Full of Life Gardens: An Interview with Garden Designer Nick Webb
In the UK, birthplace of the eponymous English Garden (and a land where competition is obviously stiff), if you want to succeed as a professional garden designer, you’d better be an excellent professional garden designer. Nick Webb is exactly that. The multitalented founder and co-owner of Full of Life Gardens, Ltd. recently sat down with me to discuss his creative process, what it takes to make it in the full service garden design game in what is arguably the gardening capital of the world, and how he manages to be a master gardener, a devoted family man, and a priest, without ever breaking stride.
I’d first “met” Nick Webb in May or June of last year on Twitter. I was a social media neophyte at the time, and I was just beginning to introduce The Renaissance Garden Guy to readers via a few popular platforms. In terms of gardening, my enthusiasm levels far exceeded my practical experience (which is still the case). In addition to being brand new to social media and comparatively new to gardening, I was completely full of naive cocksuredness. It was in this particular state which I first presented myself (by means of an appreciative reply to a Nick Webb tweet) to the gentleman himself. One of Nick’s spectacular gardens had caught my eye, and I had to let him know to what degree it bowled me over. (Getting an eyefull of Nick’s magnificent work had the instantaneous effect of converting my cocksuredness to unadulterated humility.) Nick, with what I’ve now come to recognize as completely genuine and characteristic kindness, responded to my comment. From that day forward, I became a Nick Webb Twitter follower and personal and professional fan. Over the past year and several months, Nick has shown incredibly kind interest in my own garden design and construction projects (which are indeed paltry in comparison to his spectacular undertakings), and has responded with kind enthusiasm to much of my content here on The Renaissance Garden Guy, going so far as to submit photos of his work for the “Readers, Show Me Your Gardens!!! 2022” feature this past July. He has shown himself to be, beyond any shadow of a doubt, a fine gentleman in the truest sense of the word. And all the while, I’ve continued to marvel at the photos of the projects undertaken by Full of Life Gardens, Nick’s full service garden design/garden construction/garden maintenance firm.
It was a combination of Nick’s work through Full of Life Gardens (and my own resulting appreciation of, and fascination with, same), and his great personal kindness and peerless work ethic which provided the impetus for this feature. Here was a fascinating guy, with a fascinating operation, working one-of-a-kind garden magic in the gardening capital of the world. I just had to ask him some questions.
So here we are.
Let’s meet Nick Webb and Full of Life Gardens…
A Little Background
Nick Webb founded Full of Life Gardens in 2009. The firm is based in the small, seaside town of Swanage located on the Isle of Purbeck in the county of Dorset, on the UK’s south coast. This particular point on the coast is fairly centrally located, and, is known for its idyllic scenery and beautiful beaches. But, as Nick points out, this area is also known – quite famously – as the Jurassic Coast, due to the proliferation of dinosaur fossils discovered there over the years. Nick further explains that the Isle of Purbeck is additionally famous for Purbeck Stone which, since Roman times, has been quarried there. Nick tells me that this beautiful building stone has been used in the construction of many of the UK’s historical landmarks, such as London’s magnificent, world famous St. Paul’s Cathedral.
So it is here, in this incredibly beautiful, history-rich, and prehistory-laden part of the UK, that Full of Life Gardens operates. Surprisingly, all of the firm’s clients lie within a range of just five miles of its homebase in Swanage. As Nick explains, “We are lucky to be so busy within this area that we have no need to travel further afield.”
Busy, indeed.
Full of Life Gardens provides a range of services to clients which includes all phases of garden design and garden construction project management, from drawing up scale plans and implementing them through the organizing/overseeing of up to three teams of landscapers, through the planting up of the completed projects by Nick himself, and three others directly on the Full of Life Gardens team. Full of Life Gardens also provides garden maintenance services on an ever-increasing basis. The firm specializes in maintaining large gardens from two to nine acres in size, but also maintains thirty smaller gardens within its service area. Finally, the firm also offers tree surgery services, retaining the expertise of a team of tree surgeons to execute removal, pruning, and specialized fruit tree pruning.
Definitely busy.
