Patricia Tyrrell Living Landscapes

I contacted Patricia after reading reviews here, so am more than happy to write one myself if it helps somebody else find the right landscape designer for their garden. Our garden is small, the orientation is not great and the scheme that had been carried out before had completely eaten up the available sunny space, making the garden feel damp, dark and uninviting. In front of the house, we were looking to create a pleasant space to look out on (rather than the back of our car) with plants, bike and bin storage. To make matters really tricky, we have no side gate so the thought of removing all the garden debris through the house and then having all the new supplies carried in the same way again put us off for a very long time from getting started. However, every time we look out or have our coffee in the morning sun or eat al fresco, we are really happy we went ahead with this project and are grateful to Patricia for helping us realise it. Her design took on board our ideas and wishes and made optimum use of the space available, creating seating areas that follow the path of the sun and planting that matches the conditions, whether exposed or shady, and looks lush without requiring a lot of maintenance. When quotes initially came back over budget, she revised and adapted the scheme until it was right. The contractor Patricia suggested for the hard landscaping elements was very good and worked closely with her and with us to execute the plan. He worked quickly and took great care during the clearance process and when moving supplies through the house so our four walls did not suffer in the process. Over the past couple of months, the flower beds Patricia planned and planted for us have really come into their own and we have been able to enjoy our garden - as well as coming home or looking out the windows front and back - like never before. It is a joy to sit out in the sun with bees and butterflies having a feast in our flower beds, watching (and smelling) as new flowers come into bloom over the course of the months. In a way, the garden has become an additional room, a tranquil haven when the weather is good.

We were looking for a modern looking back garden garden with a custom pergola ,cedar panels and a unique outdoor seating area which were in no ways easy source or construct during these times .Fran went out of his way to hand pick some of these items and had them build . Patricia designed our garden last year which was got recently constructed . We had a tight budget and had little idea of planting ,hardscaping and other aspects of our north facing garden and approached Houzz . Patricia came highly recommended to us by Houzz . We asked her for a modern design on a tight budget with lots of different requirements in the garden - a swing , a pergola , a quiet sitting area and a way to interconnect them in a relatively tight space ...and She gave us an outstanding design within budget . The complete plans and specifications were thorough and easy to understand which allowed for accurate costs and the detailed 3D design gave us confidence that we wont go wrong . Patricia gave us different options for hardscaping so that we could execute the design within our budget without compromising the look of the design. The planting was a perfect balance without overcrowding the garden and gave it a fresh , modern look and still have some colour all year round with the birch tree , box and other plants . Her sheer depth of knowledge of plants helped establish a colourful and vibrant garden which would can mature over the years and I would unhesitatingly recommend her for any high standard garden re- design.

Patricia recently completed a project on my small garden. She designed it and gave me several options, all of which were great, but one that was just perfect for me. It was very distinctive giving my garden the edge and unique look that I wanted. The landscapers then went on to implement the design and it has turned out wonderful. She has since planted some beautiful plants and small trees suitable for my small garden. We also made good use of pots including some really nice plants for tubs in my front garden too. Patricia kept me informed all the way so that I could choose exactly what I wanted while also relying on her expertise to choose the best plants for the different areas of the garden. I found her to be extremely pleasant and very easy to work with. I would highly recommend Patricia to everyone. I cannot tell you how much I love my garden. Everyone who sees it says WOW. Thanks Patricia. Karen

We decided to work with Patricia having spoken to and researched a number of different people. Patricia from the get-go was very easy to get along with and it was clear to see both her passion and knowledge in what she did. Patricia came up with a design that looked simple but encompassed all we hoped to achieve and all we knew little of before we met her. We worked through a couple of different ideas as the garden came alive in front of us on paper. The garden was laid out by our builders and from there Patricia provided a detailed planting design and arrived on site to plant all items herself. Throughout the process, Patricia was always helpful, consultative and informative and available to chat when we needed to. One year on Patricia has been out to visit us a number of occasions and is still helping away in the background as we learn how to maintain her year-round creation. I would have no hesitation to recommend her to anyone who has an idea of what they would like and needs help to bring it to life.

Patricia was a joy to work with from the first moment we drank tea in my kitchen. She listened carefully to what I wanted and worked with me as she design the garden, choose the material and selected the plants. My garden is a delight both to me and all my neighbours as they pass by. Highly recommend!!!

It was an absolute pleasure working with Patricia. She has a great eye for colour and design. I pretty much left it up to her to structure my front garden and what plants to use. Since I am very busy with work/family I also did not want a garden that is very demanding. My other condition was that I wanted to see flowers blooming at different times of the spring/summer. Patricia took all of my comments on board and came up with a planting plan that suited my needs. Now, my garden is exploding with colour and it brings a smile to my face every morning when I leave to work and every evening when I get home.

My garden is tiny, (4 m x 6.5 m), a small fully-enclosed back yard in the centre of an Irish village. I was loathe to give stars as the experience of having this garden is deeper than can be quantified, so here's my real star rating! One night last week I stood in the garden to look at the night sky and it struck me that even in the dark I was aware of standing in a (tiny) part of a cosmic harmony. It is this sense of harmony that has informed the whole process of the garden's development. Patricia's ability to read and interpret what was there – the stone walls which she advised me to have repaired and re-pointed, (thank you, Kevin), the fact that this is a sitting/leisure area but must also allow for practical things like a washing line and access to a shed and an oil tank. Then there was what was added, the salvaged York stone (thank you, Peter in Wilson's Yard) which she advised me to acquire for the paving which blends beautifully with the walls, her sourcing (locally) of a willow screen for the oil tank, and then the planting of four beds at the cardinal points, each of which had its own challenge of scale and location. Patricia spent two days planting in December, and in its two months of life since then, the garden has endured a very grey winter when it was flooded (not a leaf moved which must be down to the quality of the planting) but still small miracles began to emerge – elegant hellebores, amethyst alpine irises, buttery crocuses, snowdrops in just the right place under the still-bare acer, pinpricks of brunnera blue. All are not just harmonious in their relation to each other but placed to offer delight on the wettest or coldest day, when viewed through the glass back door or though the large back window. Did I get what I wanted? Yes, since Patricia is a very good listener, but also, and more importantly I think, she 'read' the small space (and me likely, too!), intuiting – or simply knowing - what would work. Now there are present delights but also so much anticipatory pleasure. How will the hydrangea's glossy leaves and white flowers look against the stone wall? What colour will those foxgloves be? What of those grasses, full-grown, in a summer breeze, the scent of daphne on a warm day? How will it be to sit here with family and friends? This garden fosters optimism.

Having spent many years tinkering with planting and layout of my garden, it got to the point where I realised I needed some expert help. After some research online, I found Patricia and it was her qualifications in horticulture that initially attracted me. I really enjoyed the casual consultations and when I saw the initial designs, I was impressed by how they captured my (fussy) brief and more! I couldn't wait to move ahead with putting the plans and even in the first year, the planting looked amazing. I am delighted with the end result and would highly recommend Patricia for the quality of her work and overall approach.

Patricia has done a lovely job on my garden, front and rear, but especially front, leaving me basking in the compliments I receive from my neighbours. The job involved the modernisation of an old and sad garden, with significant building work to allow for off-street parking; Patricia combined very well with the builder, and the job was done in good time, on schedule and on budget.