I grew up in the 1970s and 80s in deepest Worcestershire and as little kids we were encouraged to grow things at home and at school. Then it was mostly easy to grow nasturtiums, spring onions and radishes in a small veg patch, or cress in an old toilet roll or helping grandad in his greenhouse. Even today, the smell of homegrown tomatoes takes me right back to the hot and stuffy greenhouse with its paving slab floor, marrows snaking along the floor under the tomato plants growing up the twine. And my local grocer will tell you that I still sniff every tomato I buy to check for that homegrown scent - without wiping my nose on the tomato, I hasten to add.

After studying Japanese at university, I spent a wonderful (almost) 30 years in corporate life, 11 years of which were spent in Hong Kong with my husband. I was lucky to have an amazing career, working with incredible people from all around the world, travelling and challenging myself every day.

Then one day, I just knew. My bucket of joy was empty, and I needed to find a way to refill it.

Without a grand plan in mind, I enrolled at the English Gardening School at the Chelsea Physic Garden. It was a brilliant year of study, with exceptional tutors and access to the best practitioners in the industry, as well as on-site visits and practical work. During that year, I gradually figured out what is important to me. While my life is in the city, my heart is in nature, and Studio Caroline Garden Design has been created to bring an enjoyment of the natural world and practicality together in urban gardens.

Throughout my corporate career, I found ways to listen to what people said, but also to hear what they hadn’t said and to fill in the blanks. I learnt how to get folks aligned and how to move things forwards to brilliant outcomes that delighted the clients, even if the eventual destination was not what was initially envisaged. This ability to listen, to advise, to bring people together is at the heart of what we do at Studio Caroline, ensuring we work hand in glove with every client to create a garden that works for them and for nature.