Earthly Delights
Garden Design by Char Barnes
Gardens with a Life of Their Own
A garden should be more than something beautiful to look at. It should draw you outside, invite you to wander, and give you reasons to return. It should surprise you, change with the seasons, and become a place you love spending time.
I design gardens that are abundant, individual, and deeply connected to their surroundings. Some are quiet and contemplative; others are exuberant and full of color. All are designed with an understanding of how plants grow, how spaces work, and how people experience them.
A Garden Should Feel Like Somewhere You Want to Be
I love gardens that reveal themselves gradually. A path that curves out of sight. An unexpected combination of flowers. A place to sit that's just far enough away from the house.
These are the things that make a garden personal.
Good garden design is about much more than choosing plants. It's about creating a sense of place—finding the right balance between structure and spontaneity, beauty and practicality, intention and surprise.
Beauty with an Understanding of Nature
Plants aren't static decorations. They grow, compete, spread, retreat, and respond to their surroundings.
Understanding those relationships allows me to create gardens that are richly layered and full of seasonal interest, without constantly fighting the conditions in which they grow.
I call this Resource-Based Design: using an understanding of plants and their environments to make gardens that are both beautiful and resilient.
A Garden for the Neighborhood
My own garden in Old Greenwich recently received a beautification award from Greenwich Green & Clean.
Much of the garden faces the street. I wanted it to be something that people passing by could enjoy, as well as a garden for my family.
I think there's something especially satisfying about a garden that contributes to the beauty and character of its neighborhood.
Let's Make Something Wonderful
Whether you're starting with an empty landscape, rethinking an established garden, or trying to make something beautiful out of a difficult space, I'd love to help you discover what's possible.
Explore My Gardens · About Char · Get in Touch
Photos:
Me in garden
Street view of my garden
The irresistible garden view (LC)
an exhuberant planting
Hand drawn design
Seating area
Quotes and Testimonials — Website Planning Notes
Include short, personal quotes throughout the website that describe how a garden makes someone feel, rather than simply how it looks.
Focus on pleasure, surprise, tranquility, beauty, seasonal change, and the experience of spending time in the garden.
Ask clients what they love most about their gardens, how they use them, and whether the gardens have changed how they experience their homes.
Include comments from neighbors and passersby about the award-winning Old Greenwich garden, particularly how it contributes to the neighborhood.
Edit quotes for brevity, clarity, and emotional impact, while preserving the speaker's meaning. Obtain permission before publishing attributed testimonials.
Use a mixture of client testimonials and short, evocative statements about garden design.
Pair quotes with photographs that illustrate the feeling being described.
Keep quotes conversational, specific, and natural. Avoid generic praise such as "Char did an amazing job."
Possible Themes and Sample Lines
Discovery: "There's always something new to discover."
Enjoyment: "I find myself spending so much more time outside."
Seasonal interest: "Just when I think the garden is finished for the season, something else begins."
Sense of place: "The garden feels like it has always belonged here."
Surprise: "I never imagined this space could become something so beautiful."
Neighborhood: "It's a pleasure to walk past this garden every day."
Personal connection: "It feels like our garden, not something designed for someone else."
Invitation: "The best gardens make you want to stay a little longer."
These are examples of the tone and subject matter to seek, not attributed testimonials.