We at J. Peterson Garden Design have a new monthly feature debuting today! (And by “we” I mean “I”–you know it’s just me here.) Each month, I’m featuring a different gardener/garden designer/garden blogger for your reading pleasure. And, friends, these aren’t “fluffy” people; these are people who have been around the garden, through the gate and down that path once or twice. These are people who have a lot of stuff to share. These are people who inspire me to be a better gardener, a more creative designer and a more engaging writer. So take a moment to get your cup of coffee while I introduce you to:
RACHEL MATHEWS A UK-based garden designer with 20 years’ experience under her belt, Rachel grew up around her parents’ nursery, and some of her early training was in floral design. What I’ve noticed about Rachel’s designs is that she’s not a one-trick pony: she has designed most all styles of gardens, but their common theme is a clean-ness in design, attention to detail, and a genuine reflection of good design principles.
I found Rachel on Twitter (@Successfulgardn); one of my friends tweeted a link to her site, Successful Garden Design, where she had a video clip of a project she was working on. Here’s where Rachel is a valuable resource for both the home gardener and the landscape professional: her use of excellently-produced video demonstrates her process, not just the Before-and-After pics. That being said, even her Before-During-and-After pics are really incredible. When Rachel shows how to do something, she also tells you why she believes it’s important. How is this valuable? If we’re only told what to do without any understanding of the principle behind it, we will undoubtably merely copy the same technique in the future. When we understand why we’re doing it, we’re freed up to try variations, becoming much more creative and authentic in our own processes. (And when I say “we” I mean “you.” I know it’s only you there.)
Rachel’s design teachings include free design tutorials as well as for-purchase courses, which is important. Before you commit to buying a course, you can check out Rachel’s style on the free tutorials and see for yourself if this is what you’re looking for. I’ve found over the years that while someone might speak well, have pretty pictures or a glitzy site, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s backed up by real knowledge and a teachable style. Frankly, I’ve been impressed with Rachel’s skills and although I’ve been a garden designer for about 8 years, I picked up a couple of tips that were either new to me or a good reminder of something I learned years ago but had honestly forgotten.
Her companion site is ORIGIN Garden Design where her professional projects are showcased and you can click and dream about having the Colchester garden (that’s my favorite) or the Contemporary Split-Level Garden (sigh.). Rachel’s the real deal, and has something to teach all of us who love plants and gardens, and value our outdoor spaces. While I may not need the basic homeowner design courses, I truly appreciate having a connection with another designer who inspires me to think bigger and more creatively than I did a couple of months ago. So, thank you, Rachel Mathews! We here at J. Peterson Garden Design wish you great success and continued growth! And by “we,” you know I mean “me.”
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Rachel is one of my favorite gardeners, too. In fact she was just featured in my “Bloggers to Watch Out For” list. I love her way of making garden design accessible to anyone who wants to improve their garden design. This is a great feature. Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks, Carole! I’ll check out your list. I’m really pleased to shine a light on people like Rachel who do such good work!
I am taking Rachel’s garden design class for beginners and I think it is really well done. Good choice for Gardener of the Month!
Thank you, Alison–I agree, Rachel’s a great choice! I’m sure you’ll enjoy her course.
I enjoyed looking through her website and watching a couple of videos. Thanks for telling us about her.
Well Jenny what can I say to that write up! Thank you so much! I’m being very English and slightly blushing (not used to receiving American Style praise!).
The thing with any blog is it’s the people that come by and visit that makes it work as much as what you write about. I’m fairly new to blogging and wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve been totally taken aback by how supportive a community it is.
I’m a great believer in designers inspiring one another so I’m really looking forward to seeing who you have lined up for future months. You’ve hit on a great way of introducing us all to people we may not have come across.
So thanks again!
Good choice indeed. I watched Rachel’s videos and was very impressed by the quality of the presentation and the work she did. It could well have been a slick TV program with a huge production team behind it and featuring a star designer. Diarmuid Gavin, watch out.