Beautiful and practical large country gardens in Sussex and Surrey

I founded Amanda Patton Landscape & Garden Design at the beginning of 2000 as a natural progression from 20 or so years as a professional illustrator following a degree in Textile Design (nurturing in me an appreciation of colour, touch and texture). Initially I worked in archaeology (I worked with all of Time Team before they were famous!) but I soon started illustrating gardening books as well as my interest in the subject developed. I’ve illustrated about 80 books in total, including all but one of Alan Titchmarsh’s gardening titles.

WHILE THE CREATION OF BEAUTY IS AN UNDERLYING PHILOSOPHY THAT GUIDES ALL MY WORK, SO TOO IS A PRACTICAL MIND

I create large country gardens, smaller bespoke gardens and outside spaces of all shapes and sizes that will make you feel good but I also want to make sure your garden works for you, and that it adds real and lasting value to your home.  So while the design concept is created with imagination, it will also make sense of awkward levels, difficult angles, poor drainage, bad views (or good!) while making small spaces feel larger and large spaces more intimate.

INSPIRATION FOR LARGE COUNTRY GARDEN DESIGNS

I am inspired by nature, light, seasons and colour.  I’m fascinated by contrasts in tone and the subtleties of light and like to develop my eye for this through painting and sketching.  My landscape and design work is based on classical geometry and proportions, using vertical and horizontal lines and planes to frame views or lead the eye in a particular direction.  I use colour and a manipulation of light to create mood and atmosphere.

The Modernist architect Adolf Loos said that “to find beauty in form instead of making it depend on ornament is the goal to which humanity is aspiring” and this sums up my own belief, that a large country garden, or any other type of garden or outside space should look – and feel – beautiful from its structure alone, and that furniture, sculpture or water should all be part of this structure, not ornament within it.  In addition, I believe that this structure should reflect its location, relating to the architecture as well as the site, whether enclosed or part of a wider landscape.

I’m interested in creating semi-naturalistic plantings using perennial plants including flowers and grasses chosen to catch light and create good textural combinations when not in flower.  Trees, hedges and clipped forms from box, yew and beech also play an important structural role in my designs.

ACCREDITATION, GARDEN WRITING AND GARDEN TOURS

I’m a Registered Member of the Society of Garden Designers, and was Vice Chair of the society for a number of years; I am also a Registered Designer with the British Association of Landscape Industries and a Member of the Garden Media Guild.  My work has featured in books and magazines; I was a regular broadcaster on BBC Somerset for 8 years until I moved to Sussex in 2012 and I write articles for national magazines including Homes and Gardens.  I have also organised and subsequently led bespoke tours to private gardens in the UK, Provence, Tuscany and the Netherlands for an eminent group of Americans headed by Hope Taft, former First Lady of Ohio, and I work as a consultant in a freelance capacity for Martin Randall Travel, designing, prospecting and guiding new garden tours for the company.

All the photographs on this site were taken by me unless otherwise stated.

Do you have a large country garden and feel unsure how to make the most if it?  Contact me to arrange a consultation.