About thegardenimpressionists - Julian and Fiona Wormald

Julian and Fiona Wormald met and married while still at university - quite unconventional, even back then. Shortly after qualifying we established our own veterinary practice in Bristol, soon opening a second. We also set up a high-end prepared chilled meal service from our home for a few years, complete with off-licence wine options. (We hate being idle, and have lots of ideas, some of which don't work so well!) We ran the original practice for over 20 years although after 11 years had bought a derelict property in West Wales for a new challenge. 12 years after this purchase, we decided to 'jump off the wheel' and sell our practice, relocating to West Wales having gradually restored our longhouse home and begun making a garden and wildflower meadows surrounding it. And after realising that there was more to life than chasing income. We began opening the garden for charity, for the National Garden Scheme in 2010. About 14 years ago we started "The Garden Impressionists" and soon set up our website and blog to record and discuss our current ideas. Our principal gardening influences over the years have included the gardens and writings of William Robinson, Claude Monet, Beth Chatto, Christopher Lloyd, Fergus Garrett, and Noel Kingsbury. Incorporating some of their thoughts and philosophy into our own garden, alongside our own ideas of what is important for this location and climate, has kept us physically and mentally challenged as the garden has developed - and as time has passed, age increasingly influences decision-making.