Welcome!

I’m a landscape and garden designer based in Saffron Walden working across Essex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Greater London. 

Having initially studied Art & Design at Central St Martins, I embarked on a career at a top international auction house in London before working at some of the most prestigious international brands in media, design and consulting. 

After more than a decade, I felt drawn back to a more creative path. My background in design coupled with a wealth of knowledge and true passion for horticulture - inherited from my mother and grandmother - held the answer. In 2020 I enrolled in a Master’s Diploma in Residential Landscape Design from Oxford College of Garden Design, graduating with a distinction in 2023. That same year I relocated from South West London to my hometown of Saffron Walden and founded Lucie Dutton Design. 

My Philosophy

For many, a garden is a sanctuary connecting us and our home to the surrounding landscape and nature. It has the potential to become a seamless extension of your home that harmonises the often stark contrast between architecture and nature while simultaneously celebrating the innate spirit of the place. 

The landscapes I create are elegant, timeless spaces. A seemingly simple design is underpinned by the complexity of finding just the right balance and contrast. The balance between interior and exterior. Between bold geometry and natural forms. Between hard and soft. Between the horizontal, vertical and overhead planes. Between humans and nature. 

At the heart of any project, of course, lie the client’s aspirations. Through close collaboration I tease out a clear brief based on your wants and needs that, in turn, manifests into a final design concept. 

Over the course of a project, I collaborate with architects, developers, planners and skilled craftsmen. With so many moving parts, meticulous attention to detail and planning are key to ensuring successful project delivery and a finish that is both visually stunning and built to last. 

Sustainability

I have an enduring personal ambition that the gardens I design are not only environmentally sound not just now, but for future generations as well. Following the manifesto for sustainability from the Society of Garden Designers, of which I am a pre-registered member, I consider all of the following carefully when creating a design:

  • • Be aware of as many implications around sustainability and recylability relating to materials and their manufacturing and advise clients accordingly

    • Respect what is already there and collaborate with the client on what can be retained or relocated to get the very best from a garden vs a 100% clean slate. This not only reduces waste and carbon emissions but can also significantly reduce cost.

    • Encourage clients to be open to some slightly less manicured areas of the garden to encourage biodiversity and habitat

  • • Where possible minimise run off through use of permeable materials

    • Facilitate rain-water harvesting and water preservation through the use of materials, aftercare advice and plant selection

    • Use irrigation systems as temporary measures until planting is established

    • Consider use of rain gardens or ‘thirsty’ plants and trees where surface run off could be an issue

    • Educate clients on benefits of natural ponts and swimming ponds vs conventional chlorinated water features and pools.

  • • Conserve resources by recycling or upcycling materials where possible.

    • Lean towards local materials and suppliers where possible in order to reduce emissions. This also plays well into ensuring the local vernacular of a site is reflected in the design and materials of the garden.

    • Carefully consider every square metre of hard landscaping used. This not only reduces waste and emissions but can also significantly reduce cost of build.

    • Be aware of the carbon footprint of materials being proposed. In some cases a man-made material can have a lower carbon footprint compared to natural stone depending on manufacturing process and logistics.

    • Be aware of the permanent impact quarrying and extraction has on the local habitat and environment

    • Design using materials in a way that they can be reused or recycled at the end of their life within the design.

    • Use green rooves and green walls where possible to reduce CO2 and heat in urban areas. They can reduce storm water runoff and if using traditional methods, green walls can require much smaller foundations.

  • • Always question claims over the sustainability of materials and manufacturing and advise clients accordingly. Greenwashing is prevalent with many materials branded as ‘sustainable’ given it is such a hot topic. Bamboo, for example, may be a natural, sustainable and fast-growing alternative to other woods and plastics. However, large scathes of virgin rainforest are now being deforested in central and south America to make way for this fast growing, non-native monoculture.

  • • Work with the existing topography as much as possible to reduce need for excavation and compaction

    • Understand the soil type, pH and texture of each site and select plants accordingly

    • Try to use existing materials on site to enrich soil that has been depleted or destroyed by previous works

    • Use organic, peat free fertilisers, mulch and composts. Consider use of peat in plant growing and try, where budget allows, to opt for peat-free grown plants.

    • Educate clients about the long-term harm of pesticides and herbicides and the benefits of embracing biological alternatives.

  • • Where possible, retain existing trees and plants or relocate them to make them work with the new layout.

    • Source plants from local and British nurseries in order to minimise carbon footprint

    • Select plants and trees based on their suitability to the current and predicted climate changes to ensure they not only thrive but positively contribute to reducing need for water resources

  • • Educate clients and provide alternative solutions when artificial grass is requested. It is a byproduct of the petrochemical industry, is non-recyclable, has a high carbon footprint and is unable to support wildlife. It is a negative food source, a breeding ground for mycotoxins and pathogens and limits nutrients for all plants and trees in the vicinity.

    • It is commonly mistaken for ‘no maintenance’ but in reality needs to be hoovered and cleaned more regularly than grass, particularly in winter.

  • • Minimise light pollution and impact on wildlife when designing a lighting plan. Consider lumen and strategic placement to ensure the lighting contributes positively to the aesthetics and functionality of the garden without illuminating absolutely everything.

    • Encourage use of solar powered lighting or biofuel based lamps where possible.

  • • Champion natural and sustainable materials for children’s play areas instead of popular rubberised materials. Not only are there many safe but they also provide an opportunity for children to connect with nature.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity in the UK has declined at an alarming rate, with scientists estimating a loss of around 50% overall in the last 200 years. It has been proven that biodiversity loss can be reversed but we must take the appropriate steps. 

When designing gardens, improving biodiversity is always at the forefront of my mind even if it is not a particular goal of the client. Contrary to popular belief, a biodiverse garden does not equate to a scruffy garden, it simply focuses on increasing habitats (food, water and shelter) for a diverse range of species through small considerations: 

  • Design around any existing signs of wildlife in a garden 

  • Ensure areas of sun, shade, dry and wet. Work with what you already have and remodel accordingly to include a range of habitats rather than monocultures. 

  • Choose and use plants that restore ecosystems or support biodiversity. 

  • Provide maintenance instructions that will ensure increased biodiversity. This can include areas of short, medium and, where appropriate, long grass and leaving structural seedheads over winter to provide food and shelter to insects and birds. 

  • Ensure a mix of species, both native and non-native based on what will thrive on the site and also provide year-round habitats. It is a misconception that only native species can improve biodiversity. The more diverse range of plant species you have, the more diverse range of pollinators, birds and invertebrates you will attract. 

  • Suggest and educate clients on biological control and companion planting vs the use of herbicides and pesticides. 

  • Encourage the use of fallen branches, twigs and leaf litter where appropriate.

  • Where appropriate, include some no-mow areas.

SERVICES