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Landscape
& Garden Design

About

Great gardens should be both beautiful and functional and we have the creative flair and expertise, coupled with extensive horticultural knowledge to ensure your space will work for you. We provide a comprehensive garden design service and can manage your project from the initial design stages right through to completion. We are also experienced at working as part of a multi-disciplinary team and we have a network of industry experts, such as lighting designers, water specialists and engineers, that we can call on as the project requires. We are the recipients of multiple garden design awards from the leading garden design authority in the UK, The Society of Garden and Landscape Designers. Winner Small Residential Garden 2017, Winner Medium Residential Garden 2019, Winner Large Residential Garden 2020.

From our multi-award winning garden design studio based in the New Forest in Hampshire, we design gardens for private clients across the South Coast, the Home Counties and London. We also work with architects and property developers designing residential, public and commercial projects.

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elkssmith

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Award-winning practice led by Helen Elks-Smith, creating beautiful gardens. Speaker, writer & SGLD Fellow. ‘Your Garden Made Perfect’ designer.

A little reminder for this weekend…now is the time to order your spring bulbs!

Planting bulbs in autumn gives them time to establish their roots before winter, ready to emerge next spring when we need them most.

Daffodils and tulips will bring colour and energy to the garden but you can also try alliums, fritillaries, narcissus, camassia and smaller bulbs such as crocus and scilla for a succession of colour and interest.

I like to think about bulbs as part of the garden’s planting design rather than an afterthought. Plant them generously through borders, beneath deciduous trees and in grass, so that spring flowers feel woven into the landscape rather than dotted around it.

And don’t leave it too late - the best choice of varieties can disappear quickly!

#weekendjobs #springbulbs #gardendesign #gardentips

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 17908069632485152
A little reminder for this weekend…now is the time to order your spring bulbs! Planting bulbs in autumn gives them time to establish their roots before winter, ready to emerge next spring when we need them most. Daffodils and tulips will bring colour and energy to the garden but you can also try alliums, fritillaries, narcissus, camassia and smaller bulbs such as crocus and scilla for a succession of colour and interest. I like to think about bulbs as part of the garden’s planting design rather than an afterthought. Plant them generously through borders, beneath deciduous trees and in grass, so that spring flowers feel woven into the landscape rather than dotted around it. And don’t leave it too late - the best choice of varieties can disappear quickly! #weekendjobs #springbulbs #gardendesign #gardentips

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If you`re heading to Grand Designs Live next weekend I`ll be in the Home & Garden Theatre talking about something that can test even the most confident garden designer: steep slopes and awkward levels!

I`ll be looking at how these tricky garden challenges can become opportunities – creating beautiful and genuinely usable spaces through retaining walls, graded banks, steps, raised beds and terraces.

Get it right and a challenging slope can actually give you more usable space, as well as creating a much more interesting journey through the garden.

I’d love to see you there!

Saturday 3 October
Grand Designs Live, NEC Birmingham
Talk starts at 1.45pm

#GrandDesignsLive #GardenDesign #GardenDesigner #LandscapeDesign #GardenInspiration #GardenDesignIdeas #SlopingGarden #GardenPlanning

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 18094554116538278
If you're heading to Grand Designs Live next weekend I'll be in the Home & Garden Theatre talking about something that can test even the most confident garden designer: steep slopes and awkward levels! I'll be looking at how these tricky garden challenges can become opportunities – creating beautiful and genuinely usable spaces through retaining walls, graded banks, steps, raised beds and terraces. Get it right and a challenging slope can actually give you more usable space, as well as creating a much more interesting journey through the garden. I’d love to see you there! Saturday 3 October Grand Designs Live, NEC Birmingham Talk starts at 1.45pm #GrandDesignsLive #GardenDesign #GardenDesigner #LandscapeDesign #GardenInspiration #GardenDesignIdeas #SlopingGarden #GardenPlanning

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Looking forward to heading to the @sergehillproject symposium this week to explore how we can work with drought and rethink planting for a changing climate.

As our summers become hotter and drier, understanding how we select, grow and combine plants to create beautiful, resilient gardens is becoming increasingly important.

I’m particularly looking forward to exploring @tomstuartsmith`s Plant Library, hearing from some fascinating designers, horticulturists and researchers, and sharing ideas about how we can create gardens that are both beautiful and more resilient.

Two days of plants, ideas and plenty to think about.

