I am a keen gardener. My own garden in Cranleigh was open to the public with the National Garden Scheme (NGS) and has featured regularly in the BBC2 'Open Garden' programme over the past three years.
A few years ago I decided to study for a formal garden design qualification and this was successfully achieved with the Institute of Garden Design. This was a thorough and wide ranging course which covered all aspects of garden design and garden implementation.
Since qualifying I have worked on gardens in and around Surrey and West Sussex as well as further afield in the Toulouse region of France. I specialise in both shrub and herbaceous borders but enjoy the wider remit of complete garden redesign.
My background is in economics and business, graduating from the City University Business School with an MBA. After working in marketing and advertising for 5 years, I made an about turn into the world of art where I felt infinitely more at home, completing a course in English watercolours at Christies in London. I then set up my own art dealing business successfully holding exhibitions in several London galleries, eventually securing a more permanent gallery in Godalming, Surrey. During this time I was also broadcasting with BBC Radio Surrey on a weekly basis, covering the art and antique auctions in Surrey. My extensive knowledge of late 19c paintings has undoubtedly influenced my love of gardens and garden design as the Victorian genre frequently depicted the traditional English garden.
Staying in the arts, I then founded the Field of Dreams Charitable Trust which presented an annual music festival launching young classical and jazz musicians at the beginning of their musical careers. This was held in our gardens and grounds at Smithwood House near Cranleigh. The annual event became a popular date on the social calendar and visitors to the festival frequently commented on my garden and encouraged me to open it to the public. Within a couple of years my garden was accepted onto the National Garden Scheme. This was the impetus for me to extend my gardening knowledge and experience and achieve a formal qualification enabling me to set up Barbara Rubenstein Garden Design.
A few years ago I decided to study for a formal garden design qualification and this was successfully achieved with the Institute of Garden Design. This was a thorough and wide ranging course which covered all aspects of garden design and garden implementation.
Since qualifying I have worked on gardens in and around Surrey and West Sussex as well as further afield in the Toulouse region of France. I specialise in both shrub and herbaceous borders but enjoy the wider remit of complete garden redesign.
My background is in economics and business, graduating from the City University Business School with an MBA. After working in marketing and advertising for 5 years, I made an about turn into the world of art where I felt infinitely more at home, completing a course in English watercolours at Christies in London. I then set up my own art dealing business successfully holding exhibitions in several London galleries, eventually securing a more permanent gallery in Godalming, Surrey. During this time I was also broadcasting with BBC Radio Surrey on a weekly basis, covering the art and antique auctions in Surrey. My extensive knowledge of late 19c paintings has undoubtedly influenced my love of gardens and garden design as the Victorian genre frequently depicted the traditional English garden.
Staying in the arts, I then founded the Field of Dreams Charitable Trust which presented an annual music festival launching young classical and jazz musicians at the beginning of their musical careers. This was held in our gardens and grounds at Smithwood House near Cranleigh. The annual event became a popular date on the social calendar and visitors to the festival frequently commented on my garden and encouraged me to open it to the public. Within a couple of years my garden was accepted onto the National Garden Scheme. This was the impetus for me to extend my gardening knowledge and experience and achieve a formal qualification enabling me to set up Barbara Rubenstein Garden Design.
