Noel Kingsbury has been described as 'the voice of authority with renegade undertones'. A gardener since childhood, he has run a nursery, designed gardens and public spaces and done doctoral research at the University of Sheffield's Department of Landscape. He is best known for his promotion of naturalistic planting design, but is passionate about any kind of innovation in the garden. Noel has written more than 20 books on garden matters, including four with Piet Oudolf. He lives and gardens near Hay-on-Wye. www.noelkingsbury.com Photographer Maayke de Ridder is a former fashion stylist with a strong sense of design and photographer several books in her native Holland.