Our Tutors

Elle is a professional garden designer and planting consultant. Trained at the London College of Garden Design with a double distinction, she now works privately and with award-winning studios, based in the Cotswolds and working across the UK and internationally.

Chris is an award-winning garden designer and broadcaster, known for Gardeners’ World and BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time. With a background in landscape architecture and horticulture, he has won 15 RHS Gold medals and writes for leading gardening publications.

Ed Belderbos trained as a landscape architect at Manchester and established @BelderbosLandscapes in London in 2004. Based in Wimbledon, the company operates throughout London and the Home Counties and designs, builds and maintains both residential and commercial landscapes.

Duncan graduated with Distinction at LCGD in 2018. He is now one half of Cargill Sykes, a London-based landscape and garden design studio.

Andrée is a director of Davies White Ltd., Landscape Architect & plantswoman and a Fellow of the Landscape Institute. She is a multi RHS gold medal award winning designer specialising in child centered play and therapeutic landscapes.

Professor of Planting Design and Vegetation Technology at University of Sheffield and well-known author. Nigel is a lecturer on our Planting Design Diploma.

Kate is a leading garden designer with over 20 years experience and a three times Best in Show winner at Chelsea. Her company specialises in city gardens from design to completion with in house construction as well as design. Kate’s planting design knowledge is of great benefit on the Planting Design Diploma.

One of the LCGD original founders, Mark is a multi award winning Landscape Contractor and was voted the most influential person in the landscape and garden design industry.

Charlotte Harris is an award-winning garden designer, co-founder of Harris Bugg Studio with Hugo Bugg, and a Gardens Illustrated contributing editor.

Paul is a passionate plantsman, well respected, internationally known garden designer, and RHS judge. He has appeared on television, including his own series Gardens of The World with Viking.TV.

James is the Senior Account Manager at Hillier Nurseries, overseeing landscape contracting and garden design projects. He collaborates with clients to provide high-quality plants and services for various landscaping needs.

Head of Department, Department of Landscape, University of Sheffield and author. James is a lecturer on our Garden Design Diploma.

Since graduating from LCGD in 2019, Harry has won awards at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show as well as from House & Garden, the SGD and other industry bodies. His designs are plant-driven and ecologically minded and he brings an environmentally sensitive ethos to his tutoring at LCGD.

Previously an electrician, Chris had been installing outdoor lighting for prestigious landscape gardening companies for 8 years.
He is the founder and managing director of Hudson Lighting Ltd.

Sheila is an award-winning garden designer and SGD member, named a House & Garden Top 50 Garden Designer in 2024. A two-time SGD Awards winner, she also earned five stars at RHS Chelsea 2019 for her collaboration with Tom Raffield.

Darran is a freelance creative horticultural director, award-winning designer and international judge, who specialises in crafting rich, narrative planting that tells stories and connects people with gardens.

Colm is an RHS Chelsea medal-winning designer who trained at LCGD, graduating as the highest achieving student in the history of the College. He has since been named a Rising Star of garden design by House & Garden and runs his own successful design studio, Colm Joseph Gardens.

Tony is the recently retired head of the Arboretum at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Tony is a tutor on our Planting Design Diploma and has often led additional graduate and CPD days for us.

Neil is one of the UK’s leading ornamental grass specialist, owner of Knoll Gardens and awarded of ten consecutive Gold Medals at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Neil teaches on our Planting Design Diploma.

Tom Massey is an award winning garden designer with a specialist background in CAD and Animation. He has achieved considerable success at both UK and Singapore garden shows since graduating from LCGD in 2016.

Sarah is a Landscape Designer and natural pool specialist. Founder and managing director of Ellicar Gardens,an award-winning natural pool company.

Amanda is a well-known garden designer and illustrator bringing her considerable plant skills to the Planting Design Diploma.

Joe has 25 years of design experience, 10 years as the manager of a respected landscape construction company and 15 years of involvement in planning and delivering gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show and other RHS shows. Most recently he achieved 2 gold medals for his designs at the Chelsea Flower Show and the award for Horticultural Excellence at the Shenzhen Flower Show in 2023.

Rachel graduated from the London College of Garden Design in 2016 with a Distinction and Top Student 2016. She was also a Society of Garden Designers Awards Finalist for her student commercial project in the same year. Since leaving college Rachel has been commissioned by Dulwich College to design a Memorial Garden, for which she was awarded the SGD Fresh Designer 2019 Award.

Alexa is an award-winning planting designer, collaborating with landscape architects, architects and garden designers on diverse projects, including large rural private gardens and urban public spaces. Alexa graduated from the college’s Planting Design Diploma in 2021.

Emily is a garden designer and co-founder of Digital Landscapes, providing Vectorworks and SketchUp training to garden and landscape design professionals. Along with Fiona, she teaches Vectorworks on our Garden Design Diploma.

Fiona is a practising garden designer with extensive presentation experience that is used to support student development of CAD skills.

Jo is one of the leading Garden Designers in the UK. She has won multiple awards for both show gardens and real gardens and published a number of books about garden design. Her design practice is based on a firm belief in the power of customer service combined with inspirational design.

David Watterston, member of the Chartered Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors, the Institute of Directors and a past Affiliate member of the Royal Institute of British Architects David has worked extensively in Africa, the Middle East, UK and Ireland.

Adam is a Fellow and the 43rd President of the ‘Royal Chartered’ Landscape Institute.
Member of the Garden Media Guild and design member of BALI.

Carolyn has a unique background, uniting commercial landscape architecture practise with her previous role as a theatre designer, creating a fresh approach to landscape design.

Sarah is a Garden Designer and Horticulturist specialising in low-impact vegan gardening.
She is host of the Roots & All podcast which won garden broadcast of the year in 2019.