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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

1,234 31,068

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

We tend to think of bare-root plants as trees and perhaps shrubs, but what about grasses and herbaceous perennials?

At the Serge Hill Symposium earlier this month there were some fascinating discussions about root development and how bare-root plants can establish successfully.

We also explored the benefits of washing the growing medium from container-grown plants before planting, helping roots make direct contact with the surrounding soil rather than remaining confined to the original rootball.

@millie_souter, Head Gardener at The Plant Library, brought this to life by digging up plants grown this year to demonstrate the difference retaining the original growing medium can make. It was a fascinating insight into what happens beneath the surface and a reminder that successful planting starts with understanding the roots, not just what we see above ground.

Millie’s enthusiasm is infectious, and it was a brilliant reminder to keep questioning established practices and looking for ways to help our plants thrive.

#GardenDesign #PlantingDesign #Horticulture #GardenDesignInspiration

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 18110327081592961
We tend to think of bare-root plants as trees and perhaps shrubs, but what about grasses and herbaceous perennials? At the Serge Hill Symposium earlier this month there were some fascinating discussions about root development and how bare-root plants can establish successfully. We also explored the benefits of washing the growing medium from container-grown plants before planting, helping roots make direct contact with the surrounding soil rather than remaining confined to the original rootball. @millie_souter, Head Gardener at The Plant Library, brought this to life by digging up plants grown this year to demonstrate the difference retaining the original growing medium can make. It was a fascinating insight into what happens beneath the surface and a reminder that successful planting starts with understanding the roots, not just what we see above ground. Millie’s enthusiasm is infectious, and it was a brilliant reminder to keep questioning established practices and looking for ways to help our plants thrive. #GardenDesign #PlantingDesign #Horticulture #GardenDesignInspiration

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On Thursday 12th November I`ll be hosting an online Members Hour for members of the Society of Garden & Landscape Designers @the_sgld sharing my knowledge and love of trees.

**A Whistle-Stop Tour of Key Tree Subject Areas
**Thursday 12 November 2026
**16:00–17:00 | Online

Do join me for an exploration of key topics in tree selection, knowledge and design, with insights to help inform and inspire your work as a garden or landscape designer.

Whether you’re looking to deepen your understanding of trees, discover fresh perspectives or build on your existing horticultural knowledge, I look forward to sharing ideas and learning together.

Book via the SGLD website. www.sgld.org.uk

#SGLD #GardenDesign #LandscapeDesign #Trees #Horticulture

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 18134307667781189
On Thursday 12th November I'll be hosting an online Members Hour for members of the Society of Garden & Landscape Designers @the_sgld sharing my knowledge and love of trees. **A Whistle-Stop Tour of Key Tree Subject Areas **Thursday 12 November 2026 **16:00–17:00 | Online Do join me for an exploration of key topics in tree selection, knowledge and design, with insights to help inform and inspire your work as a garden or landscape designer. Whether you’re looking to deepen your understanding of trees, discover fresh perspectives or build on your existing horticultural knowledge, I look forward to sharing ideas and learning together. Book via the SGLD website. www.sgld.org.uk #SGLD #GardenDesign #LandscapeDesign #Trees #Horticulture

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The secret to an autumn garden is to think about colour, texture and structure when choosing your planting.

Colour: autumn brings a beautiful shift in the garden’s colour palette. Look beyond fiery foliage to the softer tones of fading perennials, golden grasses and rich evergreen planting to create depth and contrast.

Texture: create interest by combining different textures. The fine movement of ornamental grasses, the bold shapes of leaves and the soft, fluffy plumes of late-season perennials all bring something different to the autumn garden.

Structure: as flowers fade and leaves fall, structure becomes increasingly important. Leave architectural plants standing, retain strong evergreen shapes and resist cutting everything back too soon to keep the garden looking good well into winter.

The key is to plan for contrast - in colour, form and texture - so that every season brings something different to enjoy.

#GardenDesign #AutumnGarden #AutumnColour #PlantingDesign

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 17961990137997649
The secret to an autumn garden is to think about colour, texture and structure when choosing your planting. Colour: autumn brings a beautiful shift in the garden’s colour palette. Look beyond fiery foliage to the softer tones of fading perennials, golden grasses and rich evergreen planting to create depth and contrast. Texture: create interest by combining different textures. The fine movement of ornamental grasses, the bold shapes of leaves and the soft, fluffy plumes of late-season perennials all bring something different to the autumn garden. Structure: as flowers fade and leaves fall, structure becomes increasingly important. Leave architectural plants standing, retain strong evergreen shapes and resist cutting everything back too soon to keep the garden looking good well into winter. The key is to plan for contrast - in colour, form and texture - so that every season brings something different to enjoy. #GardenDesign #AutumnGarden #AutumnColour #PlantingDesign

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Two gardens and one exciting vote!