#WorkingWithDrought #PlantingForChangingClimates #ClimateResilientGardens #PlantingDesign #GardenDesign #Horticulture #SergeHillProject

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 18136281805714775
Looking forward to heading to the @sergehillproject symposium this week to explore how we can work with drought and rethink planting for a changing climate. As our summers become hotter and drier, understanding how we select, grow and combine plants to create beautiful, resilient gardens is becoming increasingly important. I’m particularly looking forward to exploring @tomstuartsmith's Plant Library, hearing from some fascinating designers, horticulturists and researchers, and sharing ideas about how we can create gardens that are both beautiful and more resilient. Two days of plants, ideas and plenty to think about. #WorkingWithDrought #PlantingForChangingClimates #ClimateResilientGardens #PlantingDesign #GardenDesign #Horticulture #SergeHillProject

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Repetition can bring a sense of calm and structure to a planting scheme. We chose clipped evergreen forms, repeated alongside the house, to create a gentle rhythm that leads the eye inwards in this garden in the New Forest.

Adding softer, more naturalistic planting adds contrast and allows the planting to sit together comfortably.

Photo @stephenstuddphotography

#GardenDesign #PlantingDesign #SideGarden #ProfessionalGardenDesigner #GardenInspiration

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 18008551019971882
Repetition can bring a sense of calm and structure to a planting scheme. We chose clipped evergreen forms, repeated alongside the house, to create a gentle rhythm that leads the eye inwards in this garden in the New Forest. Adding softer, more naturalistic planting adds contrast and allows the planting to sit together comfortably. Photo @stephenstuddphotography #GardenDesign #PlantingDesign #SideGarden #ProfessionalGardenDesigner #GardenInspiration

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I love designing gardens not just ​for the height of summer, but ​for the beauty that comes as the season changes.

Here, ​the burgundy seed heads​ of Sanguisorba catch the light against the soft golds, russets and oranges of the garden beyond.

Beautifully captured by @stephenstuddphotography

#autumncolour #Sanguisorba #autumngarden

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 18130548097674049
I love designing gardens not just ​for the height of summer, but ​for the beauty that comes as the season changes. Here, ​the burgundy seed heads​ of Sanguisorba catch the light against the soft golds, russets and oranges of the garden beyond. Beautifully captured by @stephenstuddphotography #autumncolour #Sanguisorba #autumngarden

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There’s a quiet richness to autumn, when foliage, flowers and seedheads overlap, creating layers of colour and texture that change with the light.

A few of our favourites:

Persicaria ‘Amethyst’ - one we turn to again and again.

Amsonia + Prunus serrula - a beautiful pairing, with tones that echo one another as the autumn light softens.

Aster ‘Twilight’ + Aster ‘Purple Dome’ -carrying the season with months of bloom, while their seed heads catch the low autumn light.

Trifoliatum - delicate flowers, great foliage and soft autumn colour.

Passiflora ‘Lavender Lady’ - for one final splash of colour

#AutumnGarden #AutumnColour #GardenDesign #PlantingDesign #GardenInspiration #AutumnPlanting

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 17984334939113219
There’s a quiet richness to autumn, when foliage, flowers and seedheads overlap, creating layers of colour and texture that change with the light. A few of our favourites: Persicaria ‘Amethyst’ - one we turn to again and again. Amsonia + Prunus serrula - a beautiful pairing, with tones that echo one another as the autumn light softens. Aster ‘Twilight’ + Aster ‘Purple Dome’ -carrying the season with months of bloom, while their seed heads catch the low autumn light. Trifoliatum - delicate flowers, great foliage and soft autumn colour. Passiflora ‘Lavender Lady’ - for one final splash of colour #AutumnGarden #AutumnColour #GardenDesign #PlantingDesign #GardenInspiration #AutumnPlanting

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What if we stopped trying to make our gardens look tidy?

September is often the point when the secateurs come out and we start cutting everything back. But I think there is value in resisting that instinct.

A garden is not a static picture. It is a living system, and the plants that have finished flowering are still doing useful work.

Seedheads provide food. Stems provide shelter. Fallen leaves protect the soil and eventually return nutrients to it. Grasses catch the light and movement of the changing season. What we might see as untidiness can actually be evidence of a garden functioning well.

This is something I think about a lot when designing gardens. We need to design for the whole year, not just the moment when everything is flowering. And we need to allow space for natural processes to happen rather than designing them out through constant cutting, clearing and maintenance.

That doesn`t mean abandoning maintenance or allowing a garden to become overgrown. It means being more selective about what we remove, and understanding the value of leaving things in place.

