Hi! I’m Sel, and I’m a garden designer based in Brussels, Belgium. I create designs and planting plans based on the twin principles of beauty and sustainability, helping my clients achieve the dream of a gorgeous garden that also supports biodiversity. I cover the Brussels area and the surrounding countryside.

A little background

I got into gardening from a very young age, thanks to my adventurous expat parents who loved nature and wildlife. Growing up in Jordan, I spent every spare moment outdoors, exploring olive groves, collecting wildflowers and trying to identify the local birds with my birdwatching-obsessed father. When we later moved to the idyllic Kent countryside in England, my love of the natural world deepened, in this totally different temperate climate with so many new plants to discover…

From gardener to designer

While gardening was always a big part of my life, it’s when we moved to a Brussels townhouse with a garden in 2017 that my professional journey began. I set about transforming a blank canvas into a romantic cottage garden, and started a blog to document it. My interest grew, and I studied for a Certificate in Horticulture with the UK’s Royal Horticultural Society, which gave me a grounding in plant science and deepened my expertise in plants and growing. I shared my knowledge with others, running a series of gardening and design workshops every year, which I still teach. I then studied for a Diploma in Garden Design with the British Academy of Garden Design, and my design practice was born!

I have designed borders and gardens in Brussels, La Hulpe, Rixensart, Hoielaart, Huldenberg, Overijse and surrounding areas. They range from large country gardens to small urban balconies, and are always designed with my client’s style, taste and preferences in mind, whether that’s a smart and contemporary look, or a romantic cottage garden.

So if you’re looking for some help and inspiration for your garden, contact me and let’s start the conversation: selwacaldebank@gmail.com