Ben Stewart
Hello, I’m Ben a graduate of the London College of Garden Design graduating with distinction in planting design in 2021. Based in Surrey I’ve worked across the UK and more recently in Ireland.
I passionately believe in unlocking the potential of our gardens to enhance our lives and improve our local environment so I strive to make every space a place to be enjoyed throughout the year and as environmentally enriching as possible.
Beyond creating the functional spaces you need to enjoy your garden to its full, light plays a big part in my approach to design because it has such a strong influence on our mood. Whether it’s calming, romantic or energising, the way light comes through planting, reflects on different materials and surfaces or changes throughout the day and the seasons all adds to the potential to create a magical space you’ll want to escape to.
I also like to anchor my ideas in a strong concept or idea which helps guide the design and gives clients a sense of their garden’s story.
For more information, visit my social media pages.
Instagram: ben_houseofstewartgardens
Facebook: House of Stewart Gardens
Biography:
I’ve spent the past 25 years working at the creative end of business developing UK and global brands and advertising campaigns working in London’s top advertising agencies as well as at the BBC.
I started my career evolution in 2018 studying garden design at the National Design Academy before retraining in earnest at LCGD in 2021 achieving distinction in a post graduate diploma in Planting Design.
I began House of Stewart Gardens that year and am currently in the final term of the LCGD post grad in Garden Design.
This garden design is a reinvention of classical French garden with its long vistas and strong axes for the softer, more naturalistic tastes of today. The traditional avenue is replaced by a Corten grill walkway that floats above the planting. As the path descends the garden, the woodland cuts into the garden at 90º degree angles like ribs joining a spine, creating a series of rooms either side of the main path. In contrast to the clipped hedging and pleached limes of the French bosquet, we have woodland fringe planting, birch, pine, heather and ferns. Where there would be ornate box topiary there is a flowing gravel garden.
The triumphal fountain at the end of the vista is replaced by a yoga platform beneath the majesty of the tree canopy.
This garden concept brings the indoor-outdoor living concept, pioneered under the sunny skies of 20th century California, to create a tranquil, hillcrest oasis in a village near the Chilterns.
The garden design expands from the geometric house footprint creating a sense of intimacy and flow between the two.
The golden ratio dimensions of key features create a sense of harmony, and every space serves a simple functional purpose whether that’s to party, relax, play or create. Most importantly, as the light sparkles on the mirror pool and dapples across the lawn, it’s the perfect place for dreaming.
Now we spend more time working from home, we’ve started to rethink how we use our house, but the garden has an equally important role to play. No longer just a private retreat from the city to relax and entertain in, it now must also be a creative, inspiring place to work, fit for business and leisure. Less a place to hide, more a place to thrive.
This planting design takes a bit of the energy, fun and edge of Soho to create a series of garden rooms and spaces that stimulate the senses.
A garden design for an Arts & Crafts house with a twist of Bloomsbury Set decadence. This garden is a canvas for memories, a stage for events with family and friends, for excitement, discovery, indulgence, and quiet contemplation.
The garden is defined by distinct character areas, inspired by a summer festival, giving this large, 4 acre garden a sense of cohesion, purpose and flow;
– Halcyon Day is a sun drenched part of the garden with mediterranean style planting and a large natural pool for long lazy summer days.
– Main Stage is the social hub of the garden, with a large, bespoke designed pergola and outdoor kitchen for entertaining.
– Wilderness Zone is an area of almost jurassic, lush planting, hidden paths and secret retreats surrounding two wildlife pools.
– Craft and create is the kitchen garden and woodshed.
– Festival meadow is a place for large summer parties, cricket matches and bonfires come autumn, surrounded by a ring of cherry trees to create a sense of amphitheatre.
