My aim is to create beautiful and atmospheric gardens that reflect the personal style and practical needs of my clients. At the same time I strive to enhance the architecture of the building and/or the surrounding countryside.

I have created a wide range of gardens from contemporary to traditional and small courtyards to larger gardens. My design philosophy is to use:

• Clean and simple lines
• Bold planting and plenty of textural interest
• Materials suited to the architecture of the house,  the personal style, practical needs and budget of my clients
• Creative solutions to challenging situations

I pay close attention to detail in order to exceed my client’s expectations every time.

I changed career path to garden design to explore my passion for plants and design and to express myself creatively. I had previously spent 10 years working as a successful international lobbyist in Brussels and London.

I trained at Capel Manor Horticultural College in North London where I won a number of awards in Garden Design and Hard-landscaping.

On graduating from Capel Manor, I established Sue Townsend Garden Design and have since that time been designing and building stylish and atmospheric gardens for private clients.

Between June 2001- 2004, I worked as the BBC’s Blue Peter Gardener, following in the footprints of Percy Thrower and helping to inspire a new generation of gardeners.

In July 2004 I moved from North London to the coast of Suffolk, from where I now run my garden design company, servicing London and East Anglia.

In 2007 the Society of Garden Designers awarded me full membership (MSGD) in recognition of my design skills, plant knowledge and professionalism.  In 2009 and 2011 two of my designs were chosen as one of the Best Designs of the Year by the SGD’s Garden Design Journal.

I have won numerous national awards – SGD 2014 Award for Planting Design, SGD 2014 Award for Small Residential Garden, SGD 2017 Award for Garden Jewel, SGD 2020 inaugural Beth Chatto Award, SGD 2020 Small Budget, Big Impact Award. In 2019 she became a registered member of the British Association of Landscape Industries, BALI and won a BALI national award in the same year.