AWARD-WINNING GARDEN DESIGNER IN OXFORDSHIRE
Rigden Studio offers a garden design service for clients in Oxfordshire and the surrounding areas. Whether you have a large landscaping project or a small urban garden, we can create a bespoke design to fit your tastes and needs, while keeping biodiversity and sustainability at front of mind.
WHY HIRE A GARDEN DESIGNER?
So, why hire a garden designer for your project? Why hire an architect to design your home, or extension? It’s a similar thing. Like an architect, a garden designer will bring their expertise and knowledge to ensure that you do this just once, and that you enjoy the results for years to come.
There are so many elements to take into account when designing a garden – the configuration of space, an understanding of how each part should be built, good planting knowledge and an awareness of how to deal with excess water. There are also the details that make a garden bespoke to you, whether a seat or a sculpture or a particular palette of colours, and an understanding of how to use minimal lighting to maximum effect. It’s all these factors that make a design work.
Gardens will naturally evolve over time – they are by and large living entities after all – however it’s important that they are future-proofed to an extent. Understanding how materials will age is key, and gauging when this might be problematic (and also when it isn’t). The plan should recommend plants that thrive in the existing soil conditions and aspect, as well as the changing climate – a very real consideration when designing for the medium to long term.
In short, bringing a garden designer on board with your project is an investment in your home and in your lifestyle. A well designed garden has many beneficial effects on health and wellbeing, as well as helping to combat the climate crisis by creating biodiversity, habitat for wildlife and storing carbon. A garden design professional will help you avoid the various pitfalls that can bring additional cost and hassle; they will work alongside the landscaping team to ensure the garden is built and planted to a high standard.
Tabitha helped us articulate our garden ideas and converted them into an original and delightful garden design. The result was a beautiful tranquil space, reflecting the borrowed landscape of our woodland setting.
– J. and V. Howe, Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire
DESIGNING A GARDEN: STAGE BY STAGE – OUR PROCESS
1: INITIAL CONSULTATION
We meet in your garden to familiarise ourselves with the space and discuss your requirements and budget. We’ll compile a design brief with you, exchange ideas and gauge your likes and dislikes. We’ll also assess the site during this visit, specifically looking at routes, access, views, the aspect, soil, drainage and existing planting.2: OUTLINE DESIGN
Now we nail the concept, conveying the overall look and feel of the garden! The Outline Design includes scaled plans, perspective drawings and sectional elevations (to illustrate level changes, if relevant). We compile material and planting palettes too, ensuring that each element compliments the next and that the overall scheme hangs together well.3: DETAIL DESIGN
Once the outline design is signed off, we develop the detail further, providing ‘Setting Out’ plans, level plans and cross-sections – all of which enable a contractor to accurately build the garden. We can also produce construction drawings for hardscape (including bespoke items), lighting plans and irrigation plans as required. Written specifications (covering all elements of the build, including soil preparation) are also produced at this stage, together with a Bill of Quantities.4: TENDERING AND BUILD
Our Bill of Quantities will aid the accuracy at tendering stage, and we usually meet with potential or appointed contractors to discuss the design before work starts. A close working relationship between contractor and designer is essential to the success of any build, and we try to foster this from the start. We maintain communication throughout, visiting site at key stages of the build. We’re also on hand to answer queries and respond to changes remotely. 5: PLANTING DESIGN
Planting plans are provided for all areas of planting, with a schedule of plant names, optimal pot sizes and quantities. Plants are selected to thrive within each area – we work to a ‘right plant, right place’ philosophy. We source plants from a selection of excellent trade nurseries and set out the plants on site ourselves. Plants are usually planted by the landscaping contractor.6: AFTERCARE
We leave our clients with a maintenance schedule to help ensure their gardens thrive, and usually make regular visits while the garden is establishing.DESIGN CONSULTATIONS
Need some fresh ideas, but unsure whether to employ a garden designer? Spend time with me in your garden and benefit from my expertise – I’ll listen to your requirements and advise on layout and spatial configuration, surface materials and planting. I’ll also cover practicalities like drainage, lighting, soil health, sustainability and any other factors particularly relevant to the site.
Typical duration 1.5hr, depending on size of site. Rates start from £250.
2023
Enter your details below to request a callback or call 07900 810019
Tabitha created a landscape that complimented the architecture of my new build project in Frieth, marrying the internal and external spaces beautifully.
– B. Gombert, Architect, Connected Architecture, Project in Frieth near Henley on Thames
OXFORDSHIRE GARDENS: PROJECTS FROM OUR PORTFOLIO
OUTDOOR DINING ROOMS AT THE PLOUGH IN SHIPLAKE
This design of this Oxfordshire pub garden near Henley on Thames draws inspiration from the element of fire: it is at the heart of the dining experience here and diners are encouraged to embraces the instinctive sense of community. Specimen trees and beds of planting serve to divide the space into a series of intimate ‘dining rooms’, each one partially screened from the next. Soft, ethereal perennials and grasses provide movement and translucency, as well as textural interest and colour, helping to define the routes through the garden and framing the views in every direction.
WOODLAND GARDEN IN BIX NEAR HENLEY ON THAMES
This garden is designed to connect with the landscape around it and the far-reaching views in this area of Oxfordshire. A series of woodland glades provides tranquil enclosed spaces, defined by wow-factor specimen trees. A meandering path leads to a secluded seating area at the end of the garden, surrounded by a lush, textured planting scheme that provides interest through Autumn and Winter.
We worked with Tabitha to create a garden around our new home. She was flexible and budget-aware throughout. The garden is still establishing, but we have had many compliments and the wildlife love it.
– C. David, Frieth, near Henley-on-Thames
STUDIO RECOGNITION
HOUSE & GARDEN RISING STAR 2025
Tabitha was honoured to be named Rising Star 2025 at House & Garden’s design awards at Christie’s, London, in April - what a moment. She was one of 10 design talents who claimed an awardsacross 10 categories that spanned Interior design and Garden design. The beautiful David Harber trophy, crafted from a bronze ribbon offcut used in their iconic sundials, now sits proudly in the studio.
A huge thank you to the category sponsors Emma and Hector Finch of Hector Finch Lighting for presenting the award, and to Richard E. Grant for the unforgettable on-stage welcome! We’re deeply grateful to the amazing team at House & Garden for their support and acknowledgment. It was an honour to stand alongside horticultural greats like Sarah Price and Nigel Dunnett, and the gifted individuals from the world of interior design.
HESTIA GARDEN AT THE PLOUGH SHIPLAKE A WINNER AT THE SGLD AWARDS 2025
Tabitha was thrilled to accept the award for New Designer 2025 at the annual ceremony at London's Landmark Hotel - and to discover that Hestia Garden is the first ever pub garden to win a coveted SGLD Award!
The garden was also selected as a finalist in the 'Public Realm Landscapes & Gardens' category for 2025, standing alongside some of the most prominent names in the industry - a major milestone for the studio.
'TRANQUIL COURTYARD GARDEN' SHORTLISTED FOR PROLANDSCAPER AWARD 2024
Our Marlow courtyard garden made it onto the Prolandscaper Projects Award shortlist 2024, in the category for projects costing under £50,000 to build.
This little jewel of a garden is a good example of what can be achieved in a small space, for both biodiversity and aesthetics - and why lawns aren’t for everyone!