Tracy Foster On Her Approach To Garden Design: ‘The More Lush And Green The Better’

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Tracy Foster, a Chelsea Gold Medal winning Garden Designer, brings over 20 years of experience to the art of transforming outdoor spaces, with a further 10 years of project management experience.

Based in our hometown of Leeds – Tracy’s work ranges from contemporary designs to wildlife havens, reflecting her belief that every garden should mirror its owner’s personality and lifestyle.

Beyond design, Tracy also works as a botanical tour guide, speaker and mentor – and has accumulated numerous accolades over the years, including several RHS Gold Medal Awards and a People’s Choice Award, attesting to her skill and creativity in garden design.

Please note that the imagery used in this article has been provided with permission by Tracy Foster.

Can you share your journey and what inspired you to pursue a career in garden design?

“My earliest garden memories include things like collecting caterpillars and keeping them as pets, or watching a whole family of hedgehogs cross our lawn,” Tracy shares.

“I must have been 4 or 5 years old at the time and I just loved being outdoors, getting dirty and looking for wildlife. Like many kids, I was allotted a tiny patch of ground to cultivate which was nowhere near enough for me, so I bossily took over more and more of the garden until by the age of about 15, I was looking after all of it.

“By the time I left school, I was certain that I wanted to do something connected with plants, but I don’t think I’d even heard of Garden Design as a career. I chose to study Plant Biology at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, graduating in the 1980s and emerging into a world of high unemployment – so I gratefully took a job as a trainee computer programmer and spent the next 17 years working in IT. 

“A bit of a wrong turn perhaps, but I learnt useful skills in management and found out about all sorts of software along the way, whilst always gardening in my spare time.

“When I had the opportunity to take voluntary redundancy, I was out of the door faster than you can say ‘Garden Designer’ and I began studying for a Diploma in Garden Design, volunteering in a nearby historic garden and setting up my business straight away.”

With over 20 years of experience in garden design, what do you consider your most significant achievement?

“The first one that springs to mind is the Hedgehog Street project, as I was so delighted to be chosen to build a show garden at the 2014 RHS Hampton Court Show to highlight the plight of hedgehogs and demonstrate ways gardeners can help,” she explains.

“I went on to win a gold medal and the People’s Choice award. I was then asked to design and create another two gardens for Hedgehog Street, one of which is at RHS Harlow Carr Gardens.

“It felt very significant because the brief was that it had to show how to be wildlife friendly in a garden, no matter what its style, so it helped to shake off the idea that only messy, neglected-looking gardens would do.”

You’ve received several RHS gold medals and the coveted People’s choice award for one of your Chelsea gardens. What do these accolades mean to you and how do they shape your future projects?

“It is wonderful to win an RHS medal or to be awarded Best Small Garden or Peoples’ Choice at any of the shows, but the best bit by far is the chance to meet and work with the great melting pot of knowledgeable and creative people who are on-site creating exhibits.

“I am friends with lots of designers, landscapers and artists that I’ve met over the years when doing show gardens, and I’ve gone on to work with many of them on other projects. That is a priceless learning experience, and collaborations always spark a succession of new ideas.

“The wide range of sponsors and unusual themes for show gardens have brought the most fabulous opportunities to meet specialists who I would never otherwise have come across.”

you also work as a botanical tour guide, speaker, tutor, mentor, and garden writer. How do you manage to juggle these diverse roles, and how do they complement each other?

“The work I do is a pretty diverse mix, and I certainly have to manage my time carefully,” she shares.

“Having said that, I have frequently taken on too much and ended up working very long hours. My firm belief is that I want to live the most exciting and fulfilling life possible, which can mean choosing the most interesting work over the most profitable.

“As I work for myself, I am free to split my time between different roles and I can be selective about what projects I will accept. Somehow the different aspects of work do fit together, research for speaking and teaching always comes in handy when doing some creative design work, and being a botanical guide has brought a wealth of knowledge and inspiration.”

From contemporary outdoor rooms to wildlife havens, you’ve designed a variety of garden styles. Do you have a personal favourite style or theme?

“I love gardens that are really full of plants, especially when that includes plenty of textures, interesting foliage and as little hard landscaping as possible,” she says.

“The more lush and green the better. I do like an arts and crafts garden for those carefully crafted details and repurposed objects, but part of the fun of designing is the creation of something new and different for each client.

“I make sure all the gardens I design are wildlife-friendly and as sustainable as possible. I hate waste and love to re-use anything I can on each job. That can also keep the costs down and means less material is being transported to and from the garden.

“When I am creating gardens, I am acutely aware that it is all too easy to have a negative effect on the environment – look at all the horrible impenetrable fencing and toxic fake grass that has been inflicted on gardens by Garden Designers in the past. I think we have a responsibility to make sure we have a positive effect.”

What common challenges do gardeners face, and how would you advise them to overcome these challenges?

“For anyone new to gardening, the big challenges are a lack of confidence and feeling overwhelmed by the task of making the garden they want,” she explains.

“My advice would be to measure your garden and draw up a design because it will enable you to see exactly what you’re trying to achieve and you can work slowly, doing a little at a time with the knowledge that it is all moving towards your planned dream garden.

“There are loads of books about garden design, and some jolly useful websites too, and many people are more than capable of putting pencil to paper and creating a plan.

“For others, if it seems too daunting, I would suggest booking a consultation with a Garden Designer to talk about what’s possible and how to achieve it. I do a lot of this sort of work and really enjoy watching people discover their creativity.

“Many go on to make really special gardens on their own, whilst others choose to have designs drawn up for them.”

What’s your favourite thing about your job?

“I love the freedom and the variety. One day, I might be mentoring a team of school children as they make model gardens, I could be outside planting 1,000 bulbs the next, drawing up ideas for a brand new project for the following few days or taking photographs of a completed garden.

“I’ve worked on all kinds of projects, and once I even helped to build a show garden on board a cruise ship as it sailed around the Atlantic Isles.

“When I tell people what I do they always say ‘that must be a really nice job’ and I have to try really hard not to look too pleased with myself!”

Are there any upcoming projects you’re particularly excited about?

“I have two gardens that are about to be built,” shares Tracy.

“One is a tiny suburban plot and the other is an expansive country garden and I must say, I’m really looking forward to seeing them both take shape. I’m also at the bid stage on a couple of other really exciting projects, but I can’t tell you anything about them as I’m sworn to secrecy!”