Susanna Grant is a garden designer and co-director of Care, Not Capital, with the irrepressible John Little (we wrote about him here). With help from “lots of excellent gardeners and ecologists,” they offer a free program that helps to equip trainees with the skills needed for “modern gardening.” Susanna explains: “The main idea is shifting the emphasis and some of the budget away from hard landscaping and infrastructure towards planting, habitat creation—and gardeners.”
This little yard in North London was transformed by Susanna for a like-minded client, who had already successfully campaigned with his Islington neighbors to get the local authorities to install some planters on a sad stretch of sidewalk. He asked Susanna to make a wildlife garden there; then asked her to help them with his own disused backyard.
Let’s take a closer look at the transformation:
Photography by Susanna Grant.
“Although my scheme was predominantly woodland because of the aspect, there was an existing banana, Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo) and an Acer palmatum which I needed to work around. I added an Abutilon ‘Canary Bird’ right next to the house as it flowers for most of the year and picks up on the vibe of some of the existing plants.”
And what do the owners think? “They love it as the view from the ground floor is straight onto the garden, and it’s always changing. They now use it in all seasons.” Susanna’s clients generally find her on Instagram or via word of mouth. Don’t be confused by her company name, Hello There Linda, originally named on a whim after a friend’s dog.
See also:
- Garden Visit: A Victorian Terrace in South London, in Three Acts
- Before & After: A Barren Courtyard Transformed Into an ‘Intimate, Green, and Cozy’ Urban Garden
- Small Gardens, Big Ideas: Lessons From This Year’s Society of Garden Designers Awards Finalists
Have a Question or Comment About This Post?
Join the conversation