About

Sarah Morgan Gardens

Sarah Morgan is an award-winning landscape designer, educator, writer, and former Chair of the Society of Garden Designers. Inspired by nature, Sarah has spent over 40 years working in Horticulture and Design in collaboration with clients, architects, developers, nurseries and local contractors and was listed among the topmost influential women in Horticulture on International Women’s Day 2021. Sarah Morgan Gardens create landscapes that are visionary, stimulating, purposeful, and considerate of the environment and long-term management. 

Biography

Sarah’s horticultural experience started as a teenager working in a commercial nursery, involved in shows and exhibitions, to pursue her childhood passion and interest in plants and design. On completing a BSc (Hons) Degree in Horticulture at Wye College (1983) Sarah progressed to the management of planting schemes with a local authority, before establishing her own Garden Design and Consultancy business, creating numerous private and commercial projects in Kent, the wider UK and abroad.


Throughout her career, Sarah has inspired others to design with plants within a sympathetic and practical framework. Her educator roles have included  Programme Leader at University Kent at Canterbury for the PG Diploma in ‘Garden History, Management and Design’ (1994-1999); Head of faculty, Landscape Horticulture and Design and Programme Leader for the BA (Hons) Garden Design at Hadlow College (2009-2014); Part-time lecturer at the University of Greenwich 2014-17 in Planting Design and she is the current Chair of Adjudication for the SGD.

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Awards & Information

  • Qualifications and Professional Accreditation

    • BSc (Hons) Horticulture, Wye College, University of London 1983

    • FSGD Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers – accredited 1998, made Fellow 2021

    • MCIHort, Member of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture

    • PGCE, Canterbury Christchurch University (2012)


  • Experience

    • Landscape and Garden Design Consultancy Services, Sarah Morgan Gardens (1985-present)
    • SGD Chair of Adjudications (2018-present)
    • Chair of the Society of Garden Designers (2017-2020)
    • Plant Health and Biosecurity Steering Group, reporting member (2019-present)
    • SGD Council member promoting colleges, student membership, CPD and Assessment (2014-2017)
    • Trustee and Historic Garden Advisor to Cobham Hall Heritage Trust, (2005-present)
    • Trustee, Kent Garden Trust (2016-present)
    • Historic Garden advisor to Eastbridge Hospital Trust
    • Brighton and Sussex University External Examiner (2012-2016)
    • Part-time lecturer in Planting Design, University of Greenwich (2014-2016)
    • Head of Faculty, Landscape Horticulture and Design, and Programme Leader for the BA (Hons) Garden Design at Hadlow College (2009-2014)
    • Programme Leader at University Kent at Canterbury for the PG certificate in ‘Garden History, Management and Design’ (1994-1999)
    • Active member of the Alpine Garden Society, Gardens Trust, RHS, National Trust
    • Field research on plant associations for adverse environmental conditions (2002-present)

  • Awards and grants

    • Winner Canterbury Society Design Awards 2021- Public realm and open spaces category

    • Townscape Heritage Fund to research and renovate Dalby Square, Margate 2016

    • Aude Fleurie winner 2014 for Public Garden Category

    • Designer of Principal Award-Winning Domestic Garden. BALI National Awards 2006

    • 4 Top Gold Medals Kent County Show

    • Heritage Lottery Funded project to research and produce Landscape Management Report (2007) on the development and restoration of North Pleasure Grounds, Cobham Hall, Designed by Humphry Repton 

    • Grant to research and design recreated Franciscan Gardens, Canterbury 2000

    • Monica Franklin Prize for academic excellence and practical aptitude, Wye College 1983

  • Articles and External Lectures

    • Lecture ‘Friars and Flora’, The Franciscan Gardens, Whitstable Horticultural Society July 2021
    • Homes and Garden October 2021 Garden Design contribution
    • SGD Journal April 2021 ‘Good Judgement’ Sarah Morgan and Matt Haddon
    • Prolandscaper TV ‘Women in Horticulture’ March 2021 – Panel Member
    • Lecture ‘Gardening in a Pandemic’ Alpine Garden Society November 2020
    • SGD Journal August 2020 ‘Towards an Inclusive Society’, Sarah Morgan
    • Prolandscaper Magazine August 2020 ‘Why I love Horticulture’ Sarah Morgan
    • Inex Magazine August 2020 ‘Garden Design in a Post-Pandemic Landscape’ Sarah Morgan
    • Lecture ‘Creative Cultivations – Soils in Landscape Design’ SoilsCon 2019 
    • SGD Journal Feb 2018 ‘Working Together’, Sarah Morgan and Adam White
    • Lecture ‘’A Career in Garden Design’ Landscape Show Sept 2018
    • Lecture ‘Mountains, People and Plants’ Alpine Garden Society 2018
    • Pro Landscaper Magazine Jan 2018 ‘Let’s hear it from Sarah Morgan MSGD’
    • SGD Journal 2016 ‘Getting Started as a Designer’ Sarah Morgan
    • Lecture SGD 2016 Autumn Conference ‘Picture and Performance’
    • Lecture Alpine Garden Society ‘Alpines and Landscape Design’ December 2016
    • Arte TV filmed interview with Raphaël Hitier about English Landscape Gardening
    • Lecture ‘Visionary Landscapes’ Whitstable Horticultural Society’ 2015 
    • Lecture Cobham Hall Heritage Trust ‘Parks, Palaces and People’ September 2013
    • Lecture ‘The Design Management and Maintenance of Large Parks and Gardens’ Lycee Horticole, Grenoble 2010
    • Listed Heritage Properties Journal - Mar/Apr issue, 2009, pg 50-54, Sarah Morgan, ‘Linking Landscape to Architecture’; July/Aug issue, Sarah Morgan, ‘Peeling Back the Layers, researching the History of a Garden and Landscape’
    • The Guardian 2008, Project design featured in ‘Anatomy of a Garden’ Andy Sturgeon
    • Lecture Richard 111 Society ‘Humps and Herbers’ Sarah Morgan 2008
    • Gardens Illustrated, September 2007, Project featured ‘Amaze and Delight’
    • RHS Journal October 2006 ‘Mizmazing’, Andrew Wilson on Mount Ephraim Project
    • Kent Life Sept 2006 ‘Amazing Maze’ Leigh Clapp on Mount Ephraim Project
    • Kent Life, Nov 2005 ‘A Growing Passion’ Leigh Clapp on Sarah Morgan
    • The English Garden February 2005 – ‘Family Treasure’, by Marjerus and Foley -Millennium Rose Garden and Maze at Mount Ephraim Gardens featured
    • Finesse magazine January 2000 – ‘Historical Herbs’ Sarah Morgan

Client Feedback

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    “Thank you so much Sarah for making our garden magical. It looks stunning. So happy” 


    - Lee and Cally, Bermondsey

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    “Dear Sarah, I am extremely grateful to you for your beautiful design. The garden is going to give me hours of pleasure and the anticipation of spring and summer is increasing daily. Thank you so very much” 


    - Gill, Ashford 

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    “Dear Sarah, Thank you so much for our beautiful garden. We truly appreciate all of your dedication to this project.” 


    - Nancy and Graham, Dulwich


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    “Dear Sarah, We would all like to thank you for our fabulous garden. It has been completely transformed. I can’t wait to see it develop over the next year.” 


    - Lindsey, Sevenoaks 

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