House & Garden's Top 50 garden designers for 2024
Gardens: verdant places where our creativity can run free. Garden designers are getting more and more attention as we look for inspiration and ideas, and of course, for people to design our gardens for us. Selected from a list of highly talented creatives, our Top 50 Garden Designers include established professionals, promising newcomers and practices both large and small – all producing amazing gardens, from traditional country to contemporary urban.
Acres Wild1/50Acres Wild
Sussex-based Debbie Roberts and Ian Smith have designed gardens together since 1998. Both Fellows of the Society of Garden Designers, they are known for low-maintenance schemes, anchored with drifts of perennials and grasses. ‘Our gardens stand the test of time,’ explains Debbie.
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Eva Nemeth2/50Alasdair Cameron
Producing immersive designs with a thoughtful emphasis on seasonality and sustainability, Alasdair works in city locations in addition to rural sites. His signature projects combine sweeping borders of perennials and grasses with a wild-spirited palette of native multi-stems.
Eva Nemeth3/50Alistair W Baldwin
With an office near Ripon in Yorkshire, Alistair heads up a team of five. They design large country estates and gardens, both public and private, in the north of England, in Scotland and beyond. As he explains, ‘The practice places a great emphasis on craftsmanship.’
Rebekah Kennington4/50Andy Sturgeon
Andy is a key figure in the British landscape-design world. He designs high-profile public spaces, such as the recently opened Mediterranean Garden at the National Trust’s Beningbrough Hall in Yorkshire and the award-winning roof gardens at the redeveloped Battersea Power Station. He also creates high-end private gardens throughout the UK and internationally, in locations as diverse as Barbados and Hong Kong. In the private sector, he specialises in timeless, contemporary gardens with slick hard landscaping and highly tuned planting. Andy incorporates sculptural and architectural elements.
5/50Angel Collins
Symmetry and structure are combined with fine, romantic planting in Angel’s designs. She works mainly on historic country houses (such as Bruern Abbey, featured in House & Garden in September 2020), which she approaches with a contemporary eye, with eas
Rachel Warne©6/50Ann-Marie Powell
One of the most positive, lively figures in the design world, Ann-Marie heads up a small female team creating gardens full of bold contrasts. ‘Our design philosophy is rooted in sustainability, and we believe in forging a deep connection with the natural world for clients,’ she says. She is designing the Octavia Hill Garden at Chelsea this year, honouring the National Trust founder who believed green spaces were vital for all.
Charlie Hopkins7/50Arne Maynard
With a reputation for work on expansive private estates, Arne is currently busy with projects as geographically and stylist-ically diverse as a semi-arid Mexican garden and a historic garden in Upstate New York. A beautiful private garden in Tuscany that he designed is featured in this issue.
8/50Balston Agius
balstonagius.co.uk Now under the energetic lead-ership of Marie-Louise Agius, Balston Agius is a sought-after design studio with more than 40 years of experience in land-scape design. The practice is known for its high-end, bespoke designs for private gardens and estates, as well as public spaces.
9/50Bunny Guinness
A long-time member of BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time panel, Bunny has been designing gardens for nearly 50 years. She has a successful YouTube channel, and earlier this year launched a podcast in which she interviews well-known personalities who are also keen gardeners.
Una Burnand10/50Butter Wakefield
With a background in interior design at Colefax and Fowler, and over 15 years’ experience of creating highly ornamental gardens, Butter deliberately keeps her studio very small, in order to offer all her clients a uniquely personal service.
Jason Ingram11/50Charlotte Rowe, new entry
Since 2004, Charlotte has designed some 300 gardens. ‘The key has to be good bone structure,’ she explains. Soft abundance is her trademark, as well as planting for drought tolerance and sustainability.
JOHN CAMPBELL12/50Chris Beardshaw
Chris has worked in the horticulture industry for more than 35 years, and won 15 Chelsea gold medals. Inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, he creates formally structured outdoor spaces that are filled with a rich palette of plants that blend with the landscape.
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Rebekah Kennington13/50Cleve West
Cleve believes in designing gardens that have as little impact on the environment as possible. Working in the UK only, he connects with clients who want to manage their gardens in a sustainable way, creating biodiverse spaces in which wildlife can flourish.
Mike Hodgson14/50Colm Joseph Gardens, new entry
Having graduated from the London College of Garden Design in 2018, Colm Joseph is already making a mark. One of his East Anglian gardens – a stylish space echoing a modern house – was featured in House & Garden’s August 2023 issue.
Ngoc Minh Ngo15/50Dan Pearson
Approaching each project with an emotional sensitivity to place and to the people who occupy it, Dan Pearson OBE creates naturalistic planting schemes that are bold but painterly. Current projects include a garden at Maggie’s Bristol and private spaces in the UK, Italy and the US.
darrenhawkeslandscapes.co.uk16/50Darren Hawkes Landscapes
Based in Cornwall, Darren Hawkes designs gardens and landscapes across the UK, but particularly in the south west, where he is working on several coastal gardens. ‘Our designs are heavily influenced by the natural topography,' he says.
