fuck to her followers as The Bonnie Gardener , Nicola Macnaughton is a Professional Horticulturist who completed her RHS reservation at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh .
Nicola now operate as a Freelance Garden Writer and is also offer at Bearsden in Bloom as a Horticultural Consultant , a role she has held since 2022 .
I talk with Bonnie about her journey into the world of gardening and her golden rule for garden aim .
How Did You First Get Into Gardening?
“ When my sis and I were footling , my parents break each of us our own surgical incision of the garden to appear after , ” she shares . “ We always spent prison term in the garden at weekend .
“ In my early 20s , I rediscovered my love of gardening when I got an apportionment . It wasvery overgrown and full of horsetail , but I drop all of my spare clock time there and check how to propagate seeds and farm my own yield and vegetables . ”
How Did This Then Lead To A Career In Horticulture?
“ When I gotmy first allotment , my mummy taught me everything she knew about how to mature vegetables from seminal fluid , ” explains Nicola .
“ The apportioning trip such a huge passion in me for plant and I developed this insatiable desire to study everything I could .
“ I was working in a corporate job at the fourth dimension , but I decided to [ complete ] my Level 2 in Horticulture at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh . I studied in the evenings and at weekends .
“ After I complete the course , I plucked up the braveness to give my corporate job and got a line of work with a commercial gardening company . That was the start of my career in horticulture – strimming , mowing and weed !
“ I put to work for that ship’s company for a year before starting up my own garden maintenance business . Over the years , that has evolve very organically from maintenance into planting and garden design , which are the two military service I offer now . ”
What Is Your Process For Designing?
“ It ’s a mixture of the practical client Q&As , site assessments and surveys , with the originative – which necessitate getting a feel for the outer space and its milieu .
“ Every garden is unique and each client has their own bent of requirements . It is my job to get curious about all of these thing and bring in everything together to make a aim that suits the individual who will be using the garden . ”
What Inspires Your Practice?
“ I am inspired more and more by nature and the environs of the garden that I am project , ” pronounce Nicola .
“ I go in the countryside , so the garden I am designing locally will draw stirring from the granite of the rock and the naturalistic planting of the hills , includinglots of grassesand heather mixture .
“ I need to spend time in the quad alone and get a feel for the environment and what it is asking me to do before I get down work on a new design . ”
Do You Have Any Golden Rules For Garden Design?
“ Ask the garden what it would wish you to do to it , rather than enquire yourself what you would wish to visit on it . I am really inspire by Permaculture principle such as observe and interact and produce no waste . ”
What Does A Working Day Usually Look Like For You?
“ I ’m always aim to have more social system in my working day , but no two are the same , ” she states .
“ I consider myself to be a nurseryman who project rather than a garden designer , so it is vital for me to keep my hands in the dirt and to have a regular praxis of gardening .
“ I spend at least two puzzle out days a calendar week defend gardens that I have worked in for years and have an on-going relationship with . On other 24-hour interval I visit young sites , meet Modern client , assess up garden and go home to make scale drawings and set about designs .
“ I do my best work early in the morning when all is quiet and still – that is when my brain is at its best and I can intend clearly .
“ I also come up with my just idea when I am out walking my dogs , so I often come home and scribble them down after a long manner of walking . ”
What’s Next For You?
“ I became a female parent 6 months ago , so my priority is on how I can acquire a business that works around me and my child ’s needs .
“ I am look to make grow an online course of action to aid people get into growing their own herbs and gardening – watch this space ! ”
What Advice Do You Have For Those Thinking Of Giving A Career In Horticulture A Go?
“ It will feel very scary initially but just do it , ” Nicola apprize .
“ Once you have inscribe into the world of gardening for a living you will never look back – horticulture is n’t work , it ’s play ! ”
