sour across both commercial-grade and private projects , Bunny Guinnessis an award - winning Landscape Architect who has endure her garden design troupe for more than 35 years .
She has worked across various video and radio show – sharing her immense horticultural knowledge with a wide audience . This includes 25 years as a panel member on Radio 4 BBC ’s nurseryman ’ Question Time and a long - running horticulture column in the Telegraph for 23 eld .
I spoke to Bunny as she was travelling to do a internet site sojourn and was lucky enough to also chat withher girl Unity , who has followed in her female parent ’s footsteps in becoming a Landscape Architect .
How Did You Get Into Horticulture?
“ It was a full mistake ! ” jokes Bunny . “ A deal of my family were in Horticulture . My female parent had a nursery and my uncle is David Austin , the blush wine stock breeder .
“ When I was a child , I used to find garden a chore . I did have my own little veg plot when I was around 8 age old , but the main ground I got involved was because I was very much an outdoor tike . ”
How Did That Introduction Then Lead To A Career In Horticulture?
“ I move to the University of Reading to start a Food Science grade , but when I was there , I bring in that it was n’t for me . During this time , I match someone who was studying Horticulture at Reading and it sound so much more suitable .
“ I consider a year out and worked in Horticulture before go back to study Horticulture there .
“ I found that I liked the thought of garden design , but I then come upon the calling of a Landscape Architect . You could plan commercial-grade spaces as well as individual , so it seemed like a bigger field to me .
“ I went back to canvas a post - postgraduate path at University in Birmingham whilst working for a Landscape Architectural business firm , which was brilliant .
“ I then set up up on my own in 1986 , about a year before I started my family . I think it was of import for me to work for other firms first because I was dealing with quite big budget , so it yield me the trust I require to start out my own business .
“ It ’s really nice to have dissimilar strings to your obeisance in this career , ” she adds . “ I do some writing and I have a YouTube communication channel . I really relish have different way out . ”
What Does The Design Process Look Like For You?
“ We work in a very different way to most firms , ” Bunny explains .
“ We give up day jobs , where a client bugger off a survey of an area and we sample and sop up out plans until we find a intent that the guest is well-chosen with . We ’ll then go back and draw it up to scale in the office .
“ I find that this works well because you’re able to do a million affair with any plot , but it ’s about how the node will use that outer space . It ’s only when you ’re immerse in their personal space that it ’s gentle to tease out what will process well .
“ Design is very much a consistent outgrowth . You take to know what to get rid of , what to highlight , how it works with the property and , of grade , the client . ”
Do You Have A Favourite Memory Of A Garden You’ve Designed?
“ We recently go to revisit a guest who had run up the plan on his calculator so that he could publish it off and share it with his champion when they visited , ” shares Bunny ’s daughter Unity , who is also a Landscape Architect and works with her female parent .
“ That really touch me , no one had ever done anything like that before . It ’s always adorable going back to the gardens to see the customer ’s reactions . ”
“ Repeat offenders are great , ” Bunny add together . “ I love it when you get to go back and do another design for someone if they ’ve changed property or their needs for the garden has changed .
“ Sometimes , we ’ve done 3 generations of family gardens , which is always prissy . You get to build such a great human relationship with them that way . ”
Do You Have Any Standout Career Moments That Have Meant A Lot To You?
“ It ’s really nice working with my girl . Obviously working with a family member has its pros and cons , but we are Quaker which is heavy !
“ Unity also has huge strengths that I have n’t vex . She turn tail the YouTube transmission channel and create all the computer design from my freehand drawings . She is more modern in her design approach than me as she has a background knowledge in the artistic production as opposed to one in horticulture .
“ This imply that she brings a fresh spirit to everything , which is great . Hopefully , it stops me from getting stuck in my old ways . ”
Do You Have Any Advice For Those Who Are Thinking Of A Career In Garden Design?
“ I think a dear reservation is essential .
“ It took me 3 age to do my horticulture academic degree and then another 4 to qualify as a Landscape Architect , include the professional praxis exam , which was a ridiculously long sentence , but it was well deserving it to have both making .
“ I remember when I was fully qualified and I was working that I was n’t earn much at all and a supporter serving at Harrods was earn far more than me .
“ Although in the other daytime , you might not be making lots of money , I think it is worth getting a good reservation because it gives you a well grounding and you may get a mess of really gravid experience from it .
“ I think it ’s a mythical vocation . ”
Do You Have Any Upcoming Projects That You’d Like To Share With Our Readers?
“ We ’re about to bulge a podcast which we are looking forward to doing when we have a bit more time , ” says Bunny . “ We ’ve got quite a nice community on YouTube now , so this just seems like a natural measure for us . ”
To see more of her gardening tips and advice , you could bump Bunny ’s YouTube channelhere .
