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Winners 2021

See the full list of winners and the Judges’ comments below. Please click on the images to enlarge and scroll through.  

The Lifetime Achievement Award

Sponsored by Alitex

Sponsored by Alitex

Winner: David Stevens FSGD, FCI Hort

To view more and a short film please use this link www.sgd.org.uk/events/awards/lifetime_achievement_2021.aspx 

The Grand Award

Winner: Sara Jane Rothwell MSGD

Project: Cholmeley Crescent 

What the judges said: Beautiful, accomplished and very exciting, the garden is well considered and confidently executed. The selection and assembly of materials and finishes, as well as the range of plants and their association, are well conceived and appropriate for both the house and its surroundings. Here hard and soft landscape work seamlessly together creating an elegant and visually exciting composition.

People's Choice

Sponsored by Homes & Gardens

Winner: Alice Ferguson MSGD & Jamie Innes

Project: Freemantle

The People’s Choice Award is the only category in The SGD Awards that has been chosen in a public vote. The 13 shortlisted finalists from the following categories; “International Residential”, “Commercial or Communal”, “Large”, “Medium” and “Small Residential” and “Garden Jewel” were entered into this award and the winner was chosen by votes cast by SGD Members and the general public.

The Judges' Award

Sponsored by Harrod Horticultural

Winner: Kristina Clode

Project: Sedlescombe Primary School Sensory Garden

What the judges said: The Sensory Garden at Sedlescombe Primary School is extraordinary.  It is generous, beautiful, stimulating, and creative. It sets a new high bar for school grounds in the future. …..

Small Residential Landscapes & Gardens

Sponsored by CORE Landscape Products

Winner: Garden Club London, Principal Designer Tony Woods MSGD 

Project: BOROUGH - City Sanctuary

What the judges said: A truly secret garden creating a sanctuary in the middle of a busy, noisy area of London. Layers of green are cleverly used to link the garden to the different floors of the house and to the location beyond. Clever nooks and seating areas have been created without the space feeling cramped. Beautiful planting leads you on a scented journey to different areas and existing materials and plants have been rescued and celebrated rather than being removed and replaced

Large Residential Landscapes & Gardens

Sponsored by The Garden Builders

Winner: Gavin McWilliam MSGD & Andrew Wilson FSGD

Project: Longwood

What the judges said: A quiet, relaxing space where all elements blend together beautifully. A good balance of soft and hard landscaping very well put together.

Design for the Environment

Sponsored by Readyhedge

Winner: Kristina Clode

Project: Sedlescombe Primary School Sensory Garden

What the judges said: An absolutely delightful garden that is sustainable in its widest senses. Not only in terms of the use of materials and well-chosen planting, but also in terms of its longevity.  The designer has created a garden which can easily be maintained by its users, who may have limited time and skills for gardening,  and which provides an exceptional learning environment to teach children about the environment

Big Ideas, Small Budget

Sponsored by Country Supplies

Winner: Alice Ferguson MSGD & Jamie Innes

Project:  Harley Mews

What the judges said: An awkward entrance combined with changes of level posed a challenging project for the design team but the final result works extremely well, offering the client a sunny and tranquil sitting area and a very pleasant transition from the street to the house.  Clever design details add interest without over-complicating the space.  A very welcoming space with superb planting and great detailing.

International Commercial Landscapes & Gardens

Winner: Ann-Marie Powell Gardens Ltd, Principal Designer Ann-Marie Powell MSGD

Project: Sopwell House Cottonmill Spa Gardens

What the judges said: It's not often that the reality matches up to the seductive beauty of a CGI.  A really good allocation of areas in a small space, the designer has effectively incorporated a whole host of elements into the garden using a lovely selection of evergreens and a range of carefully-selected hard materials which lead the visitor in and out of the glamorous space with ease

Healing, Learning or Community Landscapes & Gardens

Sponsored by Landscape Institute

Winner: Joe Swift MSGD

Project: Horatio's Garden Stoke Mandeville

What the judges said: An absolutely phenomenal space demonstrating exceptional quality of design and execution.

