About me
My journey into garden design began at Hole Park in Kent, where a simple “design your garden” workshop for the public in 2023 opened a door I hadn’t expected. I was encouraged to apply for the Work and Retrain as a Gardener (WRAGS) scheme — and winning a place changed everything.
I spent 2024 as an apprentice with the award winning Hole Park team, learning under Head Gardener Quentin Stark and immersing myself in the craft, discipline, and joy of horticulture.
I was encouraged to apply for one of the WRAGS supported show gardens at Gardeners’ World Live — and my design, The Newborn Garden, was selected. Inspired by my own experience of postnatal anxiety, the garden explores connection, calm, and the quiet resilience of early parenthood. It is designed as a gentle, welcoming space for anyone caring for a newborn — a place to breathe, to sit privately, or to connect with others if they choose.
During my training, a conversation with Quentin led to an extraordinary opportunity: redesigning the Millennium Garden beside Hole Park’s Georgian mansion. I approached the project with the method I now bring to every design — thoughtful analysis of the space, careful measurement and the development of a planting plan with immediate presence, year-round interest and resilience in the face of a changing climate.
The cool palette of silvers, blues and purples, set in soft curved borders and framed by airy grasses, was created to complement the fiery Terracotta Garden opposite and to give the Barham family a serene west facing view of the evening light. Their immediate “yes” was one of the most affirming moments of my early career.
I stayed on at Hole Park after completing my WRAGS training to help bring the design to life, seeing it through from concept to final planting.
That experience — designing for a historic landscape, collaborating with a skilled team, and creating something that will be enjoyed for years — shaped my approach as a designer. My work is sensitive to context, grounded in horticultural knowledge, and always led by the emotional experience of the people who will use the space.
As part of my training I completed the RHS Level 2 certificate in Horticulture, graduating with distinction. I live with my family in Kent, close to the border of East Sussex.
If you’re dreaming of transforming your space through planting and design, I’d love to help you shape it. You can learn about my design fees here. Reach out whenever you’re ready — let’s explore what we can grow together.
Jane
Jane Eastwood Garden Design 