Angela Barker-Lewis
I graduated from the London College of Garden Design in 2023 with a merit commended and am now running my own business, Angela Barker-Lewis Horticulture & Design (new website coming soon).
In the latter part of 2023 my final project ‘Reflections’ was selected as a finalist in the Society of Garden Designers SGD Annual Awards which take place in February 2024.
My design philosophy is primarily to make a difference and help people to reconnect with the natural world by creating elegant and sustainable gardens. Also to encourage people to grow their own food for all the sustainable and nutritional benefits.
Biography:
My career has been in three parts. Originally I trained as a Fashion/Textile Designer and worked in a design studio in Lake Como, Italy. I have also freelanced for studios in New York and London. A strong desire to ‘give back’ led me to retrain as a Nutritionist and I thoroughly enjoyed the years I spent in clinic. A life long love of ‘all things plant’ and the pull to go back to my creative roots finally led me on this wonderful path to becoming a Garden Designer.
Instagram – @angelabarkerlewisstudio
The inspiration for this project was the local area history of glass making. A glass Huff haus formed part of the overall design solution for this 9.57 acre site. With beautiful views to the south and a lovely mixed wooded area to the north the site needed a cohesive solution which worked better for the family.
It was important that the site was sympathetic to the environment and included a space to wander in a woodland glade, a fire pit and woodland camping. A series of areas near the house was also key for the family to gather and enjoy social occasions.
The Design Solution included:
• Efficient use of storm water in the swale garden
• Increasing biodiversity in the woodland area
• Use of local materials and recycled materials
• A naturalistic approach to the ornamental meadow
The brief was to redesign the gardens of Cambridge Cottage, which is a venue in the grounds of Kew Gardens that hosts weddings, private parties and a number of corporate and training events.
The inspiration for this garden came from the Georgian period in art & design, looking at the romantic Gainsborough paintings, shapes carved in jewellery and subtle references from gardens designed in that era.
A family garden for Grade II listed property. The family wanted to define the different areas of the garden, better utilise the spaces and create a garden which also worked as a whole.
Inspiration came from the idea of a journey through a series of courtyard gardens. Walking through each garden ‘area’ was a different courtyard with a different yet linked feel.
