Our People

Doug

Doug joined the Creative team in May 1996 and has progressed through several roles in that time, culminating in him becoming a Director in 2021.

Doug has a wide variety of tasks ranging from client facing appointments, to behind the scenes running of the business, logistics & planning.

“The most rewarding thing for me is to see our staff flourish in both their personal and professional lives whilst of course giving our clients the high quality service we are known for. It can be challenging to maintain a relaxed persona when up against a deadline, a heavy workload or responsibility but nonetheless it is important to try and maintain an atmosphere of calm.

Creative offers the opportunity to work in enriching environments both on site and back at base. We work hard to achieve an open and approachable atmosphere whilst delivering a high standard of service to our clients.”

Matthew

Matthew joined The Big Plant Nursery in 2011 as a fresh-faced Saturday assistant during the final year of his horticultural degree. He has since developed his role within the nursery and wider business to becoming a Director in March 2021.

On an average day Matthew is busy plant sourcing and procurement, customer service, sales and planning. He has a wide range of responsibilities from the day to day to longer term business forecasting.

“The most rewarding part of my role is sourcing unique and interesting plants, providing a high-quality product and developing the business. Everyday has its own challenges, from the weather to logistics but understanding how to prioritise is key to make the most efficient use of each day.

On a personal note, Creative Landscape Co. has allowed me to develop my role and knowledge over the years. As a company, we are always looking at ways to better ourselves for the benefit of our clients, staff and the planet (including our accreditation with Planet Mark).”

Darren

Darren joined Creative Landscape Co. in 2000 as a Labourer. He worked hard to develop and hone his on-site skills which eventually led to him managing high value projects as a site Foreman. From there he progressed to running the landscaping department as Contracts Manager and at the same time developing the complex job of estimating.

With all this experience under his belt and his dedication to the business he became a Director in March 2021.

His day to day role involves liaising with clients and staff on multiple projects, quoting for landscaping design projects and planning to ensure the longevity of the business.

“I have always had the opportunity and support to take my career to the next level. The saying the more you put in the more you get back is certainly true here at Creative Landscape Co.”.

Julie

Julie has been our Office Manager since 2013. Before joining the Creative Landscape team, Julie spent twenty-seven years in dentistry as a dental nurse and practice manager. It was in this high stress in environment that Julie learnt to spin many plates in the air with aplomb.

These skills are invaluable in her day to day role where she is the first point of contact for clients, assisting the Directors and ensuring the office runs smoothly. She is the friendly face that greets us every morning and the joyful voice at the end of the phone.

“I love working here at Creative with my work family and our lovely customers surrounded by beautiful plants. What’s not to love!”

Luke

Luke is the contracts manager in our landscaping department. This means he is the direct link between our designers and the team that builds the garden. Day to day, he ensures the landscape teams run as efficiently as possible with customer satisfaction as the main goal. Having started as a labourer with us in 2006, he has experience of each element and role of the landscaping department first hand.

“The most rewarding part of my role is to bring a great design to life as well as seeing the next generation of apprentices and labourers develop their skills in landscaping. Staff are always listened to, treated equally and encouraged to progress through the company just as I was. That’s why I am still Creative Landscape Co. after sixteen years!”

Ryan

Ryan is contracts manager in our maintenance department. He manages all the staff from the maintenance and planting departments. He works closely with our clients and prides himself on understanding their individual needs. As a people person, he really enjoys this aspect of the role.

“Many clients I meet are unsure what to expect when making initial contact. I am the first person they meet and it is essential that I communicate the client’s needs and plan for the garden to the maintenance team who will be undertaking the work. This builds trust which is important in any relationship. I enjoy building teams and creating a positive and supportive environment for people to improve in.”

Corina

Corina has an Honours degree in Garden Design and has been transforming gardens since 2011. Passionate about all things plant based, she left her native Romania in 2006 with a degree in agriculture to pursue a career in horticulture.

Known amongst clients for her aesthetically pleasing mood boards, Corina enjoys nothing more than bringing her visions to life and creating award winning gardens.

Stefan

Stefan joined the company in 2018 within The Big Plant Nursery, learning a lot about plants and meeting new customers every day. After three years, he moved across to the Creative Landscape Co. planting team, learning new skills and key information. He has recently been promoted to Team leader. His role now is to execute a design with workmanship, teamwork and communication. He also oversees all quality control on site.

“The most satisfying part on my job is to walk into a garden and completely transform it with my team, and to experience the joy and excitement the customer has with them. This job would be enjoyable for anyone that has the dedication for hard work, loves the outdoors and likes to work in a team. I really enjoy working at creative because I visit new places, meet new people and work with great staff every day.”

