Helen Saunders Garden Design

06/10/2026

I’m delighted to share that the Epsom Townhouse Garden has been selected as a finalist in the Society of Garden + Landscape Designers Awards 2027! 🌿✨

Thank you to the SGLD for recognising this garden - it's a real honour to see it included alongside the work of so many talented garden designers.

The aim for this garden was to create a tranquil space that felt rooted in its woodland setting. The garden needed to fit a lot into a relatively compact space, with room for dining, growing edibles, and space to sit in both the sun and the shade. Soft planting is woven throughout the hardscape, with planting beds and rills collecting water run-off from the bank and sink, providing colour and creating a draw for wildlife.

A huge thank you to Greenscape Gardens for bringing my design to life and for all the care and craftsmanship that went into making it a reality. It's so rewarding to see the garden now being enjoyed as it was intended.

I’m really looking forward to celebrating alongside all the other finalists! 💚

30/09/2026

A garden designed as a natural extension of the home. 🌿

This recently completed garden near Dorking sits alongside a beautifully minimalist house, continuing its clean architectural language outside with paving flowing seamlessly from indoors to out and softly curving Corten walls defining the terrace. The clients were renovating their home and wanted the garden to feel like a natural continuation of its architecture and style.

But where the architecture is pared back, the planting brings softness, colour and abundance. Lush planting spills over the Corten edges, while planted rills create gentle divisions between different seating areas, giving the garden a sense of movement and discovery.

From inside, the garden becomes an extension of the living space — a view framed through the large glass doors, where the clean lines of the house dissolve into layers of planting and, beyond, the beautiful Surrey Hills.

A space that feels connected to the architecture, immersed in nature and rooted in its wider landscape. 🌿

Expert planting by Greenscape Gardens

Bespoke corten walls and steps by Weather It

21/07/2026

I'm absolutely delighted to have won the Design Under £50k award at the Awards for the Epsom Townhouse Garden. It's an incredible honour to have this project recognised, especially alongside the other amazing shortlisted and winning gardens.

The Epsom Townhouse Garden was designed to transform a compact garden into a lush, immersive retreat – a space that feels calm, generous and connected to nature, while providing places for my clients to relax, entertain and enjoy throughout the seasons. Thoughtfully layered planting plays a central role, creating texture, colour and year-round interest as well as a haven for wildlife. My aim was to create a garden that feels as though it has always belonged there: rich in planting, full of seasonal interest, and offering a peaceful escape from everyday life for my clients.

It was especially rewarding to hear the judges describe it as "a beautifully resolved townhouse garden that delivers strong spatial design and exceptional planting," adding that "the layered planting palette is particularly impressive." As someone who believes planting is what truly brings a garden to life, those comments mean a great deal.

A huge thank you to my wonderful clients for trusting me with their garden and embracing the vision from the very beginning. Thank you also to for their exceptional craftsmanship and for bringing the design to life with such care and attention to detail. It's always a pleasure working with a team that shares the same passion for creating beautiful gardens.

Congratulations to all of this year's winners and finalists. It was inspiring to see so many outstanding projects being recognised, and I'm honoured to be amongst such talented designers and landscapers.

19/07/2026

I always love receiving photos from clients and seeing their gardens establish over time.

A client recently sent me this lovely photo after returning from a trip away. They told me they came home to find the garden looking wonderful and that it's continuing to bring them so much pleasure.

This family garden in London was designed to be a lush, green oasis in the city—a place to relax on the lawn, enjoy the changing seasons, and even forage a few berries along the way. Seeing a garden settle in and become part of everyday life is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.

19/07/2026

16/06/2026

I'm delighted to share that the Epsom townhouse garden has been shortlisted for the Awards 2026 in the Design under £50,000 category.

This project was all about creating a garden that feels connected to its woodland setting with a strong focus on planting, atmosphere and creating a space that invites you to slow down.

It's always rewarding to see a project evolve from first sketches to a completed garden - swipe to see one of the original concept sketches.

A huge thank you to my wonderful clients for trusting me with their garden and congratulations to all the other shortlisted designers.

10/04/2026

Spring in the Epsom Townhouse garden. New growth is unfurling in every corner, delicate white daffodils drifting through the green, and the Amelanchier casting soft dappled shade over the morning coffee spot. The veg beds are already in full swing - so lovely to see how much this garden is used and enjoyed.