17/50Del Buono Gazerwitz
Working from offices located in both London and Florence, Tommaso del Buono and Paul Gazerwitz produce elegant gardens with clean lines that are softened by rich planting. Current projects range from London and Kent to Greece.
Elzbieta Sosnowski18/50Elks-Smith Garden Design, new entry
Based in the New Forest, Helen Elks-Smith takes on a limited number of private gardens each year in order to give them the time they deserve. Central to her ethos is the belief gardens should be both functional and beautiful – and her schemes combine subtle landscaping with textural planting.
19/50Emily Erlam
Emily Erlam runs a thriving design studio in London, specialising in plant-led gardens using local or recycled materials. ‘We aim to plant more and build less,’ she says. ‘We use plants to tell stories of
a place and connect people with nature.’ Designing with longevity in mind, Emily’s ethos is to avoid fashionable or temporary materials that will not weather well, to reuse resources from each site, and to enhance ecological conditions and biodiversity. Among her current projects is a courtyard and roof terrace for a Grade I-listed Robert Adam house in central London. She is also working on a garden in Hampstead, with a new swimming pond and carved furniture made from trees felled on the site.
20/50Harris Bugg Studio
Bringing together specialist artisans, local materials and rich planting tailored to each space, Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg work on a wide-ranging portfolio of projects in the UK and Europe. They won Best in Show at Chelsea for a Horatio’s Garden last year.
21/50I&J Bannerman
House & Garden’s 2023 Garden Designers of the Year, Isabel and Julian Bannerman run a small practice based at their home in Somerset, conjuring up flamboyant and theatrical spaces. Though well rooted in classical forms, their designs play with planting palettes in order to stimulate the senses.
22/50James Alexander-Sinclair
An influential presence in horticulture, James is an RHS vice president and a Chelsea Flower Show judge. He designs private gardens in the UK and abroad and current projects include an eight-acre garden for Norwich’s Priscilla Bacon Hospice.
23/50Jane Brockbank
While she has a reputation for nature-led urban gardens, in recent years Jane has also worked in rural locations from Cornwall to Scotland, where she has focused on enriching the ecology of each site.
24/50Jinny Blom
For almost 30 years, Jinny has created gardens all over the world, with an emphasis on conservation as well as the therapeutic power of plants. Last year, as well as juggling multiple design projects, she published her second book, What Makes a Garden*, and she is launching a range of outdoor paints with Mylands.
25/50Joe Swift
As design director of Modular, Joe Swift offers a complete design-and-build service throughout the UK. ‘We take on entire projects from the initial concept to the artistry of planting. Celebrating every season is the key to making a year-round immersive space for our clients,’ he explains.
Britt Willoughby26/50John Davies Landscape, new entry
John Davies’ dynamic studio has a reputation for producing contemporary, architectural gardens with creative planting at their heart. A listed cottage in Essex, an innovative roof terrace in Bristol and a wood-land landscape in Barbican, EC2, are recent projects.
Mimi Connolly27/50Jonathan Snow Design, new entry
A graduate of the Inchbald School of Design, Jonathan worked with Arne Maynard before setting out on his own. Three award-winning Chelsea gardens raised his profile and he now designs accomplished spaces that combine classical and modern elements.
Eva Nemeth28/50Jo Thompson
Frequently using artworks and sculpture to bring spaces to life, Jo creates gardens that combine architectural excellence with romantic planting. Current projects include the regeneration of the walled gardens at Water Lane in Kent and a rooftop garden in Rome.
Andrew Montgomery29/50Luciano Giubbilei
Luciano’s gardens are based on the time-honoured traditions of proportion and balance. In his projects, he seeks to forge a strong emotional connection between people and place, and culture and nature. His re-design of the Walled Garden at Raby Castle, in County Durham, opened recently.
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Mimi Connolly30/50Marcus Barnett
Based in Hammersmith and Hampshire, Marcus and his team of 12 create meticulously designed spaces in the UK and abroad. Projects range from private London gardens to hotels and vineyards. ‘Our designs offer an environment of wild imagination,’ he says.
Jason Ingram31/50Marian Boswall
Creating thoughtful schemes that are as beautiful as they are sustainable, Marian focuses on regenerative design. ‘I am interested in beauty that goes more than just skin deep,’ she explains. ‘My designs start with the soil and the setting.’
matthewchildsdesign.co.uk32/50Matthew Childs
Combining imaginative hard landscaping and naturalistic plants, Matthew Childs makes bold gardens. After a Chelsea debut a decade ago, he is back this year with a design for the Terrence Higgins Trust.
Marianne Majerus33/50Matt Keightley
With a client list that currently includes a private equestrian facility and several Michelin-starred restaurants, as well as residential properties ranging in scale from a 20-acre estate to an urban courtyard, Matt Keightley creates sleek, con-temporary garden designs. These are then executed to an exceptionally high standard by his landscaping team.
