Bespoke gardens for Findon and the villages of the Downs.
Studio Hummingbird designs gardens in Findon, Findon Valley and High Salvington, and in the downland villages around them: Washington, Clapham and Patching. Led by garden designer Victoria Rumens, we create whole gardens that suit the way you live, the character of your home and the South Downs on your doorstep.
This is home ground for us. We have designed several gardens in Findon Valley, and we know how much the chalk, the slopes and the wind off the Downs shape what a garden here can be. Whether you want to change the whole garden or simply do not know where to start, we can take you from the first conversation to the finished garden, with the build carried out by landscapers we know and trust.
Here are two of our gardens close to Findon: a secret garden in Findon Valley, and a sloping garden in Worthing turned into a place for the whole family.
An overgrown garden whose layout had been broken up by an extension and a conservatory. A gravel walk through naturalistic planting now leads to a hidden courtyard, a secret garden within the garden.
See this garden →Uneven ground, a Pittosporum leaning from the sea wind and no shelter. Now there is a fire pit for evenings with the grandchildren, coastal planting that softens the slope and a gentle path to a new garden office.
See this garden →Our back garden in our newish home was absolutely awful: rotten decking, artificial grass, and no plants. Having created a new garden in our last home I had some ideas about what I wanted and what I didn't. Victoria listened to all that and worked with my ideas, but also added lots of her own suggestions that I wouldn't have thought about. She helped and guided every step of the way, from concept design to final planting. The result is a little piece of paradise that has transformed my day-to-day life hugely. I love looking at and being in the space, watching it transform and bloom. None of that would have been possible without Victoria's help. I highly recommend her.
Victoria gave us a garden overview report which was really professional and thorough, we now have the grounding to move forward when we are ready. I think that Victoria is easy to work with and has great ideas, she will make a great project manager.
Reviews from our Google Business Profile.
Findon sits in a fold of the South Downs, under Cissbury Ring, with gardens that often climb the valley sides. The ground and the open downland shape every good design here.
The soil over the chalk is often shallow, flinty and alkaline, and it dries out fast in summer. Lavender, salvias, grasses, scabious and other downland lovers thrive in it, with little watering once they are established.
Many gardens in Findon Valley and High Salvington slope steeply. Terraces and steps in the right places turn a slope into usable rooms, and frame the view of the Downs rather than hiding it.
Higher gardens catch the wind, and deer and rabbits visit from the Downs. We choose tough, wind-tolerant planting and plants they tend to leave alone, and add shelter where you sit.
The South Downs is an International Dark Sky Reserve. Our lighting is soft and low, so evenings in the garden feel magical without spoiling the stars.
From concept to completion, with the build coordinated with trusted local landscapers, so you have one person looking after the whole project.
To-scale drawings, 3D views and planting plans for your own landscaper to build from.
Layered, seasonal planting chosen for chalk, your aspect and how much time you want to spend gardening.
A 90-minute visit to your garden for clear direction and next steps. More about the Clarity Visit
Before anything is built, you see your new garden in 3D and walk through it on screen, so there are no surprises and no costly mistakes. If you want to know what to budget, our garden designer cost guide sets out typical costs, and the full list of services is on our services page.
Studio Hummingbird is based in Worthing and designs gardens across Sussex and into Surrey. We also work in Worthing, Storrington, Arundel, Shoreham-by-Sea, Pulborough, Horsham, Chichester, Brighton, Tangmere and Haslemere.
Tell us about your garden. Book a free discovery call, or send us a message and we will come back to you.