Full of Life Gardens is an amazing operation which flawlessly executes an incredible range of garden services, from the highly specialized to the physically grueling. It takes a special type of individual with a special sort of background to not only start up such an enterprise, but to take it by the reins and guide it successfully through project after project, and across acre upon acre.
Nick Webb is just such an individual.
Nick began reading gardening magazines and watching the BBC television program, “Gardeners’ World” when he was eight years old, and he officially began gardening at that time. This young man’s initiative was remarkable, as he asked his parents for the responsibility of mowing the family’s lawn and maintaining a section of the property’s border. From this point on, he was hooked. He relished every opportunity to spend time in the garden and performed any task (which he was permitted to undertake) with gusto. To say the least, here was an enthusiastic and hardworking young man, who took his gardening duties very seriously.
Today, Nick’s enthusiasm – and work ethic – haven’t flagged in the least. If anything, they’ve continued to grow right along with his expanding list of clients. And that prodigious trademark professional enthusiasm and unparalleled work ethic flourish even as his time, attention, and energies are occupied by, and diverted to, the two most important elements of his life: His family, and his religious calling. In addition to being the founder, co-owner, and driving force behind Full of Life Gardens, Nick is a husband and a father of three, and he also happens to be a priest. Amazing. And did I mention that he’s really, really busy?
So, amazing guy, fascinating business, incredible gardens. Now let’s ask Nick some questions and let him tell us all about the verdant, colorful magic he makes, and how he manages to pull it all off.
Without further ado… an interview with Full of Life Gardens’ Nick Webb.
Full of Life Gardens' Nick Webb: The Interview
JS: You’ve been gardening for most of your life, and you’re well into your second decade of designing, building and maintaining gardens professionally. At a young age, your fascination with gardening was very evident, and you demonstrated an amazing level of initiative at this time by voluntarily assuming some pretty substantial maintenance duties of a section of your family’s property. Do you consider your decision to form Full of Life Gardens a natural progression – an inevitability, really – of your youthful passion and inclination?
NW: Absolutely! I have two very strong passions in my life – working creatively outdoors in gardens and working with people. My activities are always driven by one of these and this has led me to be involved in some really interesting things over the years. I garden professionally, but it’s also very much my hobby too, and oddly, when I have had a stressful day at work (gardening), I unwind from it by coming home and gardening! The joy at home of course, is that I can start a project and stop half-way through without needing to return to it or even tidy up for days at a time – something which we would never do professionally!
JS: You’d mentioned to me earlier that all of your clients are located within a five-mile range of the town of Swanage, on the Isle of Purbeck on the UK’s southern coast. Such a concentration of magnificent gardens would seem to indicate the perfect climate and hardiness zone for gardening. I’m curious about that climate and I’m wondering which hardiness zone applies.
NW: We have the pleasure of gardening in a unique and stunningly beautiful part of the UK. With its sandy beaches, old Castles, steam railways and world heritage Jurassic coastline, it attracts both lots of house owners with a passion for large gardens, and seasonal tourists. Technically an island, due to being joined to the UK by a road which crosses a large flood plain or a chain ferry crossing from the Sandbanks part of Poole, Swanage, and its surrounding villages is a small South East facing bay which has Downland hills on either side of it. This creates a micro-climate which not only keeps us protected from severe cold weather, but often keeps the area sheltered from wetter weather, too. Using the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) and USDA ratings, we fall into an H3 or 9 zone of hardiness, which is then, in turn, influenced by the warming effect of the sea and weather system trapped between the Downs on either side of us. On top of that, each garden we work in can have a further micro-climate of its own, and soil conditions which vary from clay to pure sand. That’s all very technical, so in real terms, it means we can often count the number of frosts we get during a winter season on one hand, and we can have any combination of long wet summers or hot dry ones, but it is always reasonably warm here, so plants very rarely have to deal with snow or anything really cold. Our seasons are Winter (January to mid-March), Spring (Mid-march to May), Summer (May to September) and Autumn (October to December).
JS: The term “English Garden” has been used almost to the point of cliché, and that particular nomenclature has been questionably applied to any number of styles of garden, but the allure and magnificence of an actual English garden is perfectly undeniable. When I look at a photo of an honest-to-goodness English garden, I don’t need a caption to tell me what I’m looking at. What are the design elements that make an English garden an “English Garden?”
