Testimonials

I was lucky enough to have Nicola lead the design and build of our garden project in SE London. I contacted her after seeing (and loving) another garden she had designed nearby. Thanks to Nicola’s vision, we have transformed a dark, turfed, and barely used space into a much loved, thriving Mediterranean themed garden with pebble walkways, raised beds and a play area for our son.

I have very little knowledge of plants and design, and am time poor, and Nicola was the perfect garden designer - listening carefully to the brief for the garden, taking a detailed survey and doing research, before sharing a very detailed presentation of ideas. Her knowledge of plants is unrivalled, and I love her style (using soft, beautiful planting to create a look which isn’t too formal and is interesting year-round). Over a couple of meetings we decided on the design and she was so helpful in making excellent recommendations for every aspect of the garden, and even helping with choice of outdoor furniture etc. She knew exactly what would work perfectly for the space.

Nicola was fantastic at all stages. She has an excellent network and recommended professionals to help with the build (tree surgeons, garden builders, landscape gardeners) and was on site to supervise the work. Nicola has incredible attention to detail and very high standards for her work - which meant I could completely trust her to oversee the build and planting which was an enormous help. She is an excellent communicator and very proactive.

Our garden has thrived in the months since planting and Nicola has been so kind and supportive with our gardener and in answering queries. She genuinely cares about her projects and their progress.

Nicola is absolutely first class at what she does, and also delightful to work with. I would wholeheartedly recommend Nicola as a garden designer and am so grateful to her for our beautiful garden. I am excited to plant our spring bulbs later this year!

Isabel, St Johns

Nicola was very highly recommended to me as a garden designer by neighbours whose garden I had long admired over the fence. 

That was some years ago – after moving into a new home with a rather sad garden I decided to take the plunge as I felt getting the right help could add value not just to my home but also (and more importantly) our day to day lives. 

I could not be happier with the process and the outcome of her work for us: our previously existing muddle has been transformed into a space we can make more use of, take more pleasure in and feel the benefit of in the midst of busy urban life.

I had only the vaguest of ideas about what I wanted at the outset and Nicola worked carefully to help me identify what was important and what I liked in terms of design and planting. 

This evolved over the period of planning and I never felt that decisions were rushed or ideas and preferences dismissed. My modest budget was respected and worked with to great effect. Communication was a pleasure, with attention to detail and great thoughtfulness.

Siobhan, Forest Hill

I had the pleasure of working with Nicola Kelly, designing and planting my new garden after extensive landscape works and thoroughly recommend her. 

Nicola listened to our requirements, likes/dislikes every step of the way, incorporating established plants/trees and successfully designed the garden that captured all of our requirements. 

We now have such a beautiful and peaceful view from our kitchen that makes me smile every day. Nicola is extremely knowledgeable and consultative, she is very easy to work with. She shared initial ideas, then we reviewed drawings and options before deciding on our garden today. 

She worked with us to ensure our planting budget was met, and discussed any changes or modifications during the procurement phase. The plants Nicola got for us were of an extremely high quality. 

Nicola and her team were very through during planting demonstrating great attention to detail. She is also a very friendly and generally a lovely person to work with.

Kylie, Dulwich Village

We are absolutely thrilled with the work Nicola did on our garden. We have now used her twice (the first time was on a courtyard garden at our previous property, and this time on our new house’s back garden) and each time Nicola has produced beautiful, peaceful, yet strikingly fresh garden spaces. Her aesthetic skills and practical knowledge are first-rate.

I can say that we felt supported at every point from the initial planning, to refining, to execution. The care taken by Nicola to select the best possible shrubs and trees and to plant up our garden was evident. Each element was given such loving attention that every plant got off to the best possible start!

The “after-care” element of Nicola’s service is also brilliant. The garden manual she produced for us is first rate and it has helped us immensely in keeping our garden looking pristine.   We would highly recommend her and would use her again and again. 

Louise, East Dulwich

We worked with Nicola on the garden design and planting of our large, wild garden in Brockley, SE London. Nicola was sensitive, conscientious and spent time getting to know my husband Robert and I, to gain an understanding of how we wanted to use our house and garden.

She studied the interior of our house, our taste and our values so she could create a garden design to complement our large window seat and lifestyle, along with creating a garden with good biodiversity; she suggested we should use a good mix of native plants as we lived in a conservation area.

Nicola's work not only transformed our interior space - connecting the outside world with our inside life through the window to the garden - she changed our lives and the lives of the wildlife that enjoyed the garden.

The garden and the window to the garden became an important place of healing and wellbeing as well as great happiness.

We look forward to working with Nicola again.

Tamara and Robert, Brockley