About

The Studio

Zoe Claymore Garden Design is a small multi-award-winning garden design studio based in south west London. We design personalised gardens and plant schemes across London, Surrey, Berkshire and North Hampshire. We also design larger landscapes further afield.

Evolving your garden or landscape is an exciting opportunity, yet is also an investment of time and resources. For those wanting to make the process as straightforward and enjoyable as possible, we can provide a complete garden or planting design service to our clients. We add value to the outcome of our projects by being “hands on” throughout the design process from initiation to plant establishment to boost results, reduce the carbon footprint and minimise stress for our clients. For those wanting to project manage or plant their own garden, we also offer a ‘design only’ option or advice service.

Our designs are all bespoke and are chiefly inspired by our clients, their tastes and preferences, as well as the project’s site and local ecosystem. We balance practical requirements with a sense of individual fun to each design. For residential projects we are always striving to design places which enhance our clients lives at both a practical and emotional level, and then realise the work in a sustainable way with ecological integrity.

Zoe

Director Zoe Claymore trained in garden design at the internationally renowned Inchbald School of Design in London and in horticulture at Merrist Wood College in Surrey. She graduated from both with distinction, winning the Dean’s prize for garden design at Inchbald.

Zoe is passionate about spatial design, plants and the power of nature to enhance our everyday lives. She loves getting to know clients well in order to provide them with spaces that are truly meaningful to them, as well as ecologically sound.

Zoe holds an RHS Gold Medal from The RHS Hampton Court Flower Show 2023, the ‘Best Get Started’ garden award and a coveted ‘People’s Choice’ award. She was named one of the RHS’s Horticultural Heroes of 2023.

As well as running the studio, Zoe sits on the editoral board for the Society of Garden Designers Magazine Garden Design Journal, and is an Ambassador for the National Allotment Society.

Before becoming a garden designer, Zoe was a mixed methods researcher in the civil service. Her career change was covered in the national press. During her research career she managed large teams, working with a diverse array of professionals, to create and implement national research and evaluation projects.

Accolades

RHS Horticultural Hero of 2023

Awards

RHS Gold Medal - Hampton Court Flower Show 2023

RHS “Best Get Started Garden” - Hampton Court Flower Show 2023

RHS People’s Choice Award “Get Started Gardens” - Hampton Court Flower Show 2023

Dean’s Prize for Garden Design - Inchbald School of Design 2022

Press coverage

Zoe and her work have been featured in a wide range of publications including: Homes and Gardens, Ideal Home, Gardens Illustrated, House Beautiful, Modern Gardens, The Guardian, Garden Design Journal, London Post, Landscaping Matters, Pro Landscaper & Horticultural Week

TV/Radio appearances

TV: BBC Gardener’s World Feature, BBC London

Radio: Gardening with the RHS Podcast , BBC Sheffield ‘The Grow Show’