoy being surrounded by green .
“ I will always ascertain that there are opportunities forplanting close to the business firm . Wherever potential , I verify there is blank space to plant between the pavers too , which is much dependable for drain and much better looking .
In a favourite recent garden , I used the bantam leaved baby tears ( Soleirolia soleirolii ) around dramatis personae concrete stepping stones . The child tears create a wonderful rather Japanese - expect mound carpet which cushion everything . ”
Can you tell us about any upcoming projects you are excited about, and what we can expect to see from you in the future?
“ I am very frantic about my late Cornish - Japanese landscape figure for the Leach Pottery , a modest museum in St Ives , Cornwall which is being transformed by Dow Jones architects who designed the Garden Museum in London .
“ The revered ceramicist Bernard Leach spend age in Japan before returning to Cornwall in 1920 and building the first Nipponese - vogue climb kiln which is still there amongst a clump of museum building stretched out along the narrow River Stenack .
“ Designing the planting for the young schema was a grand opportunity to look at a whole new pallet of plants that would thrive in this benignant climate and to admit some Japanese plant life , not least a cherry blossom , to reflect the strong connection with Japan .
Image credits: Eva Nemeth
“ The new extended museum and garden are due to open in 2025 . ”
Having worked as a landscape and planting designer for over ten years, what advice would you give to someone starting out in the field?
“ I have work as a landscape painting and planting fashion designer for about 15 class after an earlier career in film and television drama , ” explains Non .
“ My advice to someone start out out would be [ to ] get your hands dirty , depend at gardens , read as much as you’re able to and get the best preparation . There are amazing possibilities now for a young gardener .
“ If I had my metre again , I would apply for the Kew Diploma , which is such a rich , serious spot to start and sacrifice you so many opportunity for the rest of your life .
“ The great affair about horticulture , of course , is that you never stop find out . I still finger I am just at the outset . ”
