My name is Darren. I am a gardener who specialises in topiary and pruning.
I travel all over the country pruning topiary and hedges for keen gardeners. Sometimes the work is formal, whilst other times I am asked to create something more sculptural and organic in style.
What all my clients have in common is a love for making their garden a better place to spend time in.
My work was photographed for the Artisan Series in The Guardian.
My Favourite Topiary To Make…
Is when I am asked to prune an existing plant or hedge in a way that accentuates the particular quality it has.
There is an art to this – you are in conversation with the plant and the landscape around it.
This is the work that thrills me the most, when I am asked to bring my sense of humour to an unloved part of the garden, and elevate it with a few judicious cuts….
My topiary mentor is Charlotte Molesworth – The Queen of Topiary! Charlotte’s garden is a treasure trove of yew, boxwood and deciduous topiary, narrowed native hedges, pollarded elbows of elm and experiments in the art of pruning.
It has been a privilege to learn with her (and you can too! Book onto our Topiary Workshop September 2022.)
Other Pruning In The Garden…
During the winter I prune wisteria, roses and fruit trees in gardens and orchards all over the UK. It is cold and I am often frozen to the ladder, but come the summer you appreciate why time had to be made for the work…
I use minimal tools – just my sharp, shiny Japanese shears and battery powered hedge trimmers. This helps reduce noise pollution as much as lowering my carbon footprint.
If you have a garden that you wish to improve, or have a question about topiary and pruning, please do contact me.
I am more than happy to help.
Darren