About
Routinely listed as one of the UK's top garden designers, Andy’s timeless, highly sculptural gardens often draw on historic references and local vernacular materials to achieve a refined sense of place.Although well known as the three-time Best in Show winner at the Chelsea Flower Show, he is actually far happier collaborating with a client on a ‘real’ garden that will endure and evolve. Projects range from rural gardens and estates to iconic landscapes including the award-winning roof gardens at Battersea Power Station with international work stretching from Europe to the USA, Asia and beyond.Andy is as much a plant enthusiast as a designer and has a deep horticultural knowledge and environmental sensibility which underpins all his work. His gardens are known for their innovative, forward-looking planting, often based on natural plant communities and always embracing the wider landscape and the ecological potential. Influenced by extensive travel and study, Andy has embraced climate-resilient planting with a focus on reduced maintenance, an aesthetic that complements the architectural aspect of many of his projects. Andy often deals with complicated planning scenarios, including Listed and Historic Buildings and working within AONB’s and National Parks.He is proud of not being a signature designer and has intentionally shied away from imposing a rigid stylistic formula on his work, which is why his projects never quite look or feel the same, allowing him to be as comfortable designing a garden for a Historic National Trust Property as he is working alongside award-winning contemporary architecture. His landscapes are a result of his ability to listen, thus making them a true reflection of his clients’ personalities and values.What services do you provide?“A comprehensive design service collaborating with elite artisans and landscapers.”How would you describe your style?“My modern designs are a fusion of traditional materials and contemporary styling that have become known for their timeless architectural qualities, innovative planting and sculptural characteristics. I don’t have a signature design, but listen carefully to each client and make gardens that are right for people and place.”Please describe a recently completed project or tell us about the bespoke service that you offer"I recently designed a contemporary Mediterranean garden for a Modernist home close to the sea on the Isle of Wight.The site, with a vertiginous north-facing slope, was a place for goats, not people. Inaccessible and unusable, the house sat at one end of the plot with a steep, isolated grass bank at the other. This lawned ‘desert’ lacked interest and biodiversity and was nothing more than an empty space amongst the neighbouring buildings, and was completely exposed to the weather, to neighbours and to passersby. The adjacent grade II listed church loomed over the garden and was such a powerful presence that it completely dominated the place.I wanted to make a garden with atmosphere and character that embraces you and welcomes you back when you return home. Now winding paths lead down and across the slopes to a new entrance in the bottom corner. Gently curved retaining walls, like scattered petals, create level seating areas, opportunities for lighting, shelter and shade and provide a backdrop to the richly textured architectural planting. Steps were kept to a minimum by working with the slope and winding paths encourage movement and exploration. A series of water chutes and rocky pools flow down the slope and bring the garden to life.The planting has created clear vistas to the sea while partially obscuring neighbouring buildings, including the church, by balancing its vast bulk with the canopies of new trees. We blurred the garden boundaries to unite the house and garden with the wider setting and knitted it into its site. The mass of planting introduced a heart and soul to the garden, an intimacy and an enhanced level of privacy.I used Portuguese limestone with hand-fettled step edges to bring a crisp, contemporary yet natural quality. The same material was used for stone seats and more rustic steps. Glacial boulders were brought in for the water features and to retain some of the steeper planting beds without the need for walls. Concrete retaining walls were poured in layers to give the appearance of rammed earth and different mixes of aggregates created contrasting colours.The Mediterranean planting relies heavily on structure, texture and evergreens to ensure the garden remained beautiful even in the depths of winter. Bulbs, perennials and grasses bring colour throughout the year and there is something to catch the eye at every turn."
