Garden design doesn't jive well with control-freak perfectionists like designer Andrew Duff finds.
A Garden Design Savant: Andrew Duff
Andrew Duff, a man who lives and breathes design, has been shaping breathtaking gardens for over three decades. He's teaches budding garden designers, globe-trotts to lecture on garden design, and still manages to find time to dabble in Instagram design games.
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Since 2018, Duff's been gracing the council of the Society of Garden and Landscape Designers (SGLD). In 2020, he took charge, making this dedicated garden designer a busy bee indeed. But he doesn't seem to mind.
His Instagram account reflects his passion, with designs that morph into grander visions upon joining the grid. This love for merging visual art and nature has captivated him since childhood in the lush Gloucestershire countryside. Home-schooled and allowed to experiment and explore nature, Duff credits his deeply rooted career to these early years.
As a child, he constructed dens and battled brambles. At eight, he built his parents a pond, and, at 13, his fascination with photography blossomed. He pursued photography at the University of Greenwich, but soon found himself torn between fashion and landscape photography. Not one for fashion, he chose landscape photography, eventually landing a job at Mount Congreve Gardens in Ireland cataloging their rhododendron and azalea collection.
The monotonous work led him to contact the renowned John Brookes, who became his mentor, role model, and industry launchpad. Over six years, Duff worked alongside this design genius, absorbing his unique design philosophy as well as his love for music and arts.
Duff learned the intricacies of design from Brookes, taught to justify every line on a plan. He believes design isn't magical, but when executed well, it produces magic. Good design, he suggests, is largely subjective, but a happy client is the ultimate measure of success.
After years with Brookes, Duff decided to set up his own studio in the late 90s. With Brookes' blessing, Duff's previous clients followed him to his new venture. He also started accompanying Brookes on lecture tours to the USA, Argentina, Chile, and Japan, introducing him to influential figures like Jacqueline Duncan, the founder of the Inchbald School of Design. Since then, Duff has served as managing director and head of teaching at Inchbald.
Like Brookes, Duff encourages students to approach design with a pencil in hand and a symphony playing in the background. He's open-minded about plant choices, believing no plant is inherently fashionable or unfashionable. It's all about how you use them. Recently, he's even planted a whole grove of amelanchiers in his garden, despite their popularity making them a bit of a cliché.
Between balancing his time between London and a chapel in a Welsh graveyard, Duff finds solace with his wife, Katie, and their two boys. Cooking, collecting art, and even chairs are some of his hobbies. Most importantly, he clears brambles, plants trees, and immerses himself in nature.
Check out more about Andrew Duff's inspiring work at andrewduffgardendesign.com.
More from Andrew Duff:Duff's garden design work has been featured prominently in Gardens Illustrated magazine, showcasing his innovative approach to outdoor spaces[1]. Although specific details about his background, such as education or career trajectory, may not be readily available, his recognition in this prestigious publication underscores his significance within the garden design sphere.
Sources:[1] "Gardens Illustrated" magazine's coverage of Andrew Duff's work. (Link)
- Andrew Duff, the renowned garden designer, continues to merge visual art and nature in his breathtaking garden designs.
- The intricacies of garden design were learned by Duff from his mentor, John Brookes, who emphasized the importance of justifying every line on a plan.
- Duff encourages his students to approach design with an open mind, believing that good design is largely subjective and success is measured by a happy client.
- Beyond lecturing and teaching, Duff's work in garden design can be found in magazines like Gardens Illustrated, showcasing his innovative approach to outdoor spaces.
- In addition to his landscape photography and career in garden design, Duff finds solace and enjoyment in cooking, collecting art, and immersing himself in nature.