NW: You’re absolutely right John, the term “English Garden” is something which is often referred to but is actually very hard to pin down as a concept. Particularly so, when you live and work here in the UK as, much like our language or accent, it is something which is not consciously thought about when we make gardens, it just flows. However, I think, when reflecting on this, that there can be any number of variations on an English Garden theme, but it will generally always include a mixture of trees, shrubs and perennials. Herbaceous borders and hedges. Potentially a mixture of formal and informal planting. Pathways flowing between the borders and often an area of lawn, or lawns, too. A pond and statues/urns may make an appearance, too. I’m not sure this has actually created a clear picture! But it is definitely the DNA at the root of most English Gardens I would suggest.
JS: Can you tell me a bit about your design process?
NW: The design process has changed a lot over the years. As our business has moved from maintaining smaller gardens and doing stand alone garden designs for people, we now maintain big gardens of several acres and very rarely design gardens as stand alone projects. The reason for the change is simple – there are so many design opportunities that we are expected to carry out within our big gardens, that we don’t have time for other projects anymore. When you work within a large garden, there are frequent changes made to border planting schemes, development of new sections of garden and installations of garden buildings and new paths, paved spaces and borders to match. We still need to draw up a scale design and oversee the landscapers for these changes, but it means we are working with the same customers repeatedly and can share a vison for the garden together over several years of development, rather than just a few months – which we really enjoy. I still get tempted from time to time though, and take on small stand-alone design projects!
JS: What types of hardscape element do you most enjoy implementing in your designs?
NW: When we design gardens, the most important thing to establish is what the customer wants to use the space for. For example, if entertaining is important, then a large paved, deck, or gravel space would be needed. But, if lots of planting and deep borders is wanted, then a patio space may be unneeded. The same goes for lawns. When it comes to personal preference for hard landscaping though, I am always drawn to the use of stone walls to create rooms within gardens and opportunities to trap warmth and plant climbers. However – for a hard landscape feature which competes with the plants in the borders for drama, I’m always looking for the opportunity to install a moon gate, either in stone or Oak within designs as they add such fun to any entranceway!
JS: You’ve mentioned that the Isle of Purbeck is the home and source of renowned Purbeck Stone, which has been used in some of history’s grandest architecture. Do you use this famed material in the construction of any of your hardscape designs? And what are this material’s unique properties?
NW: Indeed, Purbeck Stone is everywhere you look here in Swanage and the surrounding area, as it is dug from the many quarries that surround us here – and has been for hundreds of years. It can be left raw for feature stones, polished for fine interior design and also cut into blocks for building. Most of the houses and walls are built from it. Its unique quality is that it is filled with fossils from sea creatures and plant life, occasionally with dinosaur footprints and bones in, which are visible particularly when it is polished up. It is also very strong and hardwearing, so makes an excellent material for paths and walls. We use it all the time in garden designs as it would be odd in our area not to, but it is becoming increasingly hard to quarry and expensive, so alternative materials are occasionally used to be more affordable.
JS: What about the plants? Which perennial bloomers do you most rely on in your designs? What about shrubs? And trees?
NW: As someone that’s passionate about plants, I’m always looking for opportunities to plant new and increasingly unusual things… some, like a Monkey Puzzle tree, I’ve been waiting my whole life to persuade someone to plant! However, we are really lucky with the size of the spaces we work in, as it has allowed us to indulge our passion for planting trees over the years, which has meant we can enjoy some more unusual things such as the Foxglove tree, Katsura, Tulip tree, Winter flowering Cherry and Yellow flowered Magnolias, to name a few examples. Within our designs we all have natural schemes which we are drawn to, and mine would definitely be the soft romantic pastel colours of pinks, creams, purples and silver greys. Roses, Knautia Macedonica, Salvias, Penstemons, and Hardy Geraniums get frequently included in our planting schemes, though obviously not exclusively so. We are also big fans of Pittosporums and Euonymus shrubs as they are such a versatile group that offers something for most spaces and can usually cope with most weather conditions, too.
JS: What grows in your own garden?
