Our Tutors

• Peter Thurman

  Kew trained, Peter has tackled thousands of design projects in over 30 years as a landscape and garden designer – from small town gardens, to country estates and commercial developments.  Overseas commissions include gardens in Japan and Rome. His plant knowledge is renowned and he also holds chartered status in arboriculture, forestry and the environment. Peter teaches on both of our Diploma courses.

• Olivia Kirk

  Olivia is an experienced landscape and garden designer, working out of a Worcestershire design studio. She specialises in healing gardens and has a project portfolio of private and public schemes all around the UK, as well as a number of high-profile show gardens to her name.

• Richard Curle

  Richard is the Managing Director of Landscape Associates, a leading landscaper based in London. Richard’s ethos and passion for constructing gardens has driven the company to earn industry recognition and a reputation for professionalism and outstanding quality. In January 2017 Richard graduated from studying his RHS Master of Horticulture.

• Jo Thompson

  Jo is one of a new generation of garden designers making an impact in the garden design profession. Her design practice is based on a firm belief in the power of customer service combined with inspirational design.

• Tom Massey

  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.

• Professor Nigel Dunnett B.SC PHD

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

• Professor James Hitchmough B.SC PHD

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

• Tamsin Slatter

  Tamsin is a renowned expert in Vectorworks CAD training and a regular author of training materials for this specialist software package. She has pioneered the development of e-learning courses for CAD.

   

• Gavin McWilliam

  Gavin McWilliam is a Chelsea gold medal winning garden designer and chartered landscape architect. His studio creates exciting and atmospheric contemporary gardens and landscapes both nationally and internationally. Alongside Andrew Wilson he has won over 35 awards in the past 10 years including gold and best in show at the Singapore Garden festival.

• Fiona Silk

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

• James Aldridge

  James is a garden designer and plant expert whose practice works on a wide range of projects both in the UK and internationally. His horticultural background helps support students on both Diploma programmes.

• Tony Kirkham

  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.

• Anne-Marie Powell

  Garden designer, TV presenter and author

• Gill Chamberlain

  Garden renovation and planting design expert

• Amanda Patton

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

• James and Helen Basson

  Multi-award winning garden design partnership working in the South of France with a reputation for creating low maintenance, dry gardens that mix contemporary design with traditional skills. James and Helen teach on the Planting Design Diploma.

• Carolyn Willitts

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

• Kate Gould

  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.

• Neil Lucas

  Renowned plant expert and owner of Knoll Gardens.

• Sarah Wilson

  Garden designer and maintenance expert.

• Nina Baxter

  Garden designer and business expert.

• Richard Wilford

  Head of Garden Design at RBG Kew.

• Adam Frost

  Adam is a garden designer and television presenter. Adam has collaborated with a range of designers and architects – including Sir Terence Conran, David Stevens, Dan Pearson and Julian Dowle. His extensive knowledge of landscape and design supports the studio teaching at the college.

• Philip Nixon

  Philip runs a landscape and garden design practice based in London and works on projects in the UK and overseas.