Richard Rogers
Richard graduated with Distinction in July 2018 having also been awarded the external judges prize by John Wyer for his final project (Eco Therapy Garden).
He has a strong interested in the health and wellbeing benefits of gardens and was awarded a Silver-Gilt medal by the RHS for his Mindfulness garden at Chatsworth 2019.
Twitter – @richardrogersdesigns
Biography:
Richard was motivated to train as a garden designer by his life long love of nature, landscape, garden and planting design. His green fingers came from a Grandmother who won medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower show for her floral designs and his father who was a prize winning flower grower.
Richard has a background in psychology which he uses to really get to know his clients and work closely with them to evolve a design that not only meets their practical needs but also will enhance their lives in many other ways. Richard’s designs aim to create a deep sense of journey, belonging and connection to the natural environment utilising both modern and naturalistic design ideas.
He has a strong belief in the health and wellbeing benefits of gardens and green space and is a Trustee of a charity called Thrive who help change the lives of those living with disability or ill health through the use of gardening and horticulture.
BRIEF
Show garden designed for the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show 2019. The ‘Reflective Mind’ garden, which won a Silver-Gilt RHS medal, was designed for the gardening for health charity Thrive. The garden was designed for a couple who may use the space individually or together as a source of inspiration and as a peaceful sanctuary to pause, sit and meditate. They want beautiful planting and for the garden to be both restorative and thought provoking – so that they come away feeling renewed and inspired.
Richard Rogers said, `With the increasing busyness and pressures of everyday life, the value of taking time out is so important. In this garden, the design and the planting will all invite the visitor to stop, pause and reflect. ‘Spending time in nature has been shown to help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, while improving mood, and I’m hoping this garden will enable more people to appreciate these benefits and learn more about the great work that Thrive does.’
DESIGN SOLUTION
A focal point of the garden is a 1.8-metre high face sculptured from bronze created by Simon Gudgeon. Positioned against a background of trees and planting, it aims to evoke feelings of calm while reinforcing the link between nature and wellbeing. The statue is reflected in an infinity pool representing how mindfulness practice enables us to step back and observe our own thoughts and feelings. The view of the statue is deliberately obscured from some angles by 3 multi-stem Prunus Serrula trees, creating a feeling of seclusion and representing the way in which the filters of our own experiences and expectations do not always allow us to see reality clearly.
My client was a couple who both work from home and are passionate about gardens and the health and wellbeing benefits of being in nature
The brief was to combine a beautiful private garden with a landscape that can be used for ‘Eco-therapy’ (psychotherapy outdoors). The design solution combined:
– An ’Inner’ garden; a beautiful private garden for the couple to relax, entertain and indulge their joy of horticulture, flower arranging and design
– An ‘Outer’ garden; a more naturalistic landscape that the couple can enjoy and can also be used for 1-1 Eco-therapy (‘Eco-therapy’ , requires a naturalistic landscape with contrasts, transitions and thresholds that may provide rich metaphors and a sense of journey.)
There needed to be a ‘semi permeable’ boundary between them that allowed some privacy within the inner garden when clients are present, but did not make the spaces feel completely separate. I incorporated contemporary design that harmonised with the natural landscape and enhanced a connection to nature.
Brief – redesign a courtyard for merchandising a premium range of Cretan terracotta pots and provide a café area for customers.
Design objectives
To maximise sales of product and return from the site
To put the owner’s unique stamp on the site, create a ‘wow factor’ and something that is beautiful
To create a destination experience that leaves a lasting impression on visitors
Design solution created a contemporary courtyard that:
– Is beautiful all year round and allows for stock rotation
– Is in harmony with the surroundings and the traditional craftsmanship of the product, but with a contemporary design twist
– Is welcoming and encourages visitors to dwell and explore
– Effectively showcases and displays carefully curated product
– Creates a successful balance between having the characteristics of a beautiful garden and having enough space to display product
I was commissioned to design a garden that would meet the varied and changing needs of this family in North London. The brief was challenging as the garden needed to accommodate a sizeable area for the children to play football at the same time as offer some secluded spaces for the parents to feel that they could more fully ‘inhabit’ the garden. There also needed to be a productive area and plenty of space for dining and entertaining.
The space was carefully divided into areas for activity and areas for relaxation, utilising both walls, new trees and raised planting beds.
The client was delighted with the outline design and construction details are now being worked on.
Our design for this garden blended some contemporary design elements with traditional materials and detailing to create a strong connection between the house and garden. Lush and varied planting was used to create a modern take on the cottage garden look.
