Imagine a hidden river resurfacing in a bustling urban garden, or a community hub where rainwater fuels both crops and conversations—these visions are no longer distant dreams but the innovative realities crafted by the UK’s brightest young designers. On February 8, 2026, the Society of Garden & Landscape Designers (SGLD) unveiled the winners of its annual Student Awards, spotlighting four exceptional projects that blend creativity, environmental stewardship, and human-centered design. Drawn from top institutions across the country, these entries underscore a new generation’s commitment to addressing ecological challenges through thoughtful landscapes.
Celebrating Innovation in Garden and Landscape Design
The SGLD Student Awards recognize emerging talent from leading UK colleges, emphasizing projects that demonstrate technical proficiency, originality, and relevance to contemporary issues like sustainability and community engagement. Judges praised the finalists for their ability to convey complex concepts with clarity and imagination, selecting winners from a competitive pool that included visionary public spaces, domestic gardens, and eco-focused initiatives. SGLD Chair Andrew Duff MSGLD remarked, “These projects reflect a generation of designers who are confident, thoughtful and deeply engaged with the challenges of our time. It’s incredibly Notable to see such depth of skill emerging. The future of our profession is in very good hands.” This year’s awards introduced a new category for small domestic gardens, reflecting the rising demand for compact, multifunctional outdoor spaces amid urban living trends. The selected projects not only showcase aesthetic appeal but also practical solutions, such as water management systems and native planting, which could influence broader landscape practices by promoting biodiversity and resilience in the face of climate change.
Award-Winning Projects and Their Designers
The four winning designs span diverse scales and contexts, from local community enhancements to international cultural sites, highlighting the versatility of landscape architecture in fostering connection and sustainability.
- Design for the Environment Award: Robbie Avey, KLC School of Design
- Public Realm Award: Michael Kieck, London College of Garden Design
- Best Small Domestic Garden Award: Laura Bushnell, London College of Garden Design
- Best Large Domestic Garden Award: Grace Hugh-Jones, London College of Garden Design
Avey’s project reimagines Wolves Lane, a community-growing hub in North London, as an integrated landscape supporting food production, education, wellbeing, and ecology. Key features include a rainwater harvesting system that supplies up to 60% of irrigation needs, biodiverse planting schemes, habitat creation, circular water flows, and the use of recycled materials. Water serves as a central motif, guiding learning paths, movement, and ecological renewal, thereby strengthening community ties while boosting environmental resilience.
Kieck’s entry transforms an agricultural site in South Africa’s Eastern Cape into a self-sustaining center for biodiversity, education, and cultural exchange. Drawing on indigenous knowledge and native ecology, it incorporates public gardens, woodland and grassland trails, a specialized nursery, and medicinal plantings. Notable elements include a storytelling tree beneath a fig canopy, water habitats, and a visitor center constructed with local materials and traditional methods. Positioned as a “living library” of flora, the design honors cultural heritage while advancing sustainability and community involvement.
Bushnell’s “The Lost River Garden” revitalizes a dark, fragmented site within a Grade II-listed home in Peckham’s Holly Grove Conservation Area. Inspired by the buried River Peck, the layout uses water as a thematic thread—manifesting in a bird bath, stream, rill, reflective pool, and a front-garden bog. Redesigned levels enhance safety and circulation, creating zones for entertaining, play, quiet reflection, and a creative studio. Sustainability is woven in through material reuse, green roofs, rainwater harvesting, and wildlife-supporting plants, merging poetic narrative with everyday functionality.
For Damson Cottage, Hugh-Jones crafts an immersive landscape on a steep slope overlooking the Avon Valley, harmonizing modern architecture with natural contours. The design features experiential zones for social gatherings and serene retreats, connected by meandering paths. Layered planting with native grasses, pollinator-attracting perennials, and woodland species promotes biodiversity and year-round visual interest. Strategic placements of a pool, pond, terraces, and an outdoor studio maximize views and invite exploration.
Highly Commended Entries and Broader Implications
In addition to the winners, two projects earned high commendations for their sensitivity to context and innovative approaches:
- Helen Swan’s “North End House” from the KLC School of Design reconnects a West Sussex estate to its ponds and ancient woodland via layered terraces, meadows, and woodland paths, emphasizing restoration and natural integration.
- Sally Jane Robinson’s conceptual “Nurture Fertility Clinic” at Cornwall College, set in rural north Cornwall, was lauded for its coherent translation of therapeutic concepts into a rooted, context-aware scheme that supports emotional and environmental wellbeing.
These awards signal a pivotal moment for the UK landscape design sector, where student work increasingly tackles global issues like water scarcity and cultural preservation. By prioritizing people-focused and eco-driven solutions, the honorees are paving the way for designs that enhance societal wellbeing and planetary health. As climate pressures mount, such initiatives could inspire professional practices to adopt more regenerative strategies, potentially influencing urban planning and private gardens alike.
Fact Check
- The SGLD Student Awards 2026, announced on February 8, 2026, selected four winners from UK colleges, focusing on creativity and environmental themes.
- Robbie Avey’s Wolves Lane project in North London features a rainwater system covering up to 60% of irrigation, using recycled materials for ecological and community benefits.
- Michael Kieck’s Eastern Cape design incorporates indigenous elements like a storytelling tree and native medicinal plants to promote biodiversity and cultural exchange.
- Laura Bushnell’s Peckham garden introduces water features inspired by the River Peck, with sustainable additions like green roofs and wildlife planting.
- Grace Hugh-Jones’s Avon Valley project uses layered native planting and contoured paths to create balanced social and contemplative spaces.
