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I'm Jodi Dickinson and I'm the gardener here at the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden.
Artist Hepworth acquired the garden in St Ives in 1949.
During her time here she transformed the space from a traditional and geometric rose garden, to the more informal and naturalistic space that we have here now.
It became a place for her to work, as well as a home to many of her sculptures.
Today we take great care to maintain the garden as it was towards the end of her lifetime,
but while embracing the natural forces of growth and change within the planting.
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One key tip is to think about height, as this can help you to approach your space in a more dynamic and three-dimensional way.
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In this garden we have great structural diversity, from the perennial and ground cover layer,
to the shrub and bamboo layer, to a collection of magnificent trees.
Interestingly, out of the eight mature trees in the garden Hepworth thoughtfully planted six.
I love the way the tree canopy creates a beautiful dappled light on the planting and sculptures below.
As you move through the garden there is a distinct change in atmosphere, from the rear which has a more woodland type feel,
to the front of the garden which basks in full sun and has a Mediterranean feel.
This mix of structural environments is something that you can play with in your own garden,
to create more interest in the planting and habitat for wildlife even if only on a small scale.
Before she passed away in 1975, Hepworth voiced concerns about the state of our environment and that which we are handing over to future generations.
This has impacted the way we manage the garden now and we feel it's important to focus on sustainability wherever we can.
Self-seeding plants are a great way to develop a more sustainable garden and avoid having to repeatedly go to the garden centre to buy new plants.
Examples that we have in this garden are the native Hellebore, Helleborus foetidus
and a Florist's Cineraria, Pericallis × hybridas.
Plants that self-seed choose themselves where they are located in the garden and this gives the garden a greater internal agency.
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As the populations of these plants grow and develop through the garden it creates more ground cover,
which protects the soil from weathering and drying out.
If you can allow them to die back and die naturally they feed the soil ecology, which then in turn will feed the plants once more.
This increased ground cover means there are less weeds which is great news for us gardeners.
In Cornwall we enjoy a maritime climate and the milder winters allow for a broader range of plants to be grown.
Hepworth took advantage of this and grew plants from places such as New Zealand and the Mediterranean.
When selecting plants for your own garden it is important to consider the local climate, but also the microclimates within your garden.
Good questions to ask are, which areas are exposed to strong and drying winds,
and whether some hedging or coastal species can be used to protect more delicate planting behind.
Also which areas are exposed to full sun, here it is a good idea to plant drought tolerant species to reduce watering requirements.
Silver leafed plants such as lavender and lamb's ear are ideally suited to thrive in these conditions.
In this garden we grow Teucrium fruticans and the Canary Island marguerite,
both of which are very beautiful plants but it is important to provide good drainage for such species.
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Textures are really important in Hepworth's garden, they are integral to the calm and contemplative atmosphere that she so carefully curated.
Textures are defined as the different sizes and shapes of the leaves.
There aren't any plants or flowers that feel too dramatic, instead it is largely about evergreen plants and the subtle contrasts in texture.
But they are really important in creating a vibrant and interesting space all year round.
I hope you've enjoyed those gardening tips and feel inspired to add a little bit of Hepworth Gardens to your own green spaces.
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