Temperatures are already climbing and gardens are showing the strain. Joe Perkins explains why the answer isn't more water but "right plant, right place" — from a National Trust garden with zero irrigation this summer, to an 85% cut in irrigated turf at a Commonwealth war cemetery in Tunisia, to everyday gardens across Sussex.

How do you protect a 500 year old oak? There's a difference between protecting a tree and designing around it as if it isn't really there. The clearest example I can point to is a veteran oak at Sheffield Park & Garden sitting in the middle of a site I was asked to turn into a new garden.

The garden should never be the last thing on the list. Whether you're building from scratch, renovating an existing property, or trying to get more from an outdoor space that's never quite worked, involving a garden designer early will save time, money, and the frustration of redoing work that was never quite right. A home that extends thoughtfully into its garden is simply a better home to live in.

Why do we do The Chelsea Flower Show: Gold Medals, Challenges and Purpose

The impact of AI in garden design. Will it change how garden design works?

The Rise of the Productive Garden: Why More Clients Want to Grow Their Own

This winter has been a clear reminder that gardens are living systems. Weeks of persistent rainfall have left many landscapes saturated, exposing weaknesses in drainage, soil structure and surface treatments. Yet water need not be seen as a threat. When approached intelligently, it becomes a powerful design tool, shaping landform, enriching biodiversity and strengthening long-term resilience. Resilient planting at our Chelsea Flower Show 2025 garden As weather patterns grow m

Paragraph 84 of the National Planning Policy Framework allows for the possibility of an isolated home in the countryside, but only where design quality is demonstrably exceptional.

How long does it take to design a garden? What’s the process? Where do we start? These are common and completely understandable questions we receive regularly when potential clients reach out, looking to engage us in the transformation of their outdoor spaces. The answer, as with many aspects of garden design, is that it depends. The size of the project, the location, existing site conditions, planning restrictions, and the complexity of the design all influence the timefram

November: The Perfect Time to Plant November marks bare-root season - the ideal window for planting many trees and shrubs. During this time, trees are dormant, having shed their leaves and slowed their growth. Nursery stock is sold without soil around the roots, making them easier to transport andplant. Planting bare-root trees is also more sustainable and economical. Without heavy pots of soil, they require less packaging, less plastic, and lower transportation energy, reduc

When we first began designing The King’s Trust: Seeding Success Garden for RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 , our aim was to create a space that represented growth, opportunity and hope, qualities that lie at the heart of The King’s Trust. Winning Gold at Chelsea was an unforgettable moment as was meeting the King, but for us, the most meaningful part of the project began afterwards. Thanks to the combined support of Omaze Education Fund, Project Giving Back and Elemis, the g

For many homeowners, one of the biggest concerns when commissioning a garden or landscape project is: “Will it get approved?” Whether...

Much of our work involves historic homes and sensitive landscapes, where creativity must go hand in hand with careful compliance.

At Joe Perkins Design, we are currently working on a project in partnership with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC): the transformation of Medjez-El-Bab War Cemetery in Tunisia. This historic site, where over 2,900 Commonwealth servicemen are buried, will become a model for climate-resilient, biodiverse, and sustainable landscape design, honouring both memory and place.

Photography: Clive Nichols It takes a great team to make a great show garden, and we certainly had that. The project team included The Landscaping Consultants as main contractor, glass artist James Cockerill, architect and fabricator Sam Ogilvie, joiner Oli Carter, metalsmith Richard Weaver and specialist finisher Nathan Irvine. That doesn’t even mention our amazing suppliers and excellent planting team, so I think overall our team was in excess of 50 people. Check our portfo

We’re thrilled to be mentioned not once but twice in Country Living this month as part of their 40th birthday celebration and special feature ‘40 Avant Garden Trends’. Both our RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden with The Kings Trust ‘Seeding Success’, and our project with the National Trust at Sheffield Park and Garden ‘Garden for the Future’, were included – and we couldn’t be prouder! It’s a real privilege to be working with such fantastic organisations on projects that celebra

Joe Perkins Design Returns to RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025. We’re thrilled to be working in partnership with The Kings Trust (formerly The Prince’s Trust) to bring a Main Avenue garden to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May 2025!

The Chelsea Flower Show, the annual spectacle hosted by the Royal Horticultural Society, remains the epitome of horticultural elegance and innovation. I was judging at the show this year, so had the privilege of seeing the gardens at their best on Sunday morning. Here are some of the key trends that I think defined the show this year.

Thoughts on seasonal, resilient and sustainable landscape and design

We’re so proud and truly honoured to have been awarded an RHS Gold Medal for The Meta Garden on Main Avenue at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show. The garden was over 2 years in the making by a team of over 100 talented individuals from more than 10 different companies.