Top tip

answer her queries and give advice. ‘She really got me into gardening, and has been a huge influence.’ Inspiration also comes from a wide range of other sources – planting on roundabouts, seeds advertised on ebay, roadside tables of random treasures, Sissinghurst gardens, and Monty Don with his powerful message about the benefits of gardening. ‘I find it so helpful for mindfulness, for focusing on being in the present,’ she says.

A salvaged, galvanised water tank (this one was found at a friend’s farm) makes a lovely deep planter, perfect for growing a maple and agapanthus.

‘Our planting is all about leaf colour and texture – flowers are the final bit to consider’