Touch Landscapes Awarded Best Of Houzz 2016

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Over 35 Million Monthly Unique Users Nominated Best Home Building, Renovating and Design Professionals in the UK and Around the World

London, UK, Monday 8th February 2016 – Kingston-upon-Thames based Touch Landscapes has won “Best Of Customer Service” on Houzz®, the leading online platform for home renovation and design. The successful garden and landscape design practice was selected by the 35 million plus monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community, from among more than one million active home building, renovating and design industry professionals.

The Best Of Houzz is awarded annually in three categories: Design, Customer Service and Photography. Customer Service honours are based on several factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2015. A “Best Of Houzz 2016” badge will appear on winners’ Houzz profiles, as a sign of their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metropolitan area on Houzz.

“We are delighted to have received this top accolade. It demonstrates both the popularity of our garden and landscape design services in the Houzz community and our commitment to first-class customer service” commented Georgina Chahed, founder and principle garden designer at Touch Landscapes.

“Anyone building, renovating or decorating looks to Houzz for the most talented and service-oriented professionals” said Andrew Small, managing director of Houzz UK. “We’re so pleased to recognise Touch Landscapes, voted one of our “Best Of Houzz” professionals by our enormous community of homeowners and design enthusiasts actively renovating and decorating their homes.”

To find out more about Touch Landscapes’ garden and landscape design services Tel: 07872 590303 Email: info@touchlandscapes.com visit: www.touchlandscapes.com or follow Touch Landscapes on Houzz at: www.houzz.com/pro/touchlandscapes

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact Georgina Chahed principal garden designer at Touch Landscapes on Tel: 07872 590303 or Email: info@touchlandscapes.com

Notes for editors

About Touch Landscapes
Based in Kingston-upon-Thames, Touch Landscapes designs exquisite gardens and landscapes for domestic and commercial clients. Offering a range of services from consultancy to complete project management, Touch Landscapes helps clients realise the potential of their outdoor space, creating gardens and landscapes that reflect their personality and practical requirements. In 2015 Touch Landscapes scooped a silver Royal Horticultural Society award for its show border ‘The Teacup Garden’ at BBC Gardeners’ World Live. www.touchlandscapes.com

About Houzz
Houzz is the leading platform for home renovation and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish – online or from a mobile device. From decorating a small room to building a custom home and everything in between, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community empowered by technology, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find inspiration, get advice, buy products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas into reality. Headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, Houzz also has international offices in London, Berlin, Sydney, Moscow and Tokyo. Houzz and the Houzz logo are registered trademarks of Houzz Inc. worldwide.

February 8, 2016

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Why do I need a garden designer?

Surrey garden design

In this blog post Touch Landscapes’ owner and principal garden designer Georgina Chahed gives the lowdown on why property owners need a garden designer…

Homeowners often find their garden has been left in a mess following the completion of their fantastic new extension. Bi-folding doors have been installed but the view of the back garden doesn’t live up to expectations. They know they should do something about it, but where should they begin? Do they need a landscaper or a garden designer and how will this affect the cost?

For those who are just looking for a lawn, a shed and a patio, there is little or no point in getting a garden designer involved. If however, they want the garden to look as stunning as their new kitchen, then they need the services of a good designer.

A safe pair of hands
A professional designer will do a lot more than just measure up and produce drawings for a new garden. They will contact landscapers capable of carrying out the work and at the most competitive price. They will source materials, liaise with the landscapers, monitor the build and find the right plants. A designer will also provide a maintenance schedule to ensure the space stays looking fantastic, for longer. Crucially, a designer will also check to make sure every detail is perfect before completion.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch
Clients are surprised when they approach a landscaper who offers them a ‘free’ design service as part of their design and build package, only to discover that by employing the services of a garden designer as well, they can actually end up paying less. As I source plants from specialist wholesale nurseries at lower prices and can tender the landscaping out to several companies, I am able to offer clients a better deal overall.

Rather than giving them an off-the-peg garden, I will deliver something that’s unique to my clients’ individual requirements and personal style. As part of my service I introduce clients to the latest materials on the market and cherry pick the best high performance plants, selecting less ubiquitous varieties, setting their garden apart from their neighbours’.

The devil’s in the detail
So often I see poorly designed gardens that are unbalanced, aesthetically clumsy, or are simply not fulfilling their potential. As part of the site analysis and layout planning, I use my designers’ eye to get the project right first time and ensure all the components work together cohesively.

To find out more about our Surrey garden design and landscape design service, please telephone us on 07872 590303 or email info@touchlandscapes.com

July 27, 2015

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Five Shrubs for Winter Interest

Hamamelis Jelena
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’, image courtesy of the RHS

In the latest of garden designer Georgina Chahed’s blog posts, she highlights her top five woody plants for winter interest…

When light levels and temperatures plummet, colour, structure and texture are essential for making your garden sparkle. Bring vibrancy and intoxicating scents to your outdoor space in winter by introducing some of these star performers:

1. Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’ (witch hazel)
A firm favourite, Jelena’s buttery autumn foliage makes way for spectacular citrus scented spidery orange flowers in winter. Great teamed with the equally architectural and colourful dogwood; which has a contrasting, upright habit.

2. Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ (dogwood)
Slightly below the radar, dogwoods deserve much more attention from gardeners. With arresting ornamental stems, Sibirica produces red winter shoots and large leaves when pruned in summer. With its graceful variegated leaves, Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’ is also worth considering.

