Refined Landscapes
Hertfordshire / Bedfordshire
£40,000–£60,000 per year, depending on experience
Full-time | PAYE | Office-based
About the role
Refined Landscapes is looking for an experienced Senior Garden Designer to join our growing design team.
This is a fantastic opportunity for a talented, client-facing designer to work on high-end residential garden projects across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and surrounding areas.
We are looking for someone who can take projects from client brief and concept design through to technical drawings, planting plans, presentations and handover to our installation team.
You will be joining an award-winning, BALI-accredited landscape design and build company with a reputation for quality, creativity and exceptional client experience.
This role would suit an established garden designer or landscape designer with around 5+ years’ experience, strong technical design ability, excellent planting knowledge and the confidence to present ideas directly to clients.
Why join Refined Landscapes?
We are not just looking for someone to produce drawings.
We are looking for someone who wants to help shape beautiful, high-end gardens and play an important role in the continued growth of our design studio.
Our design-and-build model means you will have the opportunity to see your projects move from concept through to completion, working closely with a skilled installation team that can bring your ideas to life.
You will have the stability of an established company, modern systems and a strong operational team behind you, while also having the creative freedom and influence that comes with joining a design studio at an exciting stage of growth.
What you’ll be doing
Your responsibilities will include:
- Attending design brief meetings with clients
- Developing creative garden design concepts
- Producing professional design presentations
- Creating detailed plans and technical construction drawings
- Producing planting plans and planting schemes
- Working in Vectorworks and SketchUp
- Preparing clear handover information for the installation team
- Presenting designs confidently to clients
- Responding to client feedback and developing designs through the process
- Working closely with the wider Refined Landscapes team
- Helping ensure designs are creative, practical, buildable and commercially considered
- Keeping up to date with garden design, horticulture, materials and outdoor living trends
Depending on experience, there may also be future opportunities to support, mentor or help develop other designers as the studio continues to grow.
What we’re looking for
We are looking for someone who is:
- Creative and design-led
- Highly organised
- Confident presenting to clients
- Commercially aware
- Detail-focused
- Calm under pressure
- Passionate about gardens, planting and outdoor living
- Able to manage their own workload, diary and deadlines
- Interested in improving systems, standards and the wider business
- Excited by high-end domestic projects
- Motivated by the opportunity to see designs built properly
You should be someone who takes pride in your work, cares about the client experience and understands that the best garden design is not only beautiful, but also practical, detailed and buildable.
Essential skills and experience
- Approximately 5+ years’ experience in garden design or landscape design
- Strong portfolio of garden design work
- Excellent Vectorworks skills
- Excellent SketchUp skills
- Strong planting knowledge
- Strong construction detailing knowledge
- Confident client-facing and presentation skills
- Ability to produce clear, professional drawings and design information
- Good understanding of high-end domestic garden design
- Excellent communication and organisation skills
- Full UK driving licence
- Relevant qualifications and/or equivalent professional experience
Desirable but not essential
- Experience in a landscape design-and-build company
- Experience seeing projects through from design to completion
- 3D visualisation or rendering skills
- Knowledge of garden lighting and irrigation
- Experience with high-end residential clients
- Formal qualification in garden design, landscape architecture, horticulture or a related subject
- Experience supporting or mentoring junior designers
Package
- £40,000–£60,000 per year, depending on experience
- PAYE employment
- Pension provided
- 20 days holiday plus bank holidays
- All IT equipment provided
- Design software provided
- High-end residential projects
- Supportive team and management structure
- Opportunity to help shape a growing design studio
- Career progression as the company continues to grow
Hours and location
This is primarily an office-based role, with client and site visits where required.
Working hours are flexible around either:
- 8:00am–4:30pm, or
- 9:00am–5:30pm
There is flexibility within those hours by agreement.
Projects are typically based across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and surrounding areas.
Apply now
If you are an experienced garden designer looking for a role with creative freedom, high-end projects, strong support and the chance to see your work come to life, we would love to hear from you.
Please apply with your CV and portfolio.
We are especially interested in seeing examples of concept design, planting design, technical detailing and completed projects where available.
Pay: £40,000.00-£60,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Free fitness classes
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
