ART AND NATURE: CONCHI AND DAVID YELLON

This area is full of beautiful views, but the one from ConchiYellon's Woodside Park conservatory takes the breath away. Her garden backs onto a hilly stretch of green belt that looks more like New Forest heathland than suburbia. It is hard to believe you are actually in the Capital.

The Yellons' well-tended garden both blends into and stands out from the surrounding landscape. The strong lines of a blue spruce, pampas grass and an 'almost architectural' euonymus growing through a conifer separate it from the land behind, but the soft lines of variegated shrubs ensure that there is nothing formal or precious about the plot.

What makes the garden different - apart from what must surely be the hot tub with the best view in London - are its owner's sculptures, dotted strategically about. Among others, there's a simple figure of a Madonna-like woman's bust and Infinity, a soothing, looping shape with many possible interpretations, that rests by the pond.

"I decided that these were suitable because they are big enough to stand out in the garden," says Conchi, a former teacher of modern languages who was born in Spain. "I enjoy finding a spot where I think they would look right. The sculptures in a garden have to be organic and the garden has to be big enough to take them. My sculptures are all different but I like soft shapes. I try to end up with something that you want to touch with smooth, soft beautiful lines. Perhaps I like working in the garden so much because I love touching the soil and the feel of the earth: it's a bit like modelling."

Conchi stumbled upon sculpture while taking art classes 15 years ago and was smitten. "It was instant. I knew it was for me. There was a 'wow' moment. I have done all forms, but at the moment I carve and work with plaster and stone.When you model with clay you can put in a lot of detail. But with plaster you mix it and in five minutes it sets. You have so little time that it forces you to create something more stylised. Similarly when carving stone or wood, you have to be more clear about what you want."

Conchi's work sells through various galleries. She did consider training formally and took an art foundation course. "But I could not face starting with education all over again so I have been to courses to learn different techniques. It is not easy to find your style and I am still discovering new ways to work."