HelloInterview: Meet Philip Nixon – Garden Designer in England and Pinterest …

Philip Nixon is a professional garden designer from rural England, just outside of London. He was born and raised in Ireland. Philip works from home but has a “great team of people in [his] office in London.” Some of his most recent garden design work has been as far as New York and Moscow.

“I feel really lucky to be running my own business and doing something that I love.”

When he’s not designing beautiful gardens or on Pinterest, Philip can be found lecturing and teaching, and spending time with his loved ones. Philip’s passion for gardening has earned him over 722K Pinterest followers.

When did you start using Pinterest and what inspired you to make an account?

I stumbled on Pinterest in the very early days when it was really new. I must have been one of the very first users.

Philip and his daughter youngest daughter Emilie

Why do you like Pinterest?

I use images a lot in my design work and Pinterest just seemed like a great way to build up and keep an image library of what was happening in the design world. Then it became addictive so I started using to it look at all sorts of things that interested me or inspired me. I am not a good self-editor so I have too many boards and too many ideas to keep up with myself.

Philip’s garden at home

You have gained over 722K followers! That’s very cool! What makes your Pinterest unique?

I honestly have no idea. I just pin what interests me and it seems to interest other people too. Maybe that’s the key. My Pinterest is honest and made up as it goes along… it has a life of its own.

Are you from London originally? What do you like about it there?

I grew up in Dublin, Ireland and moved to London in my late teens. London is a great city. I have travelled a lot over the years but London is still my favourite city. The people are great. Culturally it is so diverse and everybody gets on with each other.

What are your favorite places you’ve traveled to? When did you go?

I have been to New York so many times I have lost count and after London, it’s my favourite city. I love city life and London and New York are quite similar. London and New York City have a similar vibe to them.

Philip’s Pinterest has a variety of boards with 139

What are your favorite Pinterest boards to pin onto and why?

It changes all of the time. There are some boards I used to pin to all the time and now I don’t at all since I’ve moved on. My current slightly bizarre fascination is with the colour blue! I have no idea why. I now have a board devoted to all things blue.

Your Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air board is really beautiful! We also adore your Garden board. Tell us more about these boards and why you made them.

The “Live in the sunshine…” board is because I do live for sunshine and I grew up by the sea so it’s very important to me. I don’t cope well with rainy days so that board just reminds me that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that summer is coming. The garden board is there because that’s what I do and it’s what I am. I am a gardener! I love gardens and the act of planting and caring for plants. I could not be without it.

A garden Philip designed for a client in London.

What is your Pinterest style?

I am fascinated by how things are designed and made whether that be a garden or a camera, a boat or a skateboard, a painting or a motorbike. If I like the way something looks, if it inspires me and makes me feel good, then that ends up being what drives the style of the boards.

Tell us more about your passion for the beach and any hobbies you’re passionate about.

I love being outside and being by the sea is what I like best. I love to cycle and I love to travel, ideally avoiding planes and all that goes with it. So my dream has always been to get in a car and drive, get on a bike and ride, or get on a boat and sail away. I seem to have a fascination with things that facilitate travel: cars, bikes, boats, and so on.

What are your plans and hopes for the future?

I hope to travel more, cycle more, walk more, buy a sailing boat, draw, write, and create and keep on doing it.

Connect with Philip!

Pinterest – Philip Nixon Design