Society of Garden Designers Awards 2025

The Judges' Award

An ingenious garden that transformed a vacant London parking plot into a beautiful, tranquil space received the highly coveted Judges’ Award this year. Designed by Japanese designer Haruko Seki, the garden is made of 13 moveable planters and can be viewed, like a painting, from inside a London apartment. The judges praised the designer's brilliant design skills, clever use of materials and the exquisite planting to create, what they called, 'a beautiful tableau in a forgotten space'.
 

The People's Choice Award
 

The People’s Choice Award – the only award to be determined by public vote – went to Colm Joseph for an imaginative walled garden in an historic East Suffolk site. The judges were impressed by the skilful modulation of the garden over three interconnecting spaces and remarked on how beautifully they flowed as you transitioned through each of them. They also commented on the 'expertly handled planting' that provides interest throughout the year, saying it was 'definitely a garden you would want to live with'.

The SGD Lifetime Achievement Award
 

One special award announced on the night was the SGD Lifetime Achievement Award – an honour granted to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the landscape and garden design profession. This prestigious Award, is gifted by the Council of the Society of Garden Designers, and was presented this year to designer, author and Fellow of the SGD, Dan Pearson OBE FSGD.
 
On announcing the Award, SGD Chairman, Andrew Duff MSGD said: "Dan Pearson’s contribution to garden and landscape design is nothing short of extraordinary. His intuitive approach to working with the natural environment has not only transformed countless landscapes but also redefined the way we think about the relationship between design and nature. From his early work to globally celebrated projects like the Tokachi Millennium Forest in Japan and his Best in Show garden at RHS Chelsea in 2015, Dan has continually demonstrated a rare ability to create spaces that are as ecologically significant as they are visually stunning.

"This Lifetime Achievement Award acknowledges not just his incredible portfolio but also his enduring influence on the profession as well as his significant contributions to the Society of Garden Designers. As a long-standing member, he has inspired countless designers through his talks at SGD conferences, generously sharing his knowledge and showing us all the value of working sensitively with the land and embracing a sustainable, thoughtful approach to design. His work is a powerful reminder of the role our profession plays in connecting people to the natural world, and his legacy will continue to shape the future of garden and landscape design for many years to come."

Awards for Small Gardens
 

One of two double winners on the night was Adolfo Harrison MSGD who scooped accolades for the Small Residential Garden Award  and the Roof, Podium or Raised Courtyard for two gardens in London (pictured above). His ingenious multi-layered roof garden on Florence Street was described by the judges as 'a clever and cunning design that has transformed an awkward space into an impressive garden', while the small garden he designed on Cleaver Street was called  'a completely delightful garden with a great sense of luxury.'
 

Other smaller garden Awards were given to Stefano Marinaz MSGD who returned after his success at the 2024 SGD Awards to take the Garden Jewel Award for his self-styled 'Edgy Woodland Wonderland' garden. The judges called the plot 'a quirky, playful garden with a huge personality' adding that this 'joyous urban space' offered a great response to climate-change issues.

Meanwhile the Big Ideas, Small Budget Award went to Awards newcomers Lucie Conochie & Jane Heather for a well considered garden that the judges said was 'a great illustration of how to treat a tiny space.'

International Award
 

Further afield, an impressively grandiose rock garden in South West Germany received the award for best International Residential Landscapes & Garden. Created by Peter Berg, the garden is designed to capture and enhance the breathtaking views of the Moselle valley within which it is set. The judges praised the designer's 'masterful use of materials' which mirrored the geological origins of the rocks and the 'skilful design' which allowed the garden to feel perfectly balanced within the surrounding landscape.
 

Awards for Public Spaces
 

Two cleverly designed public spaces were recognised by the SGD Awards judging panel this year, both of which were designed by McWilliam Studio under the guidance of Gavin McWiliam MSGD. 

St Mary's Peace Garden (top) received the award for best Healing or Learning Landscapes & Gardens. The judges thought the garden was 'a great asset to the local school' and had brought much needed greenery into an otherwise harsh environment. While the Public Realm Landscapes & Gardens Award was given to a peaceful garden surrounding a contemporary temple in Hampshire (above).  The judges  were particularly impressed by the inclusion of a series of Chakra gardens along the main axis of the garden that fostered a sense of calm and wellness and remarked on the 'balanced planting' that softened the architectural features of the building. 

Returning Winners
  

Returning from his success at the 2022 SGD Awards where he took the prestigious 'Garden of the Year' Award, Andy Sturgeon FSGD received the Award for Medium Residential Garden this year, for the transformation of an inaccessible and unusable sloped site on the Isle of Wight. The garden, described by the judges as 'an exquisite piece of work with skilful detailing', now features winding paths leading down and across the slopes and curved retaining walls like scattered petals to create level seating areas, shelter and shade, surrounded by lush Mediterranean planting.
 

Award Newcomers 
 

Many of the winning designers on the night were first-time winners of SGD Awards including Sally Bowyer, Tabitha Rigden, Clare Greener and Barbara Samitier of the newly Registered Practice Moss Studio.

Tabitha Rigden was named best New Designer for the Hestia Garden at The Plough in Shiplake Oxfordshire - the first pub garden to win a SGD Award. The judges thought the garden was a perfect example of how creative thinking and investment could transformed a grey space into a welcoming destination for visitors, while praising the great use of local views, planting and materials.

Meanwhile the hotly contested Built Landscape Award was given to Clare Greener for her Folly Garden in Kent, which the judges described as  a 'very complex and sophisticated piece of design for a steep and challenging site.' 

Other newcomers on the night included Sally Bowyer whose design for a wildlife rain garden really nailed the brief and picked up the Design for the Environment Award as a result. The overall composition and recessive use of hard landscaping materials throughout was particularly pleasing to the judges and they thought the garden was both a safe and engaging place for children to play.

Finally, Barbara Samitier MSGD of Moss Studio received the newly named Virtual Landscape Design Award  for  a piece of design communication that really impressed the judges. With positive feedback on the choice of imagery and graphics that they felt 'clearly captured the spirituality of the project', the scheme was considered a clear winner.
 
 

The SGD Student Awards
 

Three standout designers student projects were selected for SGD Student Awards this year from designers that the judges felt demonstrated the very best in emerging talent. Kate Hyslop, a student at the London College of Garden Design was presented with the award for best Public Realm project;  In the Domestic Design category, the top award was presented to Bronte Seller also from the London College of Garden Design; while Holly Knight, a student from the KLC School of Design, was named winner in the Sustainable Garden Design category.

The categories were judged by SGD Fellows David Stevens, Sarah Morgan and Juliet Sargeant and by Tom Massey MSGD, who was one of the first recipients of the student awards back in 2014.

Details of all the winning gardens can be seen on the SGD website