Daniel March. Credit: RHS/Sarah Cuttle
As the curtains on major Royal Horticultural Society shows close for another year, there have been a few garden designers that caught our eye after excelling at different flower shows.
From winning Gold medals and People’s Choice Awards, we can expect bigger things coming next from this group.
Zoe Claymore
Making her debut at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May, Zoe Claymore received a Silver gilt medal for The Wildlife Trusts’ British Rainforest Garden. Based on the depleting numbers of temperate rainforests, the garden also picked up People’s Choice Best All About Plants Garden. Voted by the public, her garden proved popular with Chelsea spectators.
Claymore has since released a book, British Rainforest – How to Guide, which offers a step by step walkthrough to creating your own garden sized rainforest.
Looking ahead to very exciting projects, the garden designer is certainly one to watch.
Daniel March
His first show garden with the RHS, Daniel March achieved Best Garden of Curiosity at RHS Hampton Court in early July for A Garden of Two Tales, as well as a Gold medal.
Another fan favourite, the garden was also voted People’s Choice Award winner.
Landscape architecture graduate from University of Gloucestershire, March runs his own garden design business, BH Studios, with Hallie Abbott Trangmar.
Last year, March and Abbott Trangmar and Adam Rowley picked up a Gold medal and Best Long Border for A Pocket of Peace at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park.
Credit: RHS/Sarah Cuttle
Rachel Platt
Once a Pro Landscaper 30 Under 30: The Next Generation award winner in 2023, Rachel Platt designed a feature garden at RHS Wentworth Woodhouse. RHS Teenage Dirt Park is a skate park designed for young people, surrounded by meadow planting.
Runner-up for RHS Young Designer of the Year at RHS Tatton Park in 2022, Platt also continues to run her own garden design company; Rachel Platt Garden Design.
One to watch, Platt has been climbing the ranks for a few years now, we are seeing her reaching the top.
Ryan McMahon
Gold medal winner and Best All About Plants garden designer Ryan McMahon came out very successful at RHS Chelsea in May. His garden, Seawilding, was inspired by the landscape found at Loch Craignish on the west coast of Scotland.
After moving back to Scotland from Australia five years ago, McMahon continues his passion for garden design and is definitely one to keep an eye on.
Luke Coleman
RHS Young Designer of the Year, Luke Coleman sought success at RHS Wentworth Woodhouse with his garden, Drakkars Drift. Not only did he score above the other two young designers in his category by the judges, he also received People’s Choice Best Garden Designer.
Scooping up a Gold medal and Best Construction seals the deal for Coleman; a success in the making.
Currently based at his design studio in Edinburgh, he has previously contributed to other RHS gardens such as Tom Massey’s Resilient Garden at RHS Hampton Court 2023, and the Gold medal winning WaterAid Garden at RHS Chelsea 2024.
Credit: RHS/Neil Hepworth