I’m thrilled that both my New Forest country garden and Canford Cliffs coastal garden have made the shortlist for the SGLD Awards.

Both gardens are in the running for the @the_sgld People’s Choice Award, and I’d be so grateful for your vote. If either garden has caught your eye, you can vote for it via the link in my bio.

Voting closes at the end of October, so there’s still time!

Thank you, as always, for all your wonderful support — it means so much.

Photos: @stephenstuddphotography @richardbloomphoto and @elkssmith

#SGLDAwards #PeoplesChoice #GardenDesign #LandscapeDesign #NewForest

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 18079976003382770
Two gardens and one exciting vote! I’m thrilled that both my New Forest country garden and Canford Cliffs coastal garden have made the shortlist for the SGLD Awards. Both gardens are in the running for the @the_sgld People’s Choice Award, and I’d be so grateful for your vote. If either garden has caught your eye, you can vote for it via the link in my bio. Voting closes at the end of October, so there’s still time! Thank you, as always, for all your wonderful support — it means so much. Photos: @stephenstuddphotography @richardbloomphoto and @elkssmith #SGLDAwards #PeoplesChoice #GardenDesign #LandscapeDesign #NewForest

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I like to think of a sloping garden as an opportunity rather than a challenge.

Changes in level can create distinct spaces for dining, relaxing, playing or growing. It also gives your planting a whole new perspective.

The key is to work with the slope rather than against it, considering drainage, movement and how the different levels connect to one another.

And you don’t always need steps or lots of hard landscaping. In this garden, we designed simple grass treads to link the lower patio with a small terrace above, keeping the journey through the garden feeling natural, seamless and green.

#GardenDesign #SlopingGarden #GardenDesigner #grasssteps

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 18105002915458115
I like to think of a sloping garden as an opportunity rather than a challenge. Changes in level can create distinct spaces for dining, relaxing, playing or growing. It also gives your planting a whole new perspective. The key is to work with the slope rather than against it, considering drainage, movement and how the different levels connect to one another. And you don’t always need steps or lots of hard landscaping. In this garden, we designed simple grass treads to link the lower patio with a small terrace above, keeping the journey through the garden feeling natural, seamless and green. #GardenDesign #SlopingGarden #GardenDesigner #grasssteps

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One of the things that has stayed with me from the Serge Hill Symposium was Dr Henrik Sjöman’s talk on trees, shade and the changing climate.

If you looked around our public spaces this summer, you could see the value of trees very clearly. People weren’t necessarily seeking out the sun - they were gathering beneath the canopy. It’s something I’ve noticed in my own work too. Ten years ago, clients were much more likely to ask for sunny gardens; increasingly, we’re being asked to create shade.

That changing relationship with shade has implications for how we design and plant beneath trees too. Many of the planting styles we celebrate are based on open, sunny ground, yet a greater emphasis on tree canopy means we also need to think much more carefully about the plants that can thrive in shade.

Henrik also highlighted the inequality of tree cover in our towns and cities. The areas with the least canopy are often those most vulnerable to urban heat and the impacts of climate change. And, looking ahead, we need to be planting trees that can survive and thrive in the climates we are moving towards – particularly when some of our familiar native species may struggle.

Perhaps most striking of all was the reminder that the UK has an average tree canopy cover of only just over 10%, while around 40% may be needed to provide meaningful protection during heatwaves.

For me, it raises an important question for garden and landscape designers: are we designing for the climate we have, or the climate we are moving towards?

A thought-provoking talk and plenty to take away from it.

