STOP PRESS: TWO OF OUR GARDENS HAVE BEEN SELECTED AS 'BEST OF 2009' BY THE GARDEN DESIGN JOURNAL

CURRENT PROJECTS: A CHIC GARDEN IN NOTTING HILL, A LARGE HERBACEOUS BORDER IN WINCHMORE HILL, TWO FAMILY GARDENS IN HIGHGATE AND FORTIS GREEN AND A TRENDY GARDEN FOR A ROCK STAR IN ISLINGTON

Germinate is a Garden and Landscape Design Practice specialising in residential projects throughout North London. Our aim is to create arresting bespoke gardens based around 3 principles: horticultural expertise, design flair and client’s desires.

We provide a comprehensive, conception-to-completion service: from design concepts and construction drawings all the way through to planting, lighting and final styling. We work closely with our contractors to ensure that the process of creating your garden is actually enjoyable, and the end result a delight.

We set up as a reaction to the two garden design trends: the named garden designer, too ego-led for us, or the design-and-build firms, too formulaic in our view. We cut our teeth in those environments but think we can offer something better: a personalised approach which melds our horticultural expertise and design flair with our client’s desires.

Ana Sanchez-Martin, the company founder, trained as a horticulturalist and designer after 15 years in the film business; a career which encompassed anything from directing music videos to producing TV programmes. The skills needed for both fields are surprisingly similar: the ability to visualize space, create strong pictorial compositions and, last but not least, the ability to tell a story through the garden.

Her first commission was for homeless charity Crisis to create their first Show Garden for the Hampton Court Flower Show, which was featured on BBC and The Times, as well as being selected for Prince Edward’s visit. Until setting up Germinate, Ana worked for design and build firm Modular Garden.