Paul Hervey-Brookes

I have been interested in plants and gardens since childhood. Some of my earliest memories are of being given cuttings and tubers to grow by our neighbours while growing up in Oxford, where we lived a short distance from the University Botanic Garden. This interest grew into a deep fascination and led me to study at Pershore College of Horticulture in 1997. During this time, I also worked for a specialist herbaceous perennial nursery, Cotswold Garden Flowers, propagating, potting on, learning and traveling the length and breadth of the country going to rare plant fairs. These travels eventually led me to study at The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, giving me an opportunity to learn about plants and plant habitats from some of the most knowledgeable and inspiring plantsmen in the world. After university, I was fortunate enough to work in Italy, restoring a Renaissance garden and later in France for Baron de Rothschild. Upon returning to the United Kingdom, I studied landscape design and dabbled in creating a show garden at Malvern Autumn Show 2008. This first attempt proved addictive and I have created show gardens at venues such as the Chelsea Flower Show and Hampton Court alongside being invited to exhibit on an international stage in the United States, France, New Zealand, Japan and Australia. My work as a garden and landscape designer is highly diverse and I relish the opportunity to work on everything from small courtyards to large country estates as well as public spaces. I work both in the United Kingdom and internationally and as part of my work I advise on the management of gardens and public spaces. ​I also work on a number horticulturally related projects such as designing an exclusive range of gardening gifts for Marks & Spencer and creating a series of bespoke designed 'Spaces' for Bradstone along with my own range of gardening clothes and products which were sold through Allomorphic. I write for magazines as diverse as Cruise International, Explore More, The Telegraph and House Builder Magazine. ​Since 2015, I have been an RHS Gardens Judge and have chaired judging at all of the RHS Flower Shows including RHS Chelsea Flower Show.