Catherine Heatherington Contemporary Garden Designer

Catherine was brought up in the flatlands of East Anglia and although, as a contemporary garden designer London and the urban is an important element of her designs, it is still possible to see the influence of the sweeping horizontal landscapes and vast skies of her childhood. This is particularly evident in her bold natural planting style.

Catherine's aim is to embed gardens into their surroundings; this may involve linking with the architecture, merging the garden into the landscape or even connecting with the sky. Light and shadow are crucial; the shadows of plants in natural and artificial light, the effect of dappled light through trees, grasses backlit in low sunlight. These links with the landscape are especially evident in the gardens designed for the woodland in the Gardens of Gothenburg Festival where the new work weaves its way around the existing trees and rocks. Catherine was employed in Sweden as a contemporary garden designer for the Liseberg amusment park with a brief which aimed to create a relaxing and inspiring place for visitors whilst still retaining elements of the natural landscape.

Catherine's first degree is in Mathematics and as well as qualifications in Garden Design she also has an MA in the theories of spatial design. She also teaches, and writes for various publications. Her work has appeared in many magazines, newspapers and books.