Mike & Carole Williams, Wiltshire
Carole and I have known Lizzie Wynn for
over a year now, we find her ability to design and implement
gardening projects has been incredibly helpful.
Last year our daughter was married, we
held the reception in the garden, many of our friends thought we were
insane but Lizzie’s determination to remodel various parts of the
garden, work hard to implement the plan and then return to maintain
the changes has been very impressive! Our guests marvelled at the
garden and its appearance!
What we like about Lizzie is her sense
of design, plant knowledge and communication skills which makes
having her around a great pleasure. Unlike many gardeners she
actually comes prepared to work and discuss options with us before
getting the chainsaw or strimmer out to ‘hack’ everything about!
We have no hesitation in recommending
her to others who enjoy their gardens and want to make the most out
of them!
Claire Llewellyn, Hertford
I
first met Lizzie Wynn in 2006 when my husband and I rented her house
in Torvizcon, a small village in Andalusia. The house was an
interesting blend: a traditional Alpujarran townhouse but with some
interesting internal features. We were impressed to discover that
Lizzie had done the internal repairs and alterations herself. We
particularly liked the bathroom, which she had designed and built
herself, using locally sourced materials in a sophisticated way. It
was a small house with the ‘cave-like’ design typical of the
area, and yet she had made it seem large and airy.
Because
of this experience of her work, we later employed Lizzie as project
manager on the reconstruction of a dilapidated house we bought in
Notaez, a nearby village. Her responsibilities were as follows:
While
working on the project, Lizzie had not only to translate her ideas
into Spanish but also tutor the workmen in techniques they had not
previously encountered – for example, building a pair of “barley
twist” columns. Local chimneys have a tendency to ‘smoke’:
Lizzie researched the problem and designed a chimney/fire for us that
draws well and never smokes. She also designed a shower floor, using
pebbles from the nearby river, and a roof terrace, using local tiles
and terracotta urns. She created a sunshade using dried canes bound
together in an effective way. Her sensitivity and commitment to
locally-sourced renewable materials was impressive.
The
range of her experience and skills has been hugely widened by the
building of her own cortijo
(small
farmhouse). In the past six years, aided by travelling volunteers,
she has constructed a sound, attractive dwelling from straw bales,
old tyres, bottles and cans as well as wooden beams, canes and local
stone. With limited funds it has not been easy but Lizzie’s vision
is only matched by her determination. From time to time, she holds
workshops to pass on her skills to interested women.
Claire Llewellyn, Hertford
I
first met Lizzie Wynn in 2006 when my husband and I rented her house
in Torvizcon, a small village in Andalusia. The house was an
interesting blend: a traditional Alpujarran townhouse but with some
interesting internal features. We were impressed to discover that
Lizzie had done the internal repairs and alterations herself. We
particularly liked the bathroom, which she had designed and built
herself, using locally sourced materials in a sophisticated way. It
was a small house with the ‘cave-like’ design typical of the
area, and yet she had made it seem large and airy.Because
of this experience of her work, we later employed Lizzie as project
manager on the reconstruction of a dilapidated house we bought in
Notaez, a nearby village. Her responsibilities were as follows:
to
inject interesting design ideas to the rather basic architectural
plans;
liaise
with the Spanish-speaking builders;
source
materials;
oversee
the work.
We
were living in England during the project but were happy to entrust
her with the task. Our trust was repaid many times over in terms of
the ideas, efficiency and negotiating skills she employed on our
behalf. The result, we think, is a striking blend of the traditional
and the contemporary.
While
working on the project, Lizzie had not only to translate her ideas
into Spanish but also tutor the workmen in techniques they had not
previously encountered – for example, building a pair of “barley
twist” columns. Local chimneys have a tendency to ‘smoke’:
Lizzie researched the problem and designed a chimney/fire for us that
draws well and never smokes. She also designed a shower floor, using
pebbles from the nearby river, and a roof terrace, using local tiles
and terracotta urns. She created a sunshade using dried canes bound
together in an effective way. Her sensitivity and commitment to
locally-sourced renewable materials was impressive.The
range of her experience and skills has been hugely widened by the
building of her own cortijo
(small
farmhouse). In the past six years, aided by travelling volunteers,
she has constructed a sound, attractive dwelling from straw bales,
old tyres, bottles and cans as well as wooden beams, canes and local
stone. With limited funds it has not been easy but Lizzie’s vision
is only matched by her determination. From time to time, she holds
workshops to pass on her skills to interested women.
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