Our 5 year old house was a new build and the back garden needed a big makeover. The one big problem we had was the huge slope at the back which the house builders constructed to act as a noise barrier from the main road beyond. It was constructed from clay soils, not much would grow in it and it was starting to look awful. We also wanted the new garden to be a low maintenance garden. John was professional and helpful right from the start, he came up with some great ideas for us and always made sure at every step that we understood and were happy with what he was proposing. We agreed a budget and a plan and we asked John to be project manager. We couldn’t have asked for a better designer and manager. At every step he took care of the project and made sure we were happy with the progress. There were some major issues with the work and he resolved it all. He never let us down, he is approachable and helpful and always professional. We would thoroughly recommend him. Many thanks, John, you and your team did a fantastic job for us, we love the garden now, we can sit outside and relax and admire it.Read More

Wildlife damage has been the bane of my two acre East Lothian garden since I started creating it in late 2008. I could never devise a practical and aesthetically acceptable way of fencing out deer, rabbits and hares (accepting that mice, voles, moles, squirrels, pheasants have prior occupancy rights) - till a couple of site meetings with John (who had been advising since late 2018 on the evolution of the garden and identifying plants and shrubs whose provenance had been lost) identified a fence line; agreed which trees needed to be removed prior to its installation; and sorted where access to the ‘outside world’ was required and could be provided. Suddenly it seemed possible! The fence was installed in November-December 2019. Eighteen months on, the difference is remarkable - the protected area has a bulk and luxuriance hitherto missing. Plants of which I had despaired such as Geranium Palmatum and Lilium Martagon now thrive. I no longer spend hours at an upstairs window scanning for intruding rabbits... I can recommend John for his detailed plant knowledge, practical approach to challenges, responsiveness - and patience. My garden is much the better for his advice and feedback.Read More

Scotland's Rural College acquired John Thoumire's services to help transform the 'Arcade', a newly created collaborative space for students and colleagues in its King's Buildings campus in Edinburgh. John, who was studying with the college at the time, designed and installed planting for a custom-built living wall for the Arcade along with curated planting throughout the space. Working with John was an absolute delight. He went the extra mile to ensure plants were of the highest standard, and many were unusual plants difficult to source, but perfect for the project. Colleagues and students have been thrilled with the results. The planting brings life and energy to the refurbished space. As well as the plants being positioned for optimal warmth and sun to ensure their longevity in a high thoroughfare area, John's design is very artistic and aesthetically pleasing. In addition to John's high standard of work and professionalism, the college is delighted to be able to showcase one of its own students. John's work will go on to inspire students for years to come.Read More

John created the Living Wall in the Arcade at SRUC's Campus @ Kings Buildings. It is not only a beautiful focal point but it's testament to John's knowledge, experience and expertise in everything horticulture. Working with John is an absolute pleasure, he is not only extremely professional, but he also loves to share his knowledge about the plants he will use and always asks for feedback. John works with YOU to ensure you are 100% happy with the final product, and goes above and beyond to deliver a high quality product and service.Read More

We have been in our house for nearly five years and have never utilised our north facing, sloped back garden . Someone in our village recommended John A Thoumire Garden Designs and what a great experience we have had! He was very personable from the off. Nothing a bother and encouraged our ideas on everything. We were given detailed designs, colour and flower planting options and John’s ideas were fresh and innovative . We would definitely recommend .Read More