Concepts Verde

My first recollection of gardening was at the age of around three. My love of gardening was fostered at this early age when I stayed at my grandparent's cottage during school holidays. I have a picture that my grandfather took of me stood in a trench planting pre-chitted potatoes out of an old egg box. Easter was my favorite holiday there, as we would sow seeds for all kinds of vegetables (including runner beans, which I now realise is why we had spent our last holiday digging large trenches!). My grandfather is a ‘real’ gardener, a traditional Yorkshire man with Victorian values, many of which are the foundation of my beliefs today; hard work, dedication, a love of the outdoors and a passion for anything to do with horticulture!

As a teenager I gardened at my parent's house, but the limitations of our garden (or my dad’s unhealthy love of a stripy lawn) meant I needed new spaces to try out my ideas. During the summer holidays whilst doing my A-levels, a close friend who I worked with at weekends trusted me to design and build a garden, so I embarked on my first ever garden makeover! A trip to the builder’s merchants and various garden centres meant she had invested a large sum of money in a 17 year old wannabe gardener, and although I was nervous, I wasn't going to let her down. The garden was a real success and the retaining wall still stands there today!

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Linda’s passion for gardening started when she was a little girl helping tend her grandfather’s seaside garden in Bristol, Rhode Island. In 1999 she turned this lifelong passion into her profession when she left a successful 16-year career as a financial services marketing executive.

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Having studied History of Art at the Victoria & Albert Museum and London University, Anna spent seven years in Rome before studying botanical painting at Flatford Mill.

In 1984 she gained a Diploma in Garden Design studying under the well-known landscape designer and author, John Brookes at Denmans Clock Tower.

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Steve graduated with a degree in design in 1989, after working in the design industry as a freelance interior architect for various design companies on the design of shops, department stores, domestic and commercial spaces in the U.K. Ireland, Germany, Holland and Hong Kong.

On moving to Norfolk in 1999 he continued with interior architecture whilst shifting focus towards garden design and practical horticulture before dedicating himself full time to Onebeech garden design. Steve also lectures part time at UWIC (university of wales, institute of cardiff).

After gaining his RHS certificate in horticulture Onebeech garden design was formed.

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Belinda Macdonald, the Garden Designer, is passionate about plants and uses them creatively, within the context of strong garden layouts, to provide structure, texture and colour throughout the seasons. Her pragmatic garden designs are closely tailored to the clients’ needs and seek to complement the character of the house and its setting wherever possible.

Belinda has an HNC in Garden Design, which has formalized a lifetime of amateur horticultural interest. She initially trained as a biomedical scientist and holds both an Honours degree and a PhD in this field. She is a firm advocate of lifelong learning and is engaged in an active programme of Continued Professional Development to keep abreast of new skills and techniques which can be translated into her clients’ gardens and planting schemes.

Belinda is a Correspondent Member of the Society for Garden Designers, a primary source of professional development activities, and a member of the Royal Horticultural Society. She holds both Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurances.

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