NW: We’ve recently moved from a small Victorian mid-terrace house, with a small garden, to a bungalow with a much larger garden space, which I’m in the process of clearing in readiness for a new garden design… something I’m buzzing with ideas about. I loved our last garden as I built it for my family to enjoy, so it had to be practical for my 3 young boys, but I was still able to get some design tricks into the small space. We had a hedge of pleached Hornbeam trees along the boundary wall, which offered us some privacy – gorgeous leaf colours, but also a haven for birds, which we’re very keen on looking after. I’m a big fan of Winter flowering Cherry trees, so I planted one into a raised bed which we built alongside the Purbeck Stone wall on our other boundary. Prunus Autumnalis is a fabulous tree – not too large and offering a thin canopy, which means light shade and cherry blossoms from November through to May in either white or pale pink – a winner of a small garden tree!
JS: Your designs are beyond amazing, Nick, and the plantings and subsequent maintenance you perform on your creations are extensive. Which aspect of Full of Life Gardens’ operations do you enjoy the most. And which is the most challenging?
NW: I always say that, as gardeners, we are great at anything within gardens, but have to work really hard at the business side of things. So, I would definitely say that the managing of a business is the hardest part and the bit I least enjoy. I love nothing better than getting out in the gardens and working physically hard amongst the planting. My favourite activity is always to prepare a new border space and see it go from nothing to a fully planted space, which we have had the pleasure of transforming from a picture in our heads into a reality for all to enjoy. Being able to subsequently see it mature into the space is also really special. However… I also love to mow lawns, strim long grass, hoe weeds in the borders, and cut hedges! Nothing beats going home physically tired and sitting down with a beer which has been hard earned.
JS: Many of the gardens you’ve designed and continue to maintain are quite large, encompassing many acres and a variety of hardscape and planting elements. A good number of The Renaissance Garden Guy readers (and The Renaissance Garden Guy writer, as well!) garden on a substantially smaller scale. For those of us with smaller gardens, or even balcony or patio gardens, what do you consider the most critical elements – both hardscape and plantings – to include when cultivating the look of an English Garden?
NW: This is a really great question. The majority do only have small garden spaces to work with, and there are a few things that we always begin with when thinking through how to turn a more limited space into a garden. As always – we ask “What do you use the space for?” If drying washing is vital, or feeding the birds – or storing outdoor family equipment or bins, then these are the things we have to work around. However, there are a few things that can transform a space very rapidly. A focal point is the start… when we look out at the garden, our eye is almost always drawn round the garden in an anti-clockwise direction, and it will always stop at the most unattractive point. That may be a gate, fence, dead shrub, or even next-door’s shed or building wall. If we plant the space to create distraction or cover for these areas, then the eye will continue round the space, creating an environment in which we relax more easily. If we then install a focal point of our own choosing, such as an attractive tree or shrub, statue or water feature, a standing stone or a large pot… even a window or balcony rail container will work, then we are already on the way to laying out the space to suit our own taste. After this, it is about initially planning the practical elements such as paths, paving, and access, because we do have to live with this space and these things are important. But… once we have sorted those critical elements, the fun begins as we think about how much space we have for planting! I always advise at this stage to be brave! Plant a tree – and be sure that you check its full-size dimensions first. Then the rest is about filling in the borders with the plants you enjoy – a kaleidoscope of choice to enjoy exploring and working through!
JS: Although you utilize the services of a few different landscape crews to implement and construct your designs, and you work with an independent tree surgeon for specialized tree trimming and pruning, the maintenance of your designs, and the job of planting your newly-constructed gardens falls to your staff and you – four people. How on earth are you able to accomplish this massive amount of work with your comparatively small workforce?
