We approached Sam at Chiltern Garden Design to help us completely rethink the garden we had inherited when we bought our property in 2020. The space was a blank canvas and needed real creativity and careful thought to turn it into an interesting and attractive space to entertain, play outdoors and enjoy for our family. Right from first contact Sam was an absolute joy to work with. She was attentive and thorough in understanding our vision for the garden and the creativity she applied to the design was fabulous. She incorporated our ideas but built on them and took them in directions we never would have considered. Incredible attention to detail and a deep understanding of everything to do with plants and gardens, lighting and materials, all came together to produce a wonderful design. Sam then guided us step by step through interviewing and selecting a landscaping firm to construct the garden and was hugely hands on throughout the build process, helping us chose materials, solve problems and navigate what is a complex and lengthy process. She is always available for questions and concerns, and we really felt like she was there to help at every step of the journey, not just the design phase. Her love of plants and incredible knowledge continue to prove invaluable now that the garden is installed and we are very happy in the knowledge that she will continue to guide us as the garden matures. We have hugely enjoyed working with Sam and are looking forward to continuing to do so. The garden is fabulous, far better than we could have hoped. We are very lucky to have found Sam and would not hesitate to recommend Chiltern Garden Design to anyone looking for the very best they can achieve for their garden.

I started working with Sam at the start of my home renovation. I knew that my garden needed a complete revamp so I wanted to make sure that i did it all properly rather than as afterthought. Very early on in our discussions it became clear that Sam was able to translate my vague ideas and ramblings into a beautiful design which somehow reflected everything I wanted but wasn’t sure I could articulate. Her design was bold and creative and definitely something I would never have been able to do myself. I followed her plan to the letter and I am thrilled with the outcome. The garden has been completed now for about 6 months and I am loving watching it come to life as the new season begins. I can’t recommend Sam highly enough, she has done a wonderful job here.

They designed the water saving garden that after winning a bronze medal at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, was installed in the heart of our centre. The garden is so perfect it's as if it had been designed especially for us and the whole experience was brilliant. Thank you on behalf of us, our volunteers, visitors and all of the pollinators we have on our site!

We had a fantastic experience with Chiltern Garden Design. From the first meeting, Sam listened carefully to what we wanted and brought our vision of a child friendly cottage-style garden to life with creativity, expertise, and attention to detail. The planting scheme is stunning, full of seasonal colour, character, and charm and perfectly suited to our home and it's already made a huge impact to how we feel about the space in only it's first season. Sam also managed the project brilliantly, coordinating everything smoothly from making the introduction to a fantastic landscaping team right through to plant selection and placement, keeping us informed every step of the way. The result is a garden we absolutely love and enjoy every day - especially as we continue to watch it grow and develop. We'd highly recommend working with Sam - she's a true pro!

If you invest so much money in your house, then to add a little more to get your garden designed the way you would like it, is well worth it. Sam will work on any budget, and mine was very low. I purchased a "new build", and the garden consisted of grass, some patio slabs and a small shed. I couldn't visualise easily, as I had lived in an apartment previously, and had little gardening experience. She listened to all my desires, Gazebo, entertaining terrace, plunge pool, waterfall, outside shower, raised beds, Silver Birch trees, meadow grass, … you wouldn't believe how long the list was. I wanted inside/outside living. All on a small plot … quite ridiculous when I think of it now. She was so calm when I was spouting all my wild ideas. She came back with a design that was beautiful, but there were parts I was unsure of, where was my plunge pool? But … I trusted her judgement, and she then proceeded to chase and obtain quotes from landscapers, giving them detailed specifications. I shouldn't have had any concerns. My dreams were far too wild for the size of garden, and small budget that I had, and Sam adapted my dream into a feasible reality. I hadn't considered the clay soil, where the sun rose and set, types of planting required for these conditions, top soil, beautiful patio stone, but Sam did. I am so happy with the result, and Sam has already contacted me about bulbs for next season. She also gave me a maintenance guide for all my plants, including pictures of weeds for me to recognise. Sam has created the perfect garden for "me", the amateur gardener, and I love it. I couldn't be happier!