Mark Curtis
Mark is approaching 20 years with Secret Gardens, and an additional 10 years of experience within the industry, three of these years were spent building gardens in the UK. He shares the consultancy role with the Creative Director, meeting new clients - guiding and managing them through the entire process. His knowledge is comprehensive from design, through to the construction and horticultural elements.
Mark loves the outdoors and seeing his gardens grow to their full potential over time.
Articles by Mark Curtis
It’s been a rough old time, these last 18 months. The impacts of COVID have forced those who can to work from home, sometimes for the first time. As Sydney stares down at least another few weeks in lockdown, many are starting to hit the wall in terms of energy, motivation and general wellbeing. That’s where having a connection to nature can really help.
Just as with fashion and interiors, there are garden trends, with certain plants or styles of landscapes falling in and out of vogue. From globally inspired gardens (everywhere from tuscany to bali) to the minimalist, ultra modern landscapes of the early noughties, we’ve seen plenty of garden trends come and go – and most of them we’re pretty happy to see the back of! There are some emerging garden trends now, however, that we’re very happy to embrace and are confident will stick around for a while.
Outdoor furniture is the most eye-catching – and probably the most practical – feature of your new garden scheme, so you want to be confident in your selection. But with so many options, choosing outdoor furniture poses the question – where do you even start? Here are some of the things we suggest clients consider to help them settle on just the right outdoor furniture pieces for their space.
There might be less gardening to do in the winter months, but we’re not resting on our laurels or hibernating on the couch! Though most plants are dormant, there’s still plenty to do in the garden; from pruning to planning, the work you do now will make for a more gorgeous garden come spring.
Not just for balconies and courtyards, pots can be the icing on the cake of a beautiful backyard, dotting a landscaping scheme like eye-catching jewels. And while one large, statement-making pot is wonderful – and a device we use a lot in our gardens – a cluster of pots can be even better. Here’s why we love a pot cluster and how to get it right.
A well-designed garden is beautiful during the day, but with the right lighting, the same garden can be magical at night. With a thoughtful lighting scheme, the garden can become a wonderland of visual effects that lures people outdoors well after sunset.
Garden art might not be the most common client request, but it’s a surefire way to turn a good landscape design into something spectacular, adding an element that’s uniquely personal and richly evocative. Plus, on the practical side, an artwork is almost always maintenance free, it can be taken with you if you move and, chosen well, it will go up in value!
Privacy is a common concern in Sydney’s densely populated inner suburbs, but even in more luxuriously spacious properties, adjacent buildings – especially apartment blocks – can turn your garden haven into a goldfish bowl. But the kneejerk solution of building tall walls can leave you feeling boxed in. The challenge then is to gain a reasonable degree of privacy without inducing claustrophobia.
The concept of an outdoor kitchen means different things to different people, but at Secret Gardens we prefer to put the emphasis on the word ‘outdoor’. An outdoor kitchen or barbecue area should be open to the stars and give you a distinctly different experience from what you can get inside. While the concept has been expanded to include mammoth roofed structures with all the bells and whistles (dishwasher, wine fridge and more), most homes work better with something more simple.
Shady garden areas are a reality for almost all gardens, whether it’s an entire dimly lit backyard or an otherwise sunny area with just one awkward shady spot. Fortunately, there are plenty of plants that shine in the dimness and can look just as beautiful as their sun-struck cousins.
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