NW: I think there are a few factors that enable us to manage our workload. The first is that I have an incredible team – particularly my business partner, Steve. We are both highly motivated and work smartly and efficiently so that time is never wasted during the day (whatever the weather!). We work very hard and have a strong “can do” work ethic, so we never give in early or quit before we achieve what we set out to do. Over the years, we have had lots of staff who haven’t stuck with the pace, so they have moved on, and those who are with us now are very much on the way to being long term members of the team, too. We value our team and they know that they have long term jobs and good pay, so they feel respected and cared about. This, we have found, helps everyone to be on board with why we work hard, and recognize that the results directly support all of our jobs. Plus, they’re all great fun to be with and we have a fun time! Secondly, we have a clear set of methods for gardening, and we ask all our clients to be on board with those and not try to micro-manage us. We know what we’re doing and how to do it, and any such distraction leads to difficulties and less effective garden work, in our experience. Our methods are to carry out certain jobs at certain times of the year, and to do this using the best tools available to help us to work fast and with the best results for the garden, and also value for money for the customer. We like all our gardens to be mown, edged, hedge clipped, dead headed, weed free, and with clean swept paths and paved spaces. When customers are willing to contract us to manage this without time restrictions, then the results can be fabulous.
JS: By simply keeping up with your activities on social media, your fans and followers can see that, in spite of your massive workload, you still find a way to spend quality time with your family. Can you tell me just a bit about the folks you come home to when the work day is done? And how do you budget your time so effectively? I’m sort of wondering if you’re able to set any time aside for sleep!
NW: I love spending time with my family and have a wonderful wife and 3 young boys that are under the age of 12 years, so quite a handful! They are my world, and everything I do at work is to enable them to live happy, safe and exciting lives. Myself and my friend and colleague, Steve, were initially restricted to working within the school day of 9am-3pm as we took an active role in childcare, dropping them at school and collecting them – which meant a day of work where we learnt to become efficient with our time, as it was so restricted… however, although circumstances have now changed and we start work at first light, we still finish in time for the school day to end, so we can spend the rest of the day with our families – particularly as we live in such a beautiful area and want to make the most of it. We always aim to have enough for them, rather than striving for a gardening empire. That, we feel, is the way to live fulfilling lives. Enjoy work, enjoy our environment, and enjoy our family, friends and community. Of course, balancing time is always something of a challenge and I regularly end up working during times I wanted to be home, but such are the occasional pressures of running a business – though I try to avoid too much of this if possible.
JS: Further encroachment upon your nightly REM state comes from a surprising source: your Twitter profile discloses that you’re a priest. How do the duties of your religious calling fit into your Full of Life Gardens gestalt? Or is it the other way around? In any event, how do you reconcile the obligations demanded of your time – and of your heart, mind, and soul – by these seemingly divergent vocations?
NW: I am indeed also a Priest in the Church of England. Something which I see as completely part of the fabric of my life. By this I mean that for me, faith is something which inspires and motivates the whole way I live my life and it is closely integrated into building up and loving others, as Jesus did, within our communities (and of course more broadly out into the world). Practical love, care, kindness and grace are all qualities which I try to emulate within my day to day living, and this (I hope) effects my attitude towards everyone I meet – whether that is through work, play, family life, or whatever I end up involved with. That doesn’t, of course, mean you can’t be that kind of person with different motivations or faiths behind it, but that is what underpins it for me. It is an entirely un-paid role, so practical roles such as taking services, weddings, funerals and baptisms have to fit with time available – though occasionally this does cross over directly with work when I have taken funerals or weddings for people I garden for, too.
JS: Finally, for those who are interested in making garden design (and associated services) a career, or a business, what words of advice might you have? What would it take for a creative, hardworking, and enterprising individual to start his or her own version of Full of Life Gardens?
NW: I would definitely start by saying that you really need to be passionate about working outdoors. Getting cold, wet, sun exposed, blown about, muddy, grassy, sweaty and tired are all a part of an average month of gardening. We love it – and you need to in order to work outdoors in gardens. Secondly, being motivated by hard work and a need to see jobs finished is really important. Customers want to see results and value for money – particularly as we are a luxury product rather than a necessity! Lastly, a commitment to learning, listening, seeking to constantly improve and create will go a long way towards building a successful garden business. Asking others for help is something I have been regularly humbled by, as people show enormous kindness and are often genuinely willing to go out of their way to support and help us with our business – through advice, but also, on occasion, by simply helping out with the practical if we’re stuck. People can be amazing! If you’re thinking of gardening for a living, then I can’t encourage and recommend it highly enough. It’s without doubt the best job I’ve ever had!
