VaRa Garden Design

25/09/2025

Even if you’re not planning a full garden redesign, a planting refresh can really transform an outdoor space, giving it a lift, some movement and a personality! And now is a great time of year to get planning and planting!

Flick through these before and after photos of one of our projects to see how planting really made the garden;
* framing the view, adding scale, movement and texture
* generous, wide borders softened hard landscaping edges against the house
* careful planting design gives year-round interest with colour and texture

In this recent transformation, carefully chosen plants didn’t just fill the space — they brought it to life.
Of course, the refreshed patio stone and the sun shining helped too!

If you’d like us to help you refresh your planting, just get in touch.
Designed by VaRa Garden Design

18/09/2025

Following on from this week’s post, we thought you might like to see some more photos of our latest garden transformation, showcasing what garden design can achieve.

From the very beginning, our vision was clear — to create a space that felt like a natural extension of our clients’ stylish home.
Every element was carefully considered:
* Thoughtful layout tailored to our clients’ needs, expertly installed
* High-quality products and materials chosen for both style and longevity

“Vanessa and Rachel were highly committed from start to finish in the careful planning and project management of the complete redevelopment of our garden. The planting scheme is very creative and it seems to change every month, offering new textures, colours and points of interest throughout the year. They took time to listen to our ideas and translated them into a creative, thoughtful design. ” Mr and Mrs L, Hertfordshire

This project has been a real team effort, bringing together expertise, creativity and quality. Thank you everyone!

Conway Landscapes Garden House Design Majestic Trees Renson London Stone
Kettler GB Parker & Coop

16/09/2025

A few months on, we’ve just revisited a wonderful family garden transformation in Hertfordshire — designed to bring everyone together, whatever the season.

This multi-functional space combines:
✔️ A sleek pergola for stylish entertaining
✔️ Generous patio dining for long summer evenings
✔️ A garden gym for exercise
✔️ A bespoke studio to work, relax or hang out
✔️ A firepit area for cosy nights under the stars

A beautiful aged brick wall acted as a backdrop for a new avenue of trees and lush borders, enveloping the garden in colour and texture — and with a carefully designed lighting scheme, the space can be enjoyed day or night, all year round.

Head to our website to take a look at more photos of this garden’s journey, and have a look at some of our other latest projects whilst you’re there!
http://www.varagardendesign.co.uk/family-garden-hertfordshire.html

18/08/2025

Just revisited a garden we designed and finished planting two years ago — what a joy to see it maturing beautifully!
The avenue of trees has filled out just as imagined, adding structure and rhythm, casting lovely shadows and welcome shade.
Planting has really settled, full of colour, texture, and form.
It's amazing to see how the layers now play off one another, with bold shapes, soft movement, and seasonal shifts, all working together just as planned and tended so well by our fantastic client!

03/07/2025

It was 10 years ago this week that we built our very first garden design at the prestigious RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show no less!!

Having won a planting design competition at Capel Manor College, we applied to the RHS to create a Show Garden. Provender Nurseries kindly donated the plants and we were given £5k (a very modest budget!!) by our college to build a Show Garden.

After months of planning and 2 stressful and back-breaking weeks on-site, we created an award-winning garden in which Joe Swift sat and recorded the opening of the BBC coverage of the Show, which earned us an RHS Silver-Gilt Medal.

Thanks to all of the students that helped us, to the professionals that guided us, to the suppliers that donated materials and plants, and to the industry that welcomed us.

Since the Show, we have been designing gardens for 10 years now, and have had the pleasure of creating wonderful spaces for our clients, both private, charity and corporate..

We want to say thank you to those early clients who put their trust in us to help create wonderful spaces and to all the lovely people we have met along the way, some of whom have remained friends and continue to invite us back to see how their gardens grow!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16sCtjZb3-U

19/06/2025

Trees are just the most majestic (and useful) things in a garden! We love using them in all of our design schemes, no matter the size of the ground space - look up, think vertical!
And particularly on a day like today, they provide the best cool, shady spots.

This beautiful magnolia tree in our clients' front garden makes such a striking entrance, and by underplanting it with year round as well as seasonal colour, it is instantly anchored to the space and the rest of the garden's planting scheme.

08/05/2025

In the run up to Chelsea, next week we will be talking all about Planting Design. Watch this space…..

27/02/2025

Acorns Children's Hospice

All of the bedrooms at Acorns Children's Hospice, Walsall, will look out on to the new outdoor space.

22/11/2024

We are so proud to be involved with this exciting new Greenfingers Charity garden at Acorns Children's Hospice!!

We’re really looking forward to working once again with Vanessa and Rachel of VaRa Garden Design, who together with Paul Taylor Landscapes, will be helping us to bring ‘The Centred Garden’ to life at Acorns Children's Hospice at the start of 2025.

Having previously created the 60th Greenfingers garden at Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People - which won the HTA News Benevolent Fund Award for ‘the project that made the most impact on a community’ - the VaRa team will be using their experience to create yet another vital garden space for children and families to enjoy.

The plan is to transform the central outside space at Acorns to include planting to create interest, play and sensory equipment, coloured shade outside each bedroom suite – and much more.

With the Garden set to be on show from every aspect of the hospice building, we’re excited for VaRa’s design to take centre stage... 💚

04/07/2024

09/08/2023

06/08/2023

We’re thrilled to be working with Greenfingers Charity again on Acorns Children's Hospice garden!