Getting to Know: Sean Anthony Pritchard

Sean A. Pritchard is a celebrated garden designer and newly published author of Outside In. Spreading botanical joy and a window into the beauty of his 300-year-old farm labourer's cottage, overflowing with flowers cut from his Somerset garden, 'Outside In' is a joyous source of inspiration for those who enjoy relaxed cottage garden style, no matter your experience level. Visiting us in early June, we were lucky enough to host an evening with Sean, where he explained how to grow, harvest and arrange an abundance of flowers, so that there is something to bring inside throughout the year. With an inspiring ability to pair flowers, books, ceramics and fabrics in a colourful and engaging way throughout the home, we caught up with Sean to delve further and find out more about his creative influences.

Stacks of books are a huge part of styling in your cottage, each well turned pile revealing a thread of your interests. You are obviously a keen reader, can we ask what is on your reading list at the moment?

I do read a fair bit. I read quite a wide range of books, and usually have more than one on the go. Recently I read Michael Peppiatt’s memoir, ‘The Existential Englishman’, of his time since the 1960s as an art critic in Paris, and I thought it was completely wonderful. It’s not only a fascinating insight into the French art world, but a heartfelt portrait of Paris and how it has changed over the past 50 years. Right now, I’m reading ‘The World and All That It Holds’ by Aleksander Hemon – a sweeping love story set in WWI that travels across Europe and Asia. I’m looking forward to reading 'Some Men in London' by Peter Parker that was recently published – a portrait of queer life in London between 1945 and 1959.

You talk of some of the gardening greats in 'Outside In', forming a huge part of your inspiration for how you approach gardening. Gertrude Jekyll and Cedric Morris and their romantic rich planting being key here. Are there any other prominent gardeners with published works and ideas that you would recommend for those looking to explore and learn more about the whimsical world of cottage gardening?

I really enjoyed Isabel Bannerman’s latest book ‘Husbandary’ recently. Isabel’s work is a constant inspiration to me, so it was wonderful to read about her relationship with her husband Julian and their joint pursuit of creating a garden in Somerset.

‘Dear Friend and Gardener’, a book of letters between Beth Chatto and Christopher Lloyd, is, I think, essential reading for anyone interested in gardening. Their exchanges are so lively and insightful, and I find myself dipping back into it all the time.

A garden is a distinctly personal space, how do you capture that sense when designing a garden for a residential project? Are you trying to create a space to reflect the personality of the clients or are they engaging you as they want your sense of style?

I suppose it’s a balance of the two. I think, just naturally, all designers have their own particular way of looking at shapes and spaces and will arrive at a scheme that is very idiosyncratic in its little details. I always like to feel as though a design has my personality in it, but the priority for me is always to try to capture something of the client within it. Ultimately, they will live with the garden and take on the responsibility of caring for it, so it’s important every inch of it works around their life.

Are there any plants you simply would not bring inside?

There are plants in my garden that play key structural or textural roles in the planting schemes, so cutting them for the house would really impact the overall effectiveness of the planting outside. Therefore, I usually leave their flowers and foliage be – it’s things like ferns, heucheras and salvias. Pretty much anything else – certainly all the classic cottage garden flowers like lupins, foxgloves, bearded iris, hollyhocks, delphiniums – are all fair game!

You’re obviously a very creative person. Did you always feel an affinity with plants and gardening? Have you ever considered a career in interior design?

Plants, flowers and gardens are really essential to me. I couldn’t imagine ever living without them. They feed something inside of me – a kind of curiosity. There’s something about creating magic with things that have the ability to constantly surprise you that I think is so special. It’s addictive. To be honest, I have too much fun working with plants and gardens to consider interiors!

The charismatic floral arrangements and vintage vessels you display in your cottage sit beautifully within its historic setting. Would they work in a modern interior or how would you adapt the style?

Whilst I think context is important, to me, it’s always about doing what makes you happy. Mixing things up, looking for a story. There are no rules; if you enjoy old vessels but live somewhere more modern, just go with it. I think, ultimately, it’s about finding your own ‘voice’ and the ways of putting things together that inspires and excites you. You want to look at the things around you and feel energised by it.

If you had to pick one flower that makes your heart sing more than any other, what would it be?

An impossible question to answer, as my response constantly changes depending on what is happening in the garden. But if I had to really pick, I would probably say the humble daffodil. They’re so essential in March when the garden is only just starting to wake up. A burst of magic after a long winter. They’re also pretty much the perfect cut flower to display inside, standing so stately and architectural in a vessel. I have countless varieties in my garden and I’m constantly adding more. ‘Golden Echo’ and ‘Bella Estrella’ are two of my all-time favourites.