@henrik.sjoman.botaniska
Image by @stephenstuddphotography

#GardenDesign #LandscapeDesign #Trees #UrbanGreening #ClimateResilience #SergeHillSymposium

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 18630903625062300
One of the things that has stayed with me from the Serge Hill Symposium was Dr Henrik Sjöman’s talk on trees, shade and the changing climate. If you looked around our public spaces this summer, you could see the value of trees very clearly. People weren’t necessarily seeking out the sun - they were gathering beneath the canopy. It’s something I’ve noticed in my own work too. Ten years ago, clients were much more likely to ask for sunny gardens; increasingly, we’re being asked to create shade. That changing relationship with shade has implications for how we design and plant beneath trees too. Many of the planting styles we celebrate are based on open, sunny ground, yet a greater emphasis on tree canopy means we also need to think much more carefully about the plants that can thrive in shade. Henrik also highlighted the inequality of tree cover in our towns and cities. The areas with the least canopy are often those most vulnerable to urban heat and the impacts of climate change. And, looking ahead, we need to be planting trees that can survive and thrive in the climates we are moving towards – particularly when some of our familiar native species may struggle. Perhaps most striking of all was the reminder that the UK has an average tree canopy cover of only just over 10%, while around 40% may be needed to provide meaningful protection during heatwaves. For me, it raises an important question for garden and landscape designers: are we designing for the climate we have, or the climate we are moving towards? A thought-provoking talk and plenty to take away from it. @henrik.sjoman.botaniska Image by @stephenstuddphotography #GardenDesign #LandscapeDesign #Trees #UrbanGreening #ClimateResilience #SergeHillSymposium

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One of the themes threaded through the Serge Hill Symposium last month was sand planting and, more broadly, the question of what we actually need to create a successful planting substrate.

In many landscapes, the original topsoil has already been removed, something I’m encountering in my own work. So what do we do when there simply isn’t any topsoil left?

There are several options. We can import native soil, use a carefully specified manufactured planting substrate, or, increasingly, look at what is already on site and work with it.

Julia Boulton and Dr Chris Gibson from the Beth Chatto team spoke about a Meanwhile garden where planting and sowing took place directly into the materials already on site. This approach can dramatically reduce the environmental and financial cost of moving materials, while also protecting the biodiversity that can exist on brownfield sites.

Another approach is to use materials such as crushed concrete, limestone or sand as a planting substrate. Sand can be used as the growing medium itself, or as a mulch, and there is already plenty of evidence and experience demonstrating where this can work well.

But there was an important reminder: sand is not an infinite resource. It was suggested that the UK may have only around 35 years of available sand remaining. Quick update on this post about 35 years of sand - huge thanks to @kelly.baldry for this important clarification - the 35 year figure is likely to refer to the approved government land bank of approved extraction. That is not the same actual deposits in the ground with potential.

So, as with so many aspects of sustainable landscape design, there is no single solution. The question is not simply what can we plant into? but what do we already have, and how can we make the best use of it?

For me, that feels like a much more interesting starting point for designing resilient landscapes.

#GardenDesign #PlantingDesign #SustainableLandscape #SandPlanting #Soil #Brownfield #Biodiversity #LandscapeDesign #TomStuartSmith #BethChatto #SGLD #SergeHillProject

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Open post by elkssmith with ID 18076041836449161
One of the themes threaded through the Serge Hill Symposium last month was sand planting and, more broadly, the question of what we actually need to create a successful planting substrate. In many landscapes, the original topsoil has already been removed, something I’m encountering in my own work. So what do we do when there simply isn’t any topsoil left? There are several options. We can import native soil, use a carefully specified manufactured planting substrate, or, increasingly, look at what is already on site and work with it. Julia Boulton and Dr Chris Gibson from the Beth Chatto team spoke about a Meanwhile garden where planting and sowing took place directly into the materials already on site. This approach can dramatically reduce the environmental and financial cost of moving materials, while also protecting the biodiversity that can exist on brownfield sites. Another approach is to use materials such as crushed concrete, limestone or sand as a planting substrate. Sand can be used as the growing medium itself, or as a mulch, and there is already plenty of evidence and experience demonstrating where this can work well. But there was an important reminder: sand is not an infinite resource. It was suggested that the UK may have only around 35 years of available sand remaining. Quick update on this post about 35 years of sand - huge thanks to @kelly.baldry for this important clarification - the 35 year figure is likely to refer to the approved government land bank of approved extraction. That is not the same actual deposits in the ground with potential. So, as with so many aspects of sustainable landscape design, there is no single solution. The question is not simply what can we plant into? but what do we already have, and how can we make the best use of it? For me, that feels like a much more interesting starting point for designing resilient landscapes. #GardenDesign #PlantingDesign #SustainableLandscape #SandPlanting #Soil #Brownfield #Biodiversity #LandscapeDesign #TomStuartSmith #BethChatto #SGLD #SergeHillProject

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