Many Thanks to Nick Webb and Full of Life Gardens, and Thoughts of Barney
Before I offer my final and official thanks to Nick Webb for all of his kindness and for all of his time, I do need to mention that Full of Life Gardens has operated this year without one of its most loyal and dedicated team members. Nick’s beloved border collie, Barney, sadly passed away last year after 12 years by Nick’s side. I wish I could have met him, and I know how much Nick, and the Full of Life Gardens team, miss him. I feel that Barney needs to be a part of this feature, and I’m quite sure that Nick feels the same way.
Nick has been an incredibly gracious interviewee, and he remains always the very finest of gentlemen. I admire his dedication to, and his love of, his family, and I respect the profundity of his faith. His talent and skill as a world class gardener/garden designer are unquestionable, and his work ethic is legendary. The astounding creations of Nick Webb (and Full of Life Gardens, Ltd.) endear him to his clients and dazzle and enchant all who experience them. Nick and his firm are, indeed, The Real Deal. It has been my great pleasure and my great honor to have hosted Nick Webb here on The Renaissance Garden Guy, and it’s my sincerest hope that you, my dear readers and subscribers, have enjoyed getting to know Nick and Full of Life Gardens. My sincerest thanks to you, Mr. Nick Webb – once again, it’s been an honor.
Please click here to follow Nick Webb on Twitter, and please visit the Full of Life Gardens website at http://fulloflifegardens.co.uk/ You’ll be glad you did!
Once again, my dear readers and subscribers, we’ve reached the end of another RGG feature. As always, I am grateful for your kind interest and readership. I simply can’t ever thank you enough.
Cheers, and Happy Gardening!
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This is inspirational! I especially enjoyed the bits about the English garden elements and his faith/calling. Great questions! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for reading the interview, Catherine. I’m so glad that you’ve enjoyed it! I do agree with your feelings regarding Nick’s take on English garden elements, and on his faith. He’s a remarkable guy. His commitment to his art and his craft, his family, and his faith are beyond admirable. I’m so glad to hear that these facts resonated with you. Thanks once again for reading the piece, and for your wonderful, insightful comments.
This is a spectacular interview. I now follow Nick Webb on Twitter. Such beautiful gardens he creates.
Blessings
Thank you so much, Annie! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed Nick’s interview – I absolutely loved conducting it! Nick is a brilliant garden designer and master gardener, and one of the finest gentlemen one could ever hope to meet. His work is amazing, and his work ethic is unparalleled. It was really a great pleasure and honor to interview him. I’m glad to hear you’ve followed him on Twitter. His content there is wonderful. Once again, Annie, I thank you for your kindness and your interest. I am truly grateful.
Such beautiful gardens. I enjoyed this interview along with the photos so very much. A wonderful insight to the life of a grand gardener.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this interview. You’ve put it beautifully – Mr. Webb is indeed a grand gardener. Thank you. And once again, very perfectly stated.
Nick’s work is breathtaking. All of the pictures of his gardens would be found in an encyclopedia under the section about English gardens. The interview was great. It gave us a chance to check out garden design on the other side of the pond.
I’m glad you enjoyed the interview, Kevin. Yes, Nick’s designs – and the work he and his staff undertake to implement and maintain them – are incredible. He’s a remarkable guy. Thank you for your kind thoughts and comments!
Fascinating . One gets to know the man, the company and the island. There are 6 or fewer degrees of Separation between us.
Many thanks for another great interview
Thank you, Rick. I’m glad you enjoyed this interview. Excellent point you’ve made about these surprising levels of commonality. Definitely very true. And Nick Webb’s talent is very evident. It’s a pleasure for me to introduce his work – and the man himself – to readers beyond the UK. Thanks again for your lovely thoughts, Rick!
Absolutely “MASTERPIECES” superb garden designs and an amazing interview 👏👏👏
Really enjoyable to read and look and dream of those Divine gardens❤️🌺
I’m so glad you enjoyed the interview, Roxxy. Isn’t Nick’s work incredible? He is such a talented and hardworking designer – truly an amazing artist. I agree wholeheartedly with you, the gardens are absolutely heavenly! Thanks again, Roxxy!