Anna Ribo Gardens
Garden design and advice with roots in plants
Plant talks and sketching classes
How it works:
Rather than having a set way of working, I work with clients to find a model suitable to them and their garden. It all starts with a visit where we discuss your ideas, dreams and concerns and start to make a realistic plan forwards.
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This could include:
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Creative planting plans
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Advising on the restoration and development of a garden
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Plant based garden revamps, small or large. Making the most of what's already there
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Being a sounding board to your idea
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Planting advice to professionals
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In scale, my projects vary from courtyards to country estates. Some projects are one offs, some gardens develop over several years as time and budget allows.
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Through creative planting, we can create distinct areas each with their own atmosphere, make your garden sit comfortably in the landscape and find something for you to enjoy through the year.
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My work is based on planting rather than hard landscaping. It is an approach that works with nature and is kinder to the wallet.
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Plants can entice you into your garden to experience and enjoy the change of seasons. They provide stimuli in the form of scent and colour, in the tactile sensation of rubbing a leaf or picking a berry or a flower.​ And being surrounded by plants is both calming and an instant mood lifter.
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Contact me for an informal talk to see how we can create your own personal garden haven
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For updates on courses and talks, please see the 'Talks and classes' tab and follow me on Instagram @annaribogardens
Plants, gardens and sketches!
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I divide my time between creating planting plans, advising on garden projects and teaching planting and sketching.
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Current projects include advising on the restoration of a Tudor walled garden, teaching planting and sketching at the Society of Garden Designers, planting small town garden to country homes and teaching thoughtful nature sketching workshops.
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For five years, I was head gardener at Long Barn, Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson’s first English garden.
My interest in horticulture started as a child when I grew up in the parklands of a neglected Danish Renaissance castle (sadly not mine) amongst the ‘ghosts’ of topiary, Victorian glasshouses and magnificent borders with the old gardener (and his antique tractor) as a grumpy, knowledgeable friend.
I studied Fine Arts in Denmark, sharpening my sense of colour, shapes and instinct for making planting work visually. After living in London I re-found my roots and was lucky enough to be offered to retrain under the WRAGS scheme on a beautiful, private Sussex estate. I am Royal Horticultural Society qualified at Hever Castle and have studied the Arts and Crafts of gardening at Great Dixter.
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Most importantly, I have created gardens for more than a decade and thoroughly enjoy teasing out exactly what my clients want from their garden and finding a creative way of realising it. It gives me much joy that most come back to continue developing their gardens with me.
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Through talks to garden societies and sketching workshops, I very much enjoy sharing my knowledge of plants, gardening, sketching techniques and the natural world.
