Stephen Paul’s Profile

Stephen has a BSc and HND in Landscape and Garden Design, with a successful career in horticulture spanning 17 years. For the last 10 years he has been working in collaboration with two internationally acclaimed garden designers, Andy Sturgeon and most recently, Diarmuid Gavin.

During this time Stephen designed the planting schemes for 3 Chelsea Show gardens, winning two gold and one silver gilt medals. In 2007 he co-designed the Westland Chelsea garden with Diarmuid Gavin, which earned a silver gilt medal. He has co-produced show gardens at Westonbirt, the Urban Design Show at Earl’s Court and at RHS Wisley. Stephen has also run his own plant nursery and landscape construction company in Ireland, worked on Groundforce with Alan Titchmarsh and was apprenticed at Cambridge University Botanic Gardens.

The Company

Stephen Paul Reilly set up the company in 2008 after spending the last 10 years working with and running the prestigious garden design practices of two leading practitioners in the field. He has gained a huge wealth of knowledge and experience designing gardens in Ireland, Spain, France, Portugal, South Africa, Dubai and the UK. Stephen has now decided to branch away and focus on his own work with commissions in the UK and Ireland. In scale, these range from country gardens to small urban plots, and he is happy to undertake projects both nationally and internationally.

The Approach

Stephen likes to be involved in all aspects of the projects he undertakes. He enjoys establishing a close working relationship with each client and seeing each project through to completion.

Stephen also likes to maintain contact with the client after the garden is completed and believes that this is an essential element in delivering client satisfaction.

Central to Stephen’s philosophy as a garden designer is identifying and drawing out the essence of a location. This is what gives his gardens a particular quality of harmony and belonging.

Awards

Chelsea 2007 co designed with Diarmuid Gavin award received silver gilt Westonbirt 2001 co designed with Andy Sturgeon