3. Sarcococca hookeriana var. Digyna (sweet box)
Digyna is dense, with a spreading habit, glossy evergreen leaves and purple-green branches. It produces very fragrant creamy white flowers in February, followed by black fruit. Plump for this hardworking shrub and you’ll discover that it has plenty going for it, being both long flowering and hardy in winter weather.

4. Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’
Clusters of flowers open to pink heavenly scented winter blooms which last until spring. Daphnes are best situated in a sheltered spot and varieties such as Daphne odora are blessed with broad evergreen leaves too.

5. Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii ‘Profusion’ (Beautyberry)
I will never forget the first time I clapped eyes on Beautyberry in Bushy Park in Kingston – I went straight home and looked it up. With clusters of showy violet berries, this winter jewel shouts unapologetically, “Look at me!” Adorned with small lilac-pink flowers, its young purple lance shaped leaves turn rosy-pink in autumn. The shiny, vibrant fruits mean Profusion is ideal for placing centre stage, in front of a window. The berries also provide food for birds and animals. Cosset this diva with shelter and companions to pollinate her and you will be richly rewarded.

Remember to check that the eventual height and spread of your chosen shrub is appropriate for your garden. Also, be sure to select plants suitable for the soil type and horticultural conditions you have.

What are your favourite plants for winter interest? Leave a comment, I’d love to know.

Touch Landscapes designs gardens with year round interest. Call 07872 590 303 or email info@touchlandscapes.com to discuss your requirements.

January 5, 2015

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Top Tips for Planting Bulbs

Tulips at Petersham Nurseries
Tulips at Petersham Nurseries

In Touch Landscapes’ latest blog post, garden designer Georgina Chahed shares her tips on planting bulbs…

With summer now a distant memory, we turn our attention to preparing the garden for spring. A few weeks ago I was on my hands and knees in a garden in Kew, laying down wire mesh to ‘squirrel proof’ some crocus bulbs to protect them from hungry pests.

So, why did I go to all this trouble when I could have had my feet up with a cup of coffee instead? In short, bulbs are easy to grow and extremely versatile. They can be used to fill spaces before shrubs and perennials start to grow and are perfect for adding colour to spring borders. Bulbs can be layered in pots, planted at the base of a tree or naturalised in a lawn. Another joy of bulbs is unearthing new favourites – the pure white Narcissi Thalia and the extremely reliable Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ are two I can certainly recommend.

If you’ve never tried bulbs before and don’t know where to start, fear not as help is at hand. Here are my top tips for planting bulbs so that you can be sure of an abundant display:

Timing is everything
Purchase bulbs about a week before you plan to plant them. The warmth of your home may lead them to sprout prematurely, so it’s best not to leave them lying around too long. Plant autumn flowering bulbs such as nerines by late summer and daffodils, crocuses and hyacinths at the end of September. Alliums, crocosmia and lilies should be embedded in September and October and tulips in November.

Ace of spades
So what about technique, “How do I plant them?” Dig a hole with a bulb planter or trowel, place your bulbs in the soil with the shoot facing up and plant at two to three times their depth. Space at least twice their width, then replace the soil you removed and firm it in gently. Finally of course, water them.

Be generous
And finally, don’t scrimp on your bulbs, make an impact by using 25-50 bulbs for a good display. Also, select ones which grow to different heights and aim for successional planting whereby different bulbs flower at different times – prolonging the colour in your garden.

As I recently discovered on my allotment, over time, some bulbs naturally produce baby bulbs. These can be removed when lifted for storage and planted or potted on to create more plants.

With a growing penchant for tulips, I’ve selected Angelique, Apricot Beauty, Candy Prince and Spring Green for a double border which I will plant up in November. Get ready for a riot of pretty pastels when we share our photos with you next spring.

What bulbs will you be planting for spring? Leave a comment on the blog, I’d love to hear about it.

October 13, 2014

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Touch Landscapes Celebrates Petersham House Garden Open Day

Petersham House's revered double borders
Petersham House’s revered double borders

Petersham House garden, the private garden of Petersham Nurseries’ owners Francesco and Gael Boglione opened to the public today to raise funds for registered charity, the National Gardens Scheme. Having recently gardened in the grounds and nursery, Touch Landscapes’ owner and principal designer Georgina Chahed attended the day, joining former colleagues from Petersham Nurseries.

Dozens of visitors admired the 150″ long double borders full of early flowering perennials and colour from the abundant spring flowering bulbs including tulips and Narcissus. Visitors were also granted exclusive access to the productive vegetable garden with chickens.

Garden designer from Touch Landscapes, Georgina Chahed commented: “I am thrilled that Petersham House has once again opened its doors to the general public. Petersham House garden is just one of many outstanding gardens included in the National Gardens Scheme that offer visitors the opportunity to relax and take in their breath-taking surroundings, whilst gaining valuable design inspiration and planting ideas”.

Visitors were able to purchase key plants featured in the Petersham border from the adjoining Petersham Nurseries and recreate the magic of the architectural planting scheme in their own garden.

Petersham House garden will also be open to the public on Sunday 20 July 2014. Founded in 1927, the National Gardens Scheme opens thousands of exceptional gardens throughout England and Wales to raise money for nursing and caring charities. Most of the gardens are private and not normally open to visitors.

For advice on garden design and styling, visit www.touchlandscapes.com or email info@touchlandscapes.com

April 27, 2014

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