East Sussex Garden Designer and award-winning landscape designer Jo Thompson is being recognised for her personal contribution to society at a 60th anniversary ‘Women of the Year’ lunch later this month in London (Monday 19 October)
The 45 year old joins over 400 women from all walks of life, all of whom have achieved something of significance. Jo’s is in acknowledgment of her innovative and diverse garden design achievements.
With a practice established in 2006 and a portfolio of projects for private, commercial and charitable clients, Jo Thompson is frequently described as one of the UK’s leading designers. Her more public successes include medal winning show gardens at the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show and events in Russia and Japan. She was named a Society of Garden Designers ‘Future Designer’ in 2014 and is a member of the RHS Gardens Committee for Rosemoor and an RHS show garden selection panellist.
Jo and her team now work in the UK and internationally on coastal, country, public, roof, show and town gardens of all sizes. She says her success is largely due to the partnership she establishes with her client and her keen understanding of a ‘sense of place’ which is fundamental to good design.
Commenting on this celebration of her work Jo said: “It’s a great honour to be recognised in this way. The work of female garden and landscape designers is slowly making the headlines in an industry which seems to be dominated by males. Personally I would also like to see more women showcasing their talents in the very testing and high profile professional environments of events like the RHS Chelsea Flower show”.
As the gardening season comes to a close Jo will continue sharing her love of design as a speaker at the Times Literary Festival this Sunday (4 October) and by joining cruise ship passengers on garden tours of the Canary Islands in November.
