An East Hampshire woman is swapping the classroom for the grade outdoors as she’s launching her own garden maintenance company.

Abi Stonehouse hopes her eye for colour and flair for design will help her stand out in the field.

The 50-year-old from Liss is ready to dish the dirt having ditched her previous job in education to launch her new Stonehouse Garden Care job on May 1.

‘I think it’s the right time in my life to start a new venture,” said Abi, who has a BA Honours degree in Fine Art and taught art and design in secondary schools.

“I am loving my complete career change! Each garden has its own beauty and challenges, with different problems and different soils.”

She added: “I also think, to make a more naturalistic garden design, it’s helpful to see the balance and harmony of colours when planning ahead.”

She hopes her design background will help, while she’s always been a green-fingered girl with many blooming wonderful links to the horticultural world.

Abi is a member of the Liss Horticultural Society while her inspirational granddad was a passionate gardener, so it runs in the blood.

She also attended a cottage garden course run by Juliet Sargeant, who in 2016 became the first black woman to exhibit at RHS Chelsea Flower Show with ‘The Modern Slavery Garden’, itself the first campaigning garden.

In 2025 Abi decided to study the RHS Level 2 in Practical Horticulture at Plumpton College in Brighton and began gardening at weekends.

Already she has clients in Liss, Milland, Liphook, East Meon, Rake and South Harting.

Stonehouse Garden Care will provide planting advice, maintenance, mowing and pruning, depending on the client’s wishes. Ring Abi on 07443 469601 or search Stonehouse Garden Care on social media for bookings or more information.