International Communal Landscapes & Gardens

Winner: Reardonsmith Landscape LLP, Principal Designer  Edward Freeman MSGD

Project: Christchurch Gardens, Victoria, London

What the judges said: A really successful public space created in difficult surroundings; the design appears simple but the designer has overcome tricky challenges to create a sense of ease and to design a space that can be used for a whole range of different activities. Lovely, subtle attention to detail in hard and soft landscaping.  We need more of these spaces and a continued vision to turn difficult sites into truly accessible and truly public spaces.

Medium Residential Landscapes & Gardens

Sponsored by Provender Nurseries

Winner: Sara Jane Rothwell MSGD

Project: Cholmeley Crescent

What the judges said: Beautiful, accomplished and very exciting, the garden is well considered and confidently executed. The selection and assembly of materials and finishes, as well as the range of plants and their association, are well conceived and appropriate for both the house and its surroundings. Here hard and soft landscape work seamlessly together creating an elegant and visually exciting composition.

Student Design - Domestic

Sponsored by John Cullen Lighting

Winner: Lyndan Brewer

Project: Crab Creek

What the judges said: A fine example of imaginative design for a challenging site, brought to life by joyous visuals that really capture the intimacy, fun and spirit of the place.  Demonstrating a light touch on a difficult site, it has been sensitively tackled with beautiful illustrations that capture the essence of the place.

Garden Jewel

Sponsored by Vande Moortel

Winner: Alice Ferguson MSGD & Jamie Innes

Project:  Freemantle

What the judges said: An exquisite subterranean garden providing a stunning focal point from inside the house.  Demonstrating exceptional planting, excellent attention to detail and a choice of materials that complement the space and provide unity and harmony.   It certainly is a great example of a garden jewel

International Garden Residential Landscapes or Gardens

Sponsored by Landform Consutants

Winner: Chloe Humphreys MSGD

Project: The House in the Wild - Falkenberg

What the judges said: A perfect example of a garden hewn from the landscape, demonstrating clever planting and beautiful hard landscaping that make it look and feel completely at home in its surroundings.  The curves of the buildings and paving bring the whole design together to create an extraordinary garden. 

 

Planting Design

Sponsored by Barcham Trees plc

Winner: Sara Jane Rothwell MSGD

Project: Cholmeley Crescent

What the judges said: A truly impressive garden demonstrating a carefully considered juxtaposition between hard and soft landscaping.  Filled with beautiful planting, anyone viewing this garden may find themselves coveting a steep sloping site, thanks to the sexy, avant garde design which is flawlessly executed.

Hardscape

Winner: Ann-Marie Powell Gardens Ltd, Principal Designer Ann-Marie Powell MSGD

Project: Sopwell House Cottonmill Spa Gardens

What the judges said: An extremely complex design executed beautifully from start to finish.  Materials have been expertly chosen to blend everything together seamlessly combined with simple but effective layers of green planting.

Fresh Designer Landscapes & Gardens

Sponsored by Deepdale Trees

Winner: Sheila Jack

Project: The Meadow Garden

What the judges said: A really interesting use of a small space which stands out for its simplicity.  A simple, bold idea followed through to implementation.

Paper Landscape Design

Winner: Tabitha Rigden & Helen Saunders

Project: Murmuration Garden for Rehabilitation

What the judges said: This design does everything a paper landscape entry should do. It describes, explains, illustrates and, most importantly, seduces the reader into wanting the garden to be built.

Student Design - Commercial

Sponsored by British Sugar TOPSOIL

Winner: Laura Potten

Project: Janovas

What the judges said: A stunning and sensitive design that demonstrates an impressive level of self-restraint and responds brilliantly to the site.  Planting and materials are all absolutely appropriate connecting with everything around them.  A seamless and very clever piece of work.

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