Meet Glenn, PRUNADELICA.
Our lovely gardener, bringing Hawley Square’s garden and Margate’s spaces to life!
The sustainable gardener bringing Hawley Square’s garden, and Margate’s green spaces to life. He is inspired by seasons, coastlines, and community. He likes to creates spaces that grow and connect. Right now, he’s planting bold new gardens and designing regenerative gardenwear.
What kind of work do you do here at Hawley Square Studios?
I’m a gardener with a focus on sustainable garden care, maintenance and planting design. I work on the gardens and green spaces of Margate homes and businesses, getting around on my cargo bike. I look after the courtyard garden and houseplants here at the Studios.
What’s your favourite thing about your studio and the neighbourhood?
The gardens are my studios. I love how they change colour and shape, evolving and aging through the seasons. I love the folk behind the gardens, clients who’ve become friends.
If I can stretch the neighbourhood a bit, my absolute fave is a slow run from Cliftonville to Broadstairs and back along the coast – the meadow at Foreness Point, geeking out on the flora in the dunes and Joss Bay. The caves around Botany. Kingsgate. Sauna and dip on the way back, beautiful.
What project are you currently working on that excites you most?
There’s some very cool planting projects coming up on newly designed gardens that I’m really hyped about. The landscapers have done their thing and now it’s my turn.
I’ve been looking for an opportunity to plant Thalictrum delavayi in a garden for ages and I’m getting to do it in a couple of weeks. Can’t wait.
Longer term I’m creating a gardening smock with a local designer, I’ve been sketching out pocket and collar ideas for months.There’s definitely a gap out there for good looking, durable, utilitarian gardenwear that doesn’t cost a packet. We’ve got a sustainable, regenerative twist aswell which sets us apart. I’m really excited about it…gardening and clothes, the dream.
What’s inspiring you at the moment?
There’s three gardeners who I’ve been very lucky to have spent a bit of time working with; Fergus Garrett at Great Dixter,Jonny Bruce at Prospect Cottage in Dungeness and John Little at Hilldrop in Essex. Those guys, along with all the gardeners and designers whose work I drool over on a daily basis. All artists, all MASSIVELY inspiring. Thank you!
My wife gave me ‘The House of Green – Natural Homes and Biophilic Architecture’ a while back. It’s a really beautiful photobook-y collection of homes that have integrated nature in their design. Ridiculously high end projects, but the idea embracing more of the natural world outside and bringing it in I find very interesting. Be great to see more of that brought to the masses.
Do you have any rituals or must-haves?
I’m not big on rituals but always try to get an early morning stretch in before the family wakes up.
Must haves; ‘Planting the Natural Garden’ by Piet Oudolf. It’s been my go-to planty book since day 1. I’d recommend it to everyone.
Follow @prunadelica and @hawleysquarestudios on Instagram for more info and pour latest updates!
Photography @ededugdale