Since founding The Garden Company in 1991, James has been at the forefront of UK garden and landscape design. His early career was marked by award-winning projects that established his reputation for creating beautiful, sustainable gardens. As his practice evolved, he became increasingly recognised as an influential voice within the industry, contributing to the advancement of the profession through awards judging, mentoring and the accreditation of emerging designers.
James is a Fellow of the Society of Garden and Landscape Designers, a member of the accreditation panel for new members and Head Judge for the SGLD Awards. He is also an approved provider of design services for the National Trust.
Of his role, James says: ‘I don’t think a day goes past without me thinking how lucky I am to do what I do. I’m a huge believer in the transformative power of nature on our lives. Knowing that the work we do makes such a positive difference is humbling. Seeing a client’s joy at the end of a project and knowing that that will last for years to come is something I’ll never tire of.’
Garden inspiration: My grandparent’s rambling Cotswold garden and orchard held an intoxicating promise of adventure that inspired my love of nature and gardening. I also love the Alhambra in Andalusia for its grandeur and strikingly contemporary geometry and Sheffield Park Gardens in Sussex for its ambitious sense of scale. In particular, I love the way in which its designer (Capability Brown) so intuitively understood how the gardens would mature long after his lifetime
Favourite plant: Alliums are my favourite because of their delicate, ephemeral nature. I’m also a real fan of the un-showy, subtle beauty of wood anemones