So this autumn, before clearing a border, ask yourself: does this really need cutting back - or am I simply making it look tidy for my own benefit?

Photo by @stephenstuddphotography

#autumngarden #seasonalgarden #autumncolour #yearroundgarden #gardendesign #gardendesigner

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 18440949496131152
What if we stopped trying to make our gardens look tidy? September is often the point when the secateurs come out and we start cutting everything back. But I think there is value in resisting that instinct. A garden is not a static picture. It is a living system, and the plants that have finished flowering are still doing useful work. Seedheads provide food. Stems provide shelter. Fallen leaves protect the soil and eventually return nutrients to it. Grasses catch the light and movement of the changing season. What we might see as untidiness can actually be evidence of a garden functioning well. This is something I think about a lot when designing gardens. We need to design for the whole year, not just the moment when everything is flowering. And we need to allow space for natural processes to happen rather than designing them out through constant cutting, clearing and maintenance. That doesn't mean abandoning maintenance or allowing a garden to become overgrown. It means being more selective about what we remove, and understanding the value of leaving things in place. So this autumn, before clearing a border, ask yourself: does this really need cutting back - or am I simply making it look tidy for my own benefit? Photo by @stephenstuddphotography #autumngarden #seasonalgarden #autumncolour #yearroundgarden #gardendesign #gardendesigner

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Designing different ‘rooms’ within a garden means you can follow the sun throughout the day - from a coffee spot catching the morning rays, to a shady afternoon retreat or a cosy corner for evening drinks. 

In our new Forest Garden, we used hedges of hornbeam, yew and beech to create sheltering divisions, forming a series of connected outdoor rooms where the owners can spill out into the garden with family and friends.

Here, an intimate seating area with a firepit and outdoor kitchen provides the perfect spot for sociable afternoons and catching the evening rays after tennis.  Framed by pink Japanese anemones and deep planting beds that make the planting feel enveloping, it offers a sense of intimacy and enclosure while remaining connected to the wider garden.

#newforestgarden #outdoorrooms #sunterrace #diningalfresco #outdoorseatingarea #gardendesign #gardendesigner

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 18094594832352568
Designing different ‘rooms’ within a garden means you can follow the sun throughout the day - from a coffee spot catching the morning rays, to a shady afternoon retreat or a cosy corner for evening drinks.  In our new Forest Garden, we used hedges of hornbeam, yew and beech to create sheltering divisions, forming a series of connected outdoor rooms where the owners can spill out into the garden with family and friends. Here, an intimate seating area with a firepit and outdoor kitchen provides the perfect spot for sociable afternoons and catching the evening rays after tennis.  Framed by pink Japanese anemones and deep planting beds that make the planting feel enveloping, it offers a sense of intimacy and enclosure while remaining connected to the wider garden. #newforestgarden #outdoorrooms #sunterrace #diningalfresco #outdoorseatingarea #gardendesign #gardendesigner

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The best outdoor kitchens feel like part of the garden, not something simply added to it.

When choosing where to position it, think about light, wind and how you use the garden. Evening cooking and daytime cooking may call for very different positions. And always consider smoke by placing the BBQ upwind of where you’ll be sitting, if possible.

Built-in kitchens are wonderfully practical, allowing you to hide away the less glamorous essentials while keeping everything you need close at hand.

Planting can also play an important role, helping to soften or screen the kitchen when it’s not in use.

And don’t overlook the hard landscaping. Cooking creates splashes, so choose surfaces that are as practical to clean as they are beautiful.

#GardenDesign #OutdoorKitchen #LandscapeDesign #OutdoorLiving #GardenInspiration

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 18008510432977319
The best outdoor kitchens feel like part of the garden, not something simply added to it. When choosing where to position it, think about light, wind and how you use the garden. Evening cooking and daytime cooking may call for very different positions. And always consider smoke by placing the BBQ upwind of where you’ll be sitting, if possible. Built-in kitchens are wonderfully practical, allowing you to hide away the less glamorous essentials while keeping everything you need close at hand. Planting can also play an important role, helping to soften or screen the kitchen when it’s not in use. And don’t overlook the hard landscaping. Cooking creates splashes, so choose surfaces that are as practical to clean as they are beautiful. #GardenDesign #OutdoorKitchen #LandscapeDesign #OutdoorLiving #GardenInspiration

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A contemporary garden, designed as an extension of the home.

Expansive picture windows frame the landscape throughout the seasons, while a restrained rhythm of planting brings softness and balance to the social spaces.

Sculptural specimen planting creates privacy, adds moments of distinction, and draws the garden into the wider landscape.

