Home is where the heart is for Hednesford couple Sarah and Rob Beddington. Rob is a keen photographer and they both love and appreciate nature and wildlife.

Their home was a modern new build with a typically small and basic garden, which sloped up towards the garage wall.

Sarah explained: “Joyce is so passionate and knowledgeable about plants. When we met she talked about the types of plant that bring life and personality to a garden all year round and we knew that was what we wanted for our garden.

“We live near to Cannock Chase so we also knew we wanted to attract birds and butterflies and wildlife and that’s what the garden has done for us.”

Attractant plants were used everywhere possible to provide food and interest for pollinators and invertebrates.  Joyce’s design has introduced a range of levels and soft and hard landscaping to create a space in which the couple love to spend time.

“It’s a real sanctuary for us. Sometimes we still can’t believe that it’s our garden!” said Sarah.

There is now a shed and summerhouse, a pergola over a sunny evening patio, a larger patio next to the house, pleached trees for screening, a water feature and a terraced lawn. The space is beautiful but also useable and easy to manage. Working with Joyce to achieve their dream garden was also an easy and enjoyable process, say Sarah and Rob.

There is a large space in front of the house, which gets the afternoon and evening sun, so that was reclaimed with very low maintenance planting, a paved area and a bench in a sheltered warm space against the fence at the side.

“Badgers come there at night and we’ve seen foxes and deer too,” said Sarah.

It’s a space that works all-year round and is a joy during the daytime as well as on warm evenings.

Sarah said: “Joyce has real vision. She instinctively knows what plants and shurbs work where and the colours that will go together as the seasons change. But she also listened to us and what we wanted from our garden. We’ve followed her advice and we trust her completely.

“We have learned so much from Joyce and she has inspired us and given us the confidence to maintain the garden and add new plants and elements over the years.”