About Zoe Kilbride Garden Design
From fashion to garden design
I’m Zoe, a garden designer based in Birchanger, near Bishop’s Stortford. When I worked in the fashion industry, a wander around the garden became my ritual at the end of the working day. I’d see what had come into flower or stop to notice how the light had changed. It was a small part of my day, but it made a real difference to how I felt.
That experience is a big part of why I care about making time outdoors part of everyday life. For me, it’s an important part of looking after my health and wellbeing. Sometimes it’s a walk around the garden to clear my head. Other days it’s ten minutes with a cup of tea, listening to the birds. I wanted to create gardens that made it easier for other people to find those moments, so I retrained in garden and planting design at Capel Manor College, where I received an award for design excellence.
When I’m designing a garden, I’m curious about what would draw you outside more often. Where would you take your first coffee? Is there somewhere you’d go to have a moment to yourself? Your answers help me decide where a path should lead, where to make room for a seat and how planting can make that spot feel a little more private.
One of my proudest moments was winning Gold for Between Two Shores at the BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair. As our climate changes, we need to rethink what we grow and how we design our gardens. For this border, I chose drought-tolerant grasses and perennials that could cope with dry spells while bringing movement and texture to the planting.
Read the story behind Between Two Shores
A personal approach
Every garden begins with understanding how the space will be used and experienced. Some clients are looking for a calm retreat, others want a garden for entertaining, family life or simply somewhere to spend more time outdoors surrounded by plants and nature.
I work closely with each client to shape gardens around both the character of the site and the people living there, creating spaces that feel relaxed, welcoming and naturally connected to their surroundings.
Real gardens are rarely static. Children grow up, planting matures, dogs create their own routes through borders and somebody almost always decides they would quite like a firepit halfway through the project. Somehow, those details are often the things that make a garden feel most loved.
The gardens I enjoy creating most are the ones that continue to evolve over time, growing into places that feel as though they truly belong to the people who use them.
Planting-led design
Planting plays a central role in my work, with many projects focusing on layered perennial planting, ornamental grasses and naturalistic combinations that bring movement, texture and seasonal interest into the garden.
Every planting scheme is carefully tailored to the conditions of the site, taking into account factors such as soil, aspect and the level of maintenance the garden is likely to receive. The aim is to create gardens that feel immersive, connected to nature and enjoyable to spend time in, while remaining realistic to manage in the years ahead.
I'm particularly drawn to planting that changes through the seasons. The first signs of spring growth, the abundance of summer, the rich tones of autumn and the structure that remains through winter all play an important role in how a garden is experienced.
The goal is never simply to create something that looks attractive for a photograph in June, but a garden that continues to feel beautiful, interesting and rewarding throughout the year.
Gardens and wellbeing
I believe gardens have the ability to transform not just our surroundings, but how we feel too.
Spending time outdoors, noticing the seasons changing and feeling more connected to nature can bring a sense of calm that is often missing from busy everyday life. Sometimes it's as simple as having somewhere to sit with a morning coffee, listen to the birds or enjoy the garden after a long day.
Whether large or small, formal or naturalistic, a well-designed garden can become somewhere to slow down, reset and spend more time outdoors.
For me, the most successful gardens are the ones that become part of everyday life. Places that are used, enjoyed and appreciated throughout the year, not just admired from inside the house.
Based in Essex and Hertfordshire
My studio is based in Birchanger, near Bishop's Stortford, on the Hertfordshire and Essex border.
I work with clients across Hertfordshire and Essex, including Bishop's Stortford, Saffron Walden, Harpenden, Epping, Brentwood and the surrounding towns and villages, providing garden design, planting design and garden design consultations for a wide variety of outdoor spaces.
From new-build gardens and family gardens to renovation projects and planting-focused schemes, every garden is designed around the people who use it and the character of the site.
From the Journal
Thoughts on planting, real gardens, Chelsea Flower Show, wildlife-friendly design and the realities of creating gardens that work in everyday life