As day transitions into evening, discreet lighting reveals texture, form and atmosphere, extending the experience of the garden long after sunset.

#ContemporaryGarden #GardenDesign #LuxuryGarden #PlantingDesign #OutdoorLiving #picturewindow

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 17998449323806226
A contemporary garden, designed as an extension of the home. Expansive picture windows frame the landscape throughout the seasons, while a restrained rhythm of planting brings softness and balance to the social spaces. Sculptural specimen planting creates privacy, adds moments of distinction, and draws the garden into the wider landscape. As day transitions into evening, discreet lighting reveals texture, form and atmosphere, extending the experience of the garden long after sunset. #ContemporaryGarden #GardenDesign #LuxuryGarden #PlantingDesign #OutdoorLiving #picturewindow

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I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to create a garden that can adapt to our changing climate.

For me, it’s about understanding the conditions we have and making thoughtful choices about how we plant, manage water and care for our soils.

One of the simplest things we can do is look after our soil. Keeping it open and avoiding compaction allows water to percolate through - helping to absorb heavy winter rainfall while allowing the rain we do get in summer to reach plant roots.

But resilience also starts with the plants we choose. We need to think carefully about what will thrive in the conditions we have today, while also considering the conditions they may face in the future - particularly when it comes to trees.

Trees are long-lived, so the decisions we make today need to take account of the climate they will experience over their lifetime - which could be hundreds of years, not tens. As our climate changes, our approach to tree selection needs to change too.

It’s about looking at the garden as a whole and thinking about how each element can help it cope with more extreme and unpredictable weather.

From healthy soils and diverse planting to permeable surfaces, rain gardens and carefully considered trees, there are many ways we can make our gardens more resilient - while making them better places for people and wildlife too.

#GardenDesign #ClimateResilientGardens #ResilientGardens #ClimateChange #SustainableGardens #GardenDesigners #LandscapeDesign #SoilHealth #Trees

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 18126813142759330
I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to create a garden that can adapt to our changing climate. For me, it’s about understanding the conditions we have and making thoughtful choices about how we plant, manage water and care for our soils. One of the simplest things we can do is look after our soil. Keeping it open and avoiding compaction allows water to percolate through - helping to absorb heavy winter rainfall while allowing the rain we do get in summer to reach plant roots. But resilience also starts with the plants we choose. We need to think carefully about what will thrive in the conditions we have today, while also considering the conditions they may face in the future - particularly when it comes to trees. Trees are long-lived, so the decisions we make today need to take account of the climate they will experience over their lifetime - which could be hundreds of years, not tens. As our climate changes, our approach to tree selection needs to change too. It’s about looking at the garden as a whole and thinking about how each element can help it cope with more extreme and unpredictable weather. From healthy soils and diverse planting to permeable surfaces, rain gardens and carefully considered trees, there are many ways we can make our gardens more resilient - while making them better places for people and wildlife too. #GardenDesign #ClimateResilientGardens #ResilientGardens #ClimateChange #SustainableGardens #GardenDesigners #LandscapeDesign #SoilHealth #Trees

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Sometimes good garden design is less about starting again, and more about seeing the potential in what’s already there.

When we first visited this garden, the pond was already in place. The challenge was to make it feel more connected to the house and the wider garden.

The original deck was too dominant, overwhelming the water and blocking views from inside. We reduced its size, reshaped the upper pond and introduced new viewpoints so the water could be experienced from different parts of the garden.

Here, the pond sits beautifully within the planting, with grasses, perennials and pops of orange softening the edges and creating a sense of movement around the still water. Simplifying the materials and reworking the planting brought the whole composition together.

#GardenDesign #LandscapeDesign #WaterGarden #PondDesign #PlantingDesign #GardenDesigner #GardenTransformation

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 17983180443113786
Sometimes good garden design is less about starting again, and more about seeing the potential in what’s already there. When we first visited this garden, the pond was already in place. The challenge was to make it feel more connected to the house and the wider garden. The original deck was too dominant, overwhelming the water and blocking views from inside. We reduced its size, reshaped the upper pond and introduced new viewpoints so the water could be experienced from different parts of the garden. Here, the pond sits beautifully within the planting, with grasses, perennials and pops of orange softening the edges and creating a sense of movement around the still water. Simplifying the materials and reworking the planting brought the whole composition together. #GardenDesign #LandscapeDesign #WaterGarden #PondDesign #PlantingDesign #GardenDesigner #GardenTransformation

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