How a tiny shady garden became Lil & Dot

It was mostly paved. North-facing. Surrounded by conifers taller than the house, which meant it was permanently shady and permanently damp.

Not exactly a dream garden.

But it was ours — the first garden my partner and I had ever had — and we were determined to make it work.

We strung up twinkle lights. I researched what might actually grow in deep shade. Ferns, it turned out. Heuchera. Hellebore. Lavender, against all odds. Slowly, plant by plant, that tiny paved square became something else entirely.

It became our sanctuary.

At the time, I was working full-time in a job that left me exhausted. I was designing surface patterns on the side — something I loved but couldn't give my full energy to. Anxiety had become my constant companion. Burnout wasn't coming; it had already arrived.

The garden became my escape.

Those sketches were the beginning of everything.

Where the designs come from

I started taking my sketchbook into the garden.

Not with any plan — just because sitting outside and drawing felt like the only time my brain went quiet. I drew the ferns unfurling. The hellebores nodding. The texture of leaves in the shade.

When I looked back at those sketches, I realised they were exactly what I wanted in my home. Not generic florals, but these plants. This garden. The peace I'd found there, translated into pattern.

That became the first Lil & Dot collection.

Every piece still starts this way — with something I've noticed, grown, or been calmed by. Hand-illustrated, then handmade in the UK. Designed to bring a little of that garden peace indoors.

Small rituals, carried with you

As the brand grew, I kept thinking about the other small ways I'd found calm during that difficult time.

The candles made complete sense. There's something about lighting a candle that signals a shift — a moment to pause, to slow down, to be present. Each one comes with a little affirmation on the back. A gentle reminder to take a moment to care for yourself.

And the silk bandanas became a favourite of mine. Beautiful, yes — but also functional. A little piece of that calm you can take with you, wherever you go. A reminder that sanctuary doesn't have to stay at home.

What Lil & Dot is really about

I never set out to build a brand. I set out to find peace in a paved garden surrounded by giant conifers, while my anxiety was through the roof and my energy was at rock bottom.

Lil & Dot grew from that search.

Every piece is designed to bring a little more meaning and beauty into your home. To remind you that calm can be found in small things — a flicker of candlelight, a hand-drawn fern on a cushion, a silk scarf tied around your wrist.

If you're drawn to that idea — to creating space for calm in your own life — I think you'll feel at home here.