Strelitzia Garden Design

Hello! My name is Graham Wright, and Strelitzia Garden Design is the name I used for my practice when I was a designer. I’ve recently retired (March 2024) but will leave my website active for now, so that anyone who is interested will still be able to view examples of my work.

As a designer, my emphasis was on plants, rather than hard-landscaping, but of course the clients’ requirements and preferences always took precedence, and I would design in any style, from cottage garden, to prairie, to modernist.

My ethos was to design sustainably as much as possible (something I continue to do in my own garden). Where appropriate, pristine lawns can be replaced with wildflower meadow that doesn’t need applications of chemicals and can be cut less frequently (saving on maintenance as well as reducing energy usage). Plants can be chosen to provide habitat and food sources to bring in wildlife, which adds another dimension; bringing the garden to life. These are choices that will not compromise the beauty and practicality of a design.

I aimed to bring all the benefits that the plant world has to offer into my designs, to stimulate all of the senses, using form and texture, colour from foliage as well as from flowers; scented flowers and foliage, plants that move in the breeze, and plants that are tactile. It’s possible (and desirable) to ensure a garden has interest (including flowers) all year round.

Ten years experience as a professional gardener gave me a wealth of knowledge of plants and how to care for them, and an understanding of garden maintenance that informed my designs.

Why Strelitzia?

You may be wondering how I came to choose the name for my design company. Strelitzia reginae, or the ‘Bird of Paradise’, is native to South Africa. It needs warm temperatures and plenty of light, so getting it to thrive and bloom in the UK is a challenge. Whereas my design ethos favours plants that are naturally suited to the environment into which they will be placed. This results in gardens that will thrive and grow with minimum intervention – better for us, and better for the environment.
But plants are a constant source of wonder, and I don’t see why we shouldn’t indulge ourselves in the challenge and the pleasure of growing one or two exotics. Whatever the design style, whatever the plant selection, I think that everyones’ garden should be their own little piece of paradise.
Besides, the flowers of Strelitzia are very beautiful, and make for a striking logo!