34/50Matthew Wilson Gardens
The designer and plantsman is a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time. Matthew’s gardens are plant-led, beautifully built and designed to be enjoyed. They range from zero-irrigation gravel gardens and exotic courtyards, to large estates.
35/50Mazzullo + Russell
Emma Mazzullo and Libby Russell create gardens with sustainability and manage-able maintenance at their core. Recent projects have included the restoration of a historic garden in Somerset and a Hampshire newbuild.
36/50McWilliam Studio
Working across the south east of England and internationally, Gavin McWilliam and his team produce contemporary gardens with detailed construction and creative planting. Recent projects include a five-acre landscape in Hampshire and a family garden in London.
37/50Pip Morrison
Pip Morrison has a particular interest in historic gardens and in the settings of listed buildings, ranging from small urban plots to large master plans for rural estates. His newly designed garden around Auckland Castle, in County Durham, will be opening to the public this year.
38/50Robert Myers Associates
‘I use my love of architecture and plants to create calm spaces that enhance biodiversity,’ says Robert Myers. His Worcestershire studio works with architects and interior designers on diverse projects across the country. ‘An increasing amount of our work is on rooftops, creating gardens that facilitate entertaining and work.’ For Chelsea this year, he is designing a garden that will highlight the importance of restorative green spaces in the city, and will be relocated to St James's Church in Piccadilly, W1, after the show.
Eva Nemeth39/50Sarah Eberle
Having won more Chelsea gold medals than any other garden designer, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Garden Designers, and recognition as an RHS Iconic Horticultural Hero, Sarah has an exceptional track record. Projects include public and private spaces worldwide.
40/50Sarah Price Landscapes
At Chelsea last year, Sarah Price created an eye-catching garden inspired by the work of artist Cedric Morris, which demonstrated her own painterly aesthetic. She brings the same skill to her private commissions, currently including several historic properties.
Alister Thorpe41/50Sheila Jack, new entry
Former magazine art director Sheila brings a cultivated eye to all her work. ‘I deliver highly considered and beautifully crafted gardens, with a real emphasis on sustainability,’ she says. With many of her projects in London, she sets out to create stylish, plant-filled spaces for city living, but she is equally at home designing for the country.
alister thorpe42/50Stefano Marinaz
With offices in London and in Utrecht, Stefano combines strong structure with sensitive hardscaping and rich planting. His family are nursery people, and he grew up with a love of plants that underlies his work.
Eva Nemeth43/50Studio Cullis, new entry
George Cullis is a landscape architect working mostly in the south of England, where he creates calm spaces on a range of scales. He is experienced at working in conservation areas and is currently developing several city gardens attached to listed properties, in addition to a four-acre project in Wiltshire.
44/50Thomas Hoblyn
Plant-led designer Tom collab-orates with conservationists, ecologists and craftspeople to create spaces that enrich his clients’ lives. His current work includes restoring a Suffolk walled garden, rewilding land-scapes in East Anglia and a 10-year project at Wormington Grange in the Cotswolds.
45/50Tim Rees
Tim was at the vanguard of the new perennial planting movement in the 1990s and went on to work in the Mediterranean. These two influences give a unique character to all of his designs. His studio includes a multidisciplinary team that works on conservation and planning, as well as garden projects in the UK and abroad.
Wax London46/50Tom Massey
Rapidly rising star Tom has produced thought-provoking show gardens and nurturing outdoor spaces for private and commercial clients, in the UK and as far afield as Korea. His work is underpinned by an ecological impulse to create spaces that support wildlife and promote biodiversity.
Andrea Jones47/50Tom Stuart-Smith
Alongside his team of 19 land-scape architects and designers and one overseas consultant, Tom works on projects in the UK and further afield. From small private gardens to large public parks, his landscapes are rich and multi-layered, and blend a romantic naturalism with clean modernity.
48/50Todd Longstaffe-Gowan
With advisory roles at The Crown Estate and at Historic Royal Palaces, Todd works on traditional properties, but also enjoys such eccentric collaborations as his recent design for the sculpture garden of a gallery on Cork Street, W1.
Rachel Warne49/50Ula Maria Studio
Based in London, Lithuanian Ula Maria creates gentle, nature-led gardens – often in urban settings – aiming to connect each client to the natural world by evoking formative memories about landscape and plants. The winner of the 2017 RHS Young Designer award, this year Ula is designing the Muscular Dystrophy UK Forest Bathing Garden – her first at Chelsea – featuring over 40 trees and woodland planting.
50/50Urquhart & Hunt
Lulu Urquhart and Adam Hunt rose to prominence in 2022 with their Best in Show Rewilding Britain garden at Chelsea. ‘It helped to encourage an important conversation in our studio about our connection to nature, and this has brought us into contact with some inspiring people, clients and associates,’ says Adam. They describe their style as naturalistic and romantic, with emphasis on sustainable plant associations and local, natural materials. Their projects range from ecological conservation on large estates to smaller, residential gardens, always with a bespoke approach.
