To make gardens with meaning
A garden can be deeply personal and still feel part of something larger than us. We design to give ideas, character and beauty physical form, creating places that belong to their setting, enrich the lives around them and grow in meaning over time.
Individuality. Creative ambition. Enduring design.
Each design should contain something of the client, something of the place and something of our own interpretation. We look for an idea strong enough to avoid the obvious, then give it the spatial structure, planting and materials to grow in character and remain a delight for decades to come.
A garden can tell many stories
Ideas often begin with the client — their interests, aesthetics and ambitions for the place. We listen for what matters, then look for what else the garden might hold: something in the landscape, the architecture, its history, or an unexpected reference that gives the idea greater depth.
The aim is to weave these different threads into a garden that tells a story particular to its people and place.
Rigorous in realisation
The quality of a garden is decided as much in its details as in its first idea. We take particular pride in the creativity possible through detailing — in the specification of materials, planting, finishes and the many small decisions that determine how a place will actually feel and how enjoyable it is to use.
We believe the experience of bringing a garden to life matters as much as the quality of the design itself. Good communication, careful coordination and a willingness to collaborate are all part of seeing an ambitious idea properly realised.
Studio background
James Innes | Founder & Creative Lead
James leads the creative and strategic direction of every project at James Innes Design, bringing academic rigor, historical depth, and disciplined project leadership to ambitious landscape creation.
He holds a Diploma in Garden Design with Distinction from the Inchbald School of Design—where his work was awarded the Exhibition Prize and featured in Dezeen—and read Geography at St. John’s College, Cambridge. He also holds a PGCE from University College London (UCL). This academic and pedagogical foundation shapes his ability to analyse complex site dynamics and articulate design narratives with clarity.
Prior to founding the studio, James trained as an Officer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (SSLC), worked in strategy consulting at PwC, and served as a senior leader across premier independent schools, including Dulwich College and City of London School. This unique trajectory equips the studio with rare operational strength: combining high-level creative vision with rigorous project management, stakeholder leadership, and articulate presentation.
His design language is informed by extensive field research into Britain’s great historic gardens and the foundational texts of master landscape architects, including Thomas Mawson and Gertrude Jekyll—translating classical spatial relationships into contemporary masterplans.
Studio Practice & Credentials
Practice: Residential Garden and Landscape Design, Masterplanning & Planting Design
Locations: Central London, Home Counties, and Select Projects further afield
Credentials: Dip. Garden Design (Distinction & Exhibition Prize), Inchbald School of Design | Pre-Registered Member of the Society of Garden and Landscape Designers | MA (Hons) Geography, St. John’s College, Cambridge | PGCE, University College London (UCL)
Leadership Background: Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (SSLC) | Strategy Consulting (PwC) | Senior Leadership (Dulwich College & City of London School)
Press & Recognition: Featured in Dezeen
