The Sunday Times article 21st August 2016 Raine Garden Design

delighted clients

Excellent

Based on 20 reviews

Will Bain

2024-01-15

Raine helped us with our garden project after completing the design work in 2023. The project involved the extensive redesign of our garden, with the incorporation of a swimming pool, outdoor kitchen / dining etc and full replanting. Her input was invaluable and timely throughout the project, we are thrilled with the result. Her expertise and experience were clear to see. The relationship was very collaborative which resulted in the development of the perfect garden for us

Elfmanscoop88

2023-08-19

We moved into our dream house five years ago but whilst the house was perfect, the garden was a real disappointment for me - an awkward L shape with various slopes. On Raine’s first visit, she was keen to understand our vision for the garden before suggesting any ideas of her own. She was also cognisant of my desire to do as much of the work as possible. Raine identified the need to open up the rear of our kitchen in order to integrate the new garden with our home and was keen that we do this first, even if it meant delaying the start of the garden project. Raine is direct in her communications and will challenge you but that is exactly what we needed in order to achieve our perfect garden. Raine delivered on her brief in spades - we now have a modern garden which looks and feels twice the size that it did before, and with great entertaining space. The connection of the garden with the kitchen has made all the difference, and we now have the dream garden to go with our dream home! I would not hesitate to recommend Raine, who is a joy to work with and is at the very top of her game. Thank you Raine!

John Woodcock

2023-06-06

We sought a garden designer who would be able to meet quite specific needs in our brief, and who could create a unique garden for us. From the first meeting, Raine proved to be that individual, listening carefully to our requirements and producing a design that met every specification. She was both amiable and approachable, and brought subtle ideas and suggestions into the design, which met the brief exactly. The different zones in the garden work very well and offer places to sit, dine, enjoy company, or simply be indolent in the Summer sunshine. Strong vertical and horizontal lines produce interesting shadows, while the planting is subtle, softening the harder structures. Raine has given us everything we asked for, and we’re extremely pleased with the result. It’s a garden that’s very different from any in the locality, and draws constant admiration from visitors. We are delighted clients.

Ann Maskell

2022-11-30

We have just finished our garden and wanted to say how happy we were to have employed RGD to do the project from start to finish. We really enjoyed working with Raine. Although in truth we didn't actually work. She really put her heart and soul into our project and her attention to detail was incredible. She manages with great diplomacy to win you round to her ideas even though at times we thought we knew better (We didn't) To say we are thrilled with our garden would be an understatement and we could not have achieved the look or the planting without her input. I would recommend her to anybody who wants to have a beautiful garden and who appreciates true professionalism and a gritty determination to do the work properly.

Stephanie Wagnert

2022-10-04

We have had the pleasure of working with Raine during the last 18 months or so, during the design and construction phases of our fabulous garden project, which has just been completed. We connected with Raine instantly; she took the time to understand our vision, how we would use the garden, and the kind of family we are, not missing out the children’s and the dog’s needs with our outdoor space. With her brief she then prepared excellent plans (she has fantastic drawing skills) to put our vision on paper. There were some changes along the way, but Raine proved to be extremely flexible, responsive, open and throughout the entire process she went out of her way to ensure that we were always happy. Raine has excellent communication skills too, and there were regular updates and prompt replies to all of our queries. Raine’s attention and eye for detail is faultless and we also appreciate that she was so honest and not scared of challenging our opinions. Today we are so grateful that we listened to her expert views. We are demanding clients and I’d say sometimes probably ‘qwirky’ people, but she wasn’t fazed by it. We had so many laughs throughout the process too, and I think it’s fair to say Raine got a real insight into our family life through our many chats, not all garden related! Raine has an outstanding working relationship with the landscaping professionals that she recommended, and they too delivered everything as agreed, and more. Our fabulous new garden was worth the wait, and we are truly delighted and look forward to see our garden mature and to enjoy it for years to come.

Chris Wilson

2022-07-13

As soon as we met Raine it was clear that we could work with her to create our dream garden. Raine is warm and friendly, and her great eye for detail, colour and space all came through in the wonderful plan she delivered. She was able to challenge our thinking and provide fantastic suggestions to improve and utilise the existing space, to create a garden that is colourful, structured and meets all our needs for entertaining and relaxing. Raine oversaw the whole project, and the landscaping team from Bushy Business were professional, friendly and a joy to work with. Our garden has been transformed into a beautiful space that we enjoy every day, and it's even dog friendly. The design included a beautiful replacement pergola which has great impact and draws the eye to the magnificent water feature. Our garden is mainly walled and the addition of pleached Hornbeams makes it feel structured and yet secluded. The amazing porcelain tiled patio area for dining and relaxing extends through the pergola to the water feature, and an adjacent "G&T pad" which catches the last rays of evening sun. The lawns and planting burst with colour to complete the picture. Well done Raine, it has been a pleasure working with you!

Marion Parnell

2022-03-23

Highly recommend Raine Garden Design. We have been working with Raine for over two years - Always very professional and friendly.

Nicholas Marsh

2021-09-19

Raine was absolutely fantastic in getting to know us and understand our design requirements. She spent lots of time us to develop the design and was not afraid to challenge our suggestions to maintain the integrity of the garden design. A funny, warm and friendly person, Raine was just perfect in working with us, to design our dream garden. We've just got to build it now.

Stan Mayne

2021-05-11

So happy we chose Raine to guide us through the perils of designing a new garden from scratch. Raine took the time to get to know us and our style before discussing the practicalities, pitfalls and pleasures of designing a beautiful garden which would be well balanced for our space. Every step was meticulously planned, making sure we were in total agreement along the way. Raine has been open to discussion, has offered relevant exciting suggestions, and has overseen the construction and planting with genuine passion. She visited regularly and checked every view and angle during planting to ensure maximum visual impact. It was immediately evident that Raine and her brilliant, well mannered and respectful professional team knew exactly what they were doing and we were happy to put our confidence in all of them. Many people feel the need to gush when they have received anything above an OK job, I am not one of them, but on this occasionI feel the need to say that our newly blossoming garden is far more than just OK, it is a carefully crafted thing of beauty which has exceeded our expectations. Raine has identified and consolidated our many rambling ideas and thoughts, given them texture, colour and interest, and has given us the beautiful garden we had no idea of how to achieve for ourselves. If you are considering using the skills of a garden designer, do start by having a chat with Raine. I suggest, rather like ourselves, you will feel the need to go no further. Also like ourselves, you will not be disappointed. “No Raine, no garden”.

Sally Toulmin

2020-08-09

Raine exercised her full planning expertise to convert our garden into a glorious and wonderful space to entertain and relax in. The challenge was to design a planting plan within the constraints of the hard landscaping that had been carried out relatively recently and we were not prepared to change. Raine’s additional suggestions (almost bordering on insistence - but well meant and certainly justified) to replace the pergola with three magnificent cedar arches and the fencing with Venetian style panels we followed. These changes, together with the fabulous planting design, has completely transformed our garden. Bushy Business’s execution of Raine’s recommended changes and the planting plan was exemplary. We are very satisfied customers and recommend Raine without reservation.