I’m Afsaneh—though many know me as Caroline—and my love for gardens is influenced by my English and Persian heritage. The structured beauty of the English garden with the informal planting of the cottage garden, alongside the tranquil intimate feel of a Persian courtyard sanctuary, have both shaped my approach to design, blending formality with peaceful, natural spaces.
Nature has always been my sanctuary, and I’ve been fortunate to turn that passion into a career in garden design. While my journey into design started with childhood sketches of family gardens, I spent 15 years in the media and TV industry, leading teams and projects. But my heart always led me back to nature, and after a career break to start a family, I retrained with the British Academy of Garden Design to pursue my passion.
I founded Wellbeing Gardens to combine eco-friendly, sustainable gardening with a focus on mental health and wellbeing. Whether it’s creating lush outdoor retreats, vibrant container gardens for balconies, or thriving indoor plant spaces, my goal is to design environments where plants are the focal point, bringing both beauty and tranquility into people’s lives.
Beyond my design work, I volunteer as a committee member for Cultivating Ealing, where I lead a school gardening competition to inspire teachers and children in developing their school gardening programmes. I also serve as a Community Gardener, mentoring West London residents, students and corporate volunteer teams in conservation projects, transforming urban areas into sustainable green spaces full of lush planting and diverse wildlife habitats, as well as running workshops in up-cycling to create outdoor seating and planters.
With every project, I strive to bring people closer to nature and create spaces that make a positive impact on both the environment and our wellbeing.
Let’s work together to create your perfect outdoor (or indoor) sanctuary.