The site was left to Phillip’s dad, who built Yew Tree Cottage there 32 years ago. Now, surrounded by land farmed by his uncle and cousin, Phillip has created an intriguing space inspired by designers like Dan Pearson, Nigel Dunnett and Charlotte Harris.
“I’ve always had a natural connection to plants and started growing lupins and gaillardias from the age of eight,” says Phillip. “I started working on the garden from the age of 15, experimenting with planting plans.”
Graduating from Greenmount in 2012 with a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horticulture, Phillip went on to achieve the Crosbie Cochrane Perpetual Award for best plantsperson. He then spent six years working as a visual merchandiser at a garden centre, refining his horticultural skills even further.
It’s been an education that’s put Phillip in good stead for creating a stand-out garden at Yew Tree Cottage.
The 1,200 square-metre space is lovingly tended by Phillip in his spare time – his working week is spent as a Digital Learning and Development Assistant at Tobermore.
“The garden can be a struggle to keep on top of,” says Phillip. But it has become such a haven for wildlife – including the bees his mother keeps – that the effort is well worth the result.
So much so, the garden caught the attention of RTE’s Garden Heroes recently, and then Channel 4’s Garden of the Year, where Phillip narrowly lost out on the top prize to a Victorian secret garden in Scotland.
It’s no surprise. Phillip’s attention to detail and care is evident in every corner of his outdoor space. Everything is propagated from seeds, cuttings or divisions, with a tendency towards herbaceous perennials, grasses and deciduous shrubs.
Carefully thought-out landscaping plays a big part in Phillip’s garden, too. A pond, with a central island, is just one of a number of circular features running throughout the garden. And terraced areas allow the garden to spill over three separate spaces.
Sustainability also plays a big part in Phillip’s gardening ethos.
“The pond has no liner and is sealed naturally with clay and mud for biodiversity reasons – the whole garden is plastic-free, chemical-free and no weed membrane is used anywhere to boost biodiversity,” says Phillip.
Find out more about Phillip’s garden on YouTube.
Find out how other Tobermore customers have transformed their outdoor spaces.
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