The one element in the gardens I design that I feel makes the most impact on the space is water.
Clean, clear, sparkling open water, in whatever form suits the design, is a place for bees to drink, birds to bathe, amphibians to breed, adults to sit by and relax and children to learn about the joys of the natural world.
The ability for it to reflect in the most wonderful way, came home to me in my own garden after I bought a flight of rusty metal geese on long poles which I placed along the edge of the pond. Feeling foolish, I realised their colour blended perfectly with the winter leaves of the beech hedge behind so that they completely disappeared.
Then I looked down into the pond and there they were, sailing gracefully through the sky, reflected perfectly by the water. On reflection, I realised that I couldn’t have placed them anywhere better.
