OUR PHILOSOPHY

Each site possesses a unique character and distinctive sense of place. The most evocative and enduring landscapes are deeply rooted in their setting and designed in response to their physical, cultural and social environment.

Gardens possess a special role as a sanctuary where humans and nature can engage in meaningful ways that enhance daily life. We seek to create beautiful landscapes where there is space for people and wildlife to thrive.

We cultivate an in-depth knowledge of the site and its wider context by peeling back the layers that form the landscape to deliver sensitive, respectful, and innovative design which supports contemporary living.

We spend time getting to know our clients to understand their needs and identify what is important to them. Together we explore the possible, seeking a delightful balance between the aspirational and the pragmatic.

Sustainability is interwoven into our work and guides our decisions from the very early stages of the design process. We recognise that landscape is never static and must have the ability to evolve as life and environment change over time.

OUR PROCESS

The Vision

We treat each project and client as unique, and do not impose a specific in-house style on a garden. Our design inspiration is a creative response to:

  • The site, its distinctive atmosphere, character, heritage and setting

  • The client, their lifestyle and passions

  • Cultural influences

Drawing on these elements, we develop a powerful vision which subtly informs our design decisions to create a garden which celebrates key characteristics which make the site so special.

Artistic Approach

‘Sketching, when used to explore and materialise ideas as well as externalise thoughts, is critical to a designer’s reflective practice.”’

(Schön D. The Reflective Practitioner. How Professionals Think in Action, 1983 (Basic Books, New York))

We take an artistic approach to explore our initial ideas and design concepts by using hand sketching and watercolour to communicate the atmosphere and feel of the garden. Tom composes a unique hand painted colour palette for every project, capturing the ‘colour and tone of the landscape’, its skies, vegetation, and vernacular materials. This palette forms the basis for the selection of garden materials and planting.

Designers and Makers

We celebrate the vernacular and seek to incorporate local and UK sourced materials, crafts, skills and trades into our design. In close collaboration with a select address book of highly skilled UK based designers and makers, we commission bespoke garden structures, furniture, water features and artwork for our projects.

Exquisite Planting

Our beautiful planting schemes are underpinned by our technical expertise in horticulture, soils, microclimate, ecological biodiversity and maintenance. Tom’s extensive knowledge of indigenous plant communities, accumulated during his global explorations, and his on-going experimentation with developing planting schemes resilient to East Anglia’s rapidly changing climate influence our planting schemes. We personally select and procure plants and work with the very best growers in the UK and Europe.  When we cannot source specific plants, we prefer to propagate them ourselves in our nursery.

OUR SERVICES & SPECIALITIES

We provide an extensive range of design and project management services for high-profile private, commercial, and public clients.

We closely collaborate with architects, engineers, planning and heritage consultants, ecologists, arboriculturalists, and lake and water specialists. Our services include liaising with Local Planning Authorities and Statutory Consultees, neighbouring land owners, land agents and conservationists.

We also source highly-skilled head gardeners and garden management staff.

Specialisms

Our specialised set of skills includes:

  • Re-wilding / managed wilding

  • Historic parkland & heritage projects

  • Projects with sensitive ecology & within designated landscapes

  • Site-specific art / land art

  • Paragraph 84 projects: specialists in garden design for new houses built in the open countryside in isolated areas that have been approved by planning where the architectural plans relate to Paragraph 84 within the 2023 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Our Commercial Clients

Our commercial client portfolio is distinguished and we are valued for our discretion. We work with established and niche partners including:

Cambridge University /  Yiangou Architects / Cowper Griffith Architects / Greenfingers Charity /Johnston Cave Associates / Nicholas Jacob Architects / The National Trust / The Woodland Trust / Wincer Kievenaar Architects / Marks Barfield Architects / Havens House Children’s Hospice / Wroxham Builders Ltd / Platform 5 / Wincer Kievenaar Architects / IF_DO