Local company founders Judith Yeo and Emily Grayshaw have been running Grayshaw and Yeo Garden Maintenance Ltd, for 12 years. The company has helped over 150 new gardeners establish their career in horticulture and have now embarked on a new and exciting journey. During the pandemic both undertook a professional garden design diploma, via the Society of Garden Designers recommended educators.
During their time studying professional garden design the girls met a third designer, Imogen Perreau and have teamed up to form a new studio – Inspired Earth Design Ltd. Here the team work collaboratively to produce stunning designs that are by sensitive, sustainable, and beautiful. The studio is currently working on a variety of private projects but are also prioritising several community projects including the development of a ground-breaking roof garden for a community church in Chichester, and more locally, a pro bono project with the Farncombe Community Garden. Not only this, but Inspired Earth Design have impressed the RHS show panel and won a grant to fully fund their first show garden at Hampton Court Flower show in July this year. You can see their designs on the RHS website at the following web address;
www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-hampton-court-palace-garden-festival/gardens/2022/lunch-break-garden
The Inspired Earth design for Hampton Court falls into the new ‘Get Started’ category and showcases a simple garden, beautifully designed, that works as a form of ‘kit’ garden, to help those new to horticulture. The Garden uses only eight herbaceous perennials, the idea being that as more people work from home, the need to connect with their outdoor space increases. The premise for the show garden is that anyone who has an outdoor space can learn key horticultural skills. These skills, learnt through nurturing just 8 plant varieties, are transferable to thousands more plants. The kit garden is a simple way to access gardening without being too overwhelmed by it all. The benefits provide more than just a break from the desk and include improved mental well-being, access to fresh air and a different kind of mental and physical stimulus. This is as well as the wider environmental benefits.
It’s great to see a small local company achieve such recognition despite the tough times that businesses have been throughout the pandemic. It shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel and we wish Inspired Earth Design every succuss at Hampton Court and look forward to visiting their garden and all the other show gardens in July.
@inspiredearthdesign
