Spotlight - Heidi Joyce Gardens for The Lockdown Interviews

As I posted on my Instagram the other day - I’ve been thinking about content to produce for this blog that might be of help during this time and I realised there are so many people in my network who might have brilliant nuggets or might just be an inspiration.

The first in this series had to be the wondrous Heidi Joyce. I’ve known Heidi for many years, we met at a studio we both had a desk space at in Preston Circus. I remember the first day Heidi came in with beautiful doggo Amos (sadly not with us anymore) - we were all tapping away on Macs and Heidi just produced a ream of paper that she spread out over her desk and just knuckled down with that and a pen, I loved her thaen and I love her now!

Heidi is a garden designer and all round horticultural expert - I was delighted when she joined the ranks at PLATF9RM and there’s something so relaxing to see her tinkering away with the plants in the space. Heidi and I have especially bonded over this pandemic, becoming accountability partners and sharing daily joys of our dogs.

I’ve said it many times but Heidi is a bloody good egg and I’m so happy to welcome her to the blog.

Hi pal! I’ve known you for many years but perhaps don’t know the ins and outs of your business. Can you tell us about it - what does your day to day look like?

I run a garden design, build and maintenance business. If it’s growing, I am all over it. I’ve had my business 14 years and if you’ll excuse the pun, it’s grown organically. My average day is never the same. I maintain residential and commercial sites two days a week and then designing two days a week and admin for the remaining time. Additionally, I closely work with a gardening team (from groudworks to tree surgery etc) for every aspect of your garden.

How has the virus impacted your business?

The virus has swept through the business. It has come on the back of a strong January but the wettest February I have ever known. March - June/July is when we make most of our profit as people are beginning to get out in the garden and think about designs and improvements. This time last year we had 4 designs a month and by the end of July we had done 22 designs and 7 builds which I had project managed. I was very tired. But because of the virus we don’t have any designs at the moment and only our bread and butter maintenance so we’re stripped to the bone. 

How are you adapting throughout this time?

As I say to friends - poor but happy. I feel very fortunate I have a stunning little home and garden in a lovely area (Seven Dials) with great neighbourly/community support. I am very lucky.

I feel very passionately that the best thing we can do at the moment is stay home. Therefore I am only shopping once a week and Mowgli (my terrier) gets a dawn walk as I am an early riser and it’s quiet then. One of my commercial jobs is looking after a private estate of 35 retired nurses and since I am probably the healthiest of them I have volunteered to do their weekly shop. Let me tell you, ex nurses know exactly what they want and from where!

After the initial panic I quickly sorted and streamlined my finances and talked to my landlord. I realised my saving grace was being able to complete my commercial maintenance which meant a bit of money for my labourer and the basics and business costs being covered. 

Then I hunkered down - I have set myself tasks and a strict routine so that I could redo my website, brush up my computer skills and firm up my social media presence. It's also a great time for further learning. All those horticultural books and magazines that are piled up. To ensure this gets done I have an accountability buddy - you! We have a WhatsApp group where we photograph our to do lists every morning and what we have crossed off every evening - I really recommend this.

I am also implementing work cut off times and taking good care of my health and body. My cooking has never been better!

As the weather warms up those with gardens are getting out there and tackling their outdoors space! Do you have any tips as to what people can be doing in their gardens at the moment?

Watching and listening. Look at how your space serves you (and your local wildlife) and how it could be improved. 

Make a list of what you would like from your garden; eg. water, edibles, plants to attract birds and wildlife, evening entertaining, fire, seating, planting walls, log stores and children’s play/ growing area. These things don’t have to be grand, my simplest pleasure in my garden is a 12m washing line and good clothes pegs 😉

I’m planning on posting a few little videos on Instagram in the coming weeks with some tips and tricks for your garden.

And what about those without gardens - is there anything they can do to join in the green fingered lockdown movement? 

Loads. Don’t overlook supermarket herbs - I’ve found the best to be in Waitrose and Aldi. They will take a good cut and come again approach and it’s lovely to have fresh herbs on your windowsill. They will regrow within about three weeks.

Then houseplants - there has been a revolution in houseplants recently. Some will set you up for failure (Birds of paradise and Banana Plants) but some will transform a space. My five year old Golden Pothos (Devil’s Ivy) trails the width and breath of half my sitting room and really transforms the space. I have been buying and experimenting with houseplants for about 5 years now and have built a good armour of which to buy and which to avoid. Houseplants, put simply, make a fairly ordinary space much more inviting and relaxing and that is before we have explored the benefits of looking after them. 

What are you finding the things that are getting you through are?

Dog walking, cooking, yoga, exercise, looking after my plants, kindness to myself and others, cooking on FaceTime with my 12 year old niece, doing things for others, skincare routines, zoom, baths and candlelight. 

Avoiding TV, too much booze, sugar, beige food, social media and news.

What’s your one nugget you’d like to give everyone at the moment? (Can be a quote, advice or just a lovely message)

It’s not that we will get through this - we are. We are doing bloody brilliantly and it’s galvanised the best in people. 

Finally, if you could see one change come out of all of this what would it be?

So many that I am not entirely sure where to start. I think this situation is catastrophic for so many but also extraordinary. I am watching people connecting with nature and each other like I haven’t ever seen before. That is not to belittle the seriousness of this situation but it is a very exciting part of it. I feel the deep slowing down and resensitising is invaluable. 

If you are interested in finding out more about what Heidi does or if you want to think about getting an expert in for your garden you can find Heidi’s website here. Also for her tips, tricks and just beautiful nuggets of observation and positivity follow her on Instagram here.