In a field where innovation meets nature, what does it take for young designers to redefine public spaces and private havens? The Society of Garden & Landscape Designers (SGLD) has spotlighted four exceptional student projects as winners of the 2026 Student Awards, honoring the UK’s brightest emerging talents in garden and landscape design. Announced on February 8, 2026, these awards recognize creativity, technical prowess, and a commitment to people-centered, sustainable solutions drawn from top institutions across the country.
Showcasing Innovative Visions in Design
The winning entries span visionary public realms, environmentally attuned community hubs, and thoughtfully crafted domestic gardens, demonstrating how emerging designers are tackling contemporary challenges like biodiversity loss, cultural preservation, and urban fragmentation. Judges praised the finalists for their clarity, confidence, and originality in conveying complex ideas through imaginative yet precise designs. SGLD Chair Andrew Duff MSGLD emphasized the significance of these achievements, stating: “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.”
Award-Winning Projects and Their Impacts
The four standout designs highlight a blend of ecological innovation and human-centric functionality, with implications for sustainable urban planning and residential well-being:
- 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, into a multifaceted landscape integrating 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 management, and the use of recycled materials. Water serves not only as a practical resource but as a thematic element fostering learning, movement, and renewal, potentially enhancing community resilience in urban settings.
Kieck’s transformation of an agricultural site in South Africa’s Eastern Cape creates a self-sustaining center for biodiversity, education, and cultural exchange. Drawing on indigenous knowledge and native ecology, the design 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 plants, it promotes sustainability, cultural heritage, and community ties, offering a model for global conservation efforts.
This new category underscores the rising demand for compact garden solutions in modern homes. 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 design weaves water as a narrative motif through features like a bird bath, stream, rill, reflective pool, and a front-garden bog. Enhanced levels improve safety and circulation, while spaces support family activities, entertaining, quiet retreats, and a creative studio. Sustainability is woven in via material reuse, green roofs, rainwater harvesting, and wildlife-supporting plants, balancing aesthetic poetry with everyday utility.
Hugh-Jones’ “Damson Cottage” harmonizes contemporary architecture with a dramatic sloping site overlooking the Avon Valley. The layout forms experiential zones that mix sociable areas for entertaining with serene contemplative spaces. Meandering paths trace natural contours, complemented by layered planting of native grasses, pollinator-attracting perennials, and woodland species to boost biodiversity and seasonal appeal. Strategic placements of a pool, pond, terraces, and an outdoor studio frame panoramic views and invite exploration, illustrating how large-scale designs can deepen connections to the natural environment.
Highly Commended Entries and Broader Recognition
In addition to the winners, two projects earned high commendations for their sensitivity to context and innovative approaches:
- North End House by Helen Swan, KLC School of Design: This design reconnects a West Sussex estate to its existing ponds and ancient woodland via layered terraces, meadows, and woodland paths, fostering a seamless integration of heritage and modern usability.
- Nurture Fertility Clinic by Sally Jane Robinson, Cornwall College: A conceptual rural clinic in north Cornwall, praised for its coherent translation of ideas into a scheme deeply embedded in its locale, emphasizing sensitivity and skill in therapeutic landscape design.
These commendations reflect the awards’ role in nurturing diverse talents, from urban revitalization to rural healing spaces, and signal a growing emphasis on designs that address societal needs like mental health and environmental stewardship. As these young designers step into the profession, their work promises to influence how landscapes adapt to climate pressures and community demands. How do you see these innovative approaches shaping the future of garden design in your own community?
Fact Check
- The SGLD Student Awards 2026 recognized four winners from institutions including KLC School of Design and London College of Garden Design, focusing on creativity and sustainability.
- Robbie Avey’s Wolves Lane project in North London features a rainwater system covering up to 60% of irrigation, promoting ecological and community benefits.
- Michael Kieck’s Eastern Cape design incorporates indigenous elements like a storytelling tree and native plantings to support biodiversity and cultural exchange.
- Laura Bushnell’s small garden in Peckham uses water-inspired features and sustainable practices in a conservation area setting.
- Highly commended projects include Helen Swan’s West Sussex estate reconnection and Sally Jane Robinson’s Cornwall clinic concept.