Gemma

Gemma joined the nursery as a plant supervisor and over seven years has progressed to “Nursery Lead”. Her day to day role involves managing the nursery team, advising customers, handling sales and quality controlling the nursery plants. Gemma plays a key role in receiving plant deliveries. She checks that the plants arriving are healthy and in good condition and (since completing her training last year), she is now part of the forklift driver team.

“I have many favourite aspects of my job that I love, the changing seasons are great to see in the nursery, spring and autumn are especially vibrant. I really enjoy creating the displays in the nursery and inspiring customers.”

Jemma

Jemma is the Marketing Manager for The Big Plant Nursery and Creative Landscape Co.

She joined the company in 2018 after having gained experience in marketing at a Law firm.

“After previously working in a services industry, I immensely enjoy working with something tangible; beautiful plants and gardens. My mother and grandmother have always been plant enthusiasts and now I can hold my own in a horticulture related conversation. My knowledge of Greek and Latin has also been helpful in understanding all the technical plant names”.

In her spare time Jemma is a singer / songwriter.

Mel

Mel is one of our nursery assistants. He is part of the team responsible for daily plant care, maintaining the inspiring displays, unloading deliveries and general upkeep of the nursery.

“The best thing about my job? No two days are the same and I love that. I left an office based role in pursuit of a complete lifestyle change. Now I’m learning new skills, working outside amongst incredible high quality plants and broadening my horticultural knowledge.”

James

James is a maintenance supervisor. He maintains gardens and really enjoys building a relationship with the clients and keeping their gardens looking amazing all year round.

“Keeping the gardens looking their best is what motivates me, taking on new gardens and watching them grow over the years. We have a great team at creative and I love being a part of it”.

As long as you have the passion for plants, gardening, love being outside and are willing to learn I think most people would fit in, we Have so many different walks of life at creative that are all willing to help.

Jamie

From a young age Jamie knew a job indoors, wasn’t for him, he sought something hands on, outdoors. After two years at practical college, learning the trade of bricklaying, he ventured into the world of garden landscaping, starting as a labourer and progressing through the industry to Hard Landscape Foreman.

“When we start a job, we have nothing but the design. It’s so rewarding to stand back and see what a difference we have made and how happy the customers are to have their dream garden. To bring the design to life is very satisfying.”

“Creative landscape Co. really cares for and supports its employees, while also challenging them to grow with the company. I feel both respected and trusted by my peers. As a company it attracts energetic and outgoing people.”

Steve

Steve joined Creative Landscape Co. in January 2007 after three years experience with another Landscape company.

He then spent nine years in our Maintenance team as a Leader before progressing and spending another six years as a planting team supervisor.

He has recently become the manager of our three planting teams. His role includes liaising directly with clients, site visits with the designers, making sure his teams have everything they need and are happy within their job roles.

“What I find most satisfying is my teams going into any clients garden and transforming them from a unimaginative space into the clients dream garden, especially with how many of our clients now work from home”.

Helen

Garden and Landscape Designer.

Helen studied horticulture here in the UK before moving to the USA to grow trees and then on to the Middle East. In Dubai, she started to develop her design skills by working at large five star hotels and in private villas. On her return to the UK she worked on the BBC Gardeners’ World website and Crocus.co.uk, before working as a garden designer.

“My background horticulture gives me a better understanding of plants and how best to use them within the design. Even the most contemporary gardens need to be softened with beautiful planting and I use my plant knowledge to create lovely planting schemes within all gardens”.

Lynda

Lynda joined The Big Plant Nursery team in October 2020 as a Plant Sales Advisor.

Lynda studied Garden Design and Horticulture at the Berkshire College of Agriculture and has combined a garden design and garden maintenance alongside a twenty year career in teaching.

“An average day for me involves looking after the plants in the nursery, arranging displays and giving advice to customers about plant choices.

I particularly enjoy this aspect of working at the nursery, as our customers value the level of expertise we provide as a team and become regular faces. I enjoy building a relationship with repeat customers”.

Danielle

Bookkeeper & Admin Support.

Danielle joined the team in early 2024. She first started her career in accounts back in 2021 at a fine dining restaurant.

“I find watching a project from the beginning to the end very satisfying. Having contact with the customer throughout their journey with us and listening to how happy they are makes me very proud to work here.

Staff are always encouraged to progress at Creative Landscape Co. and overall, a very positive company to work for!”

Elaine

Elaine is one of our Garden Design Consultants. She regularly meets new clients to help them get the most from their gardens through her designs and planting schemes.
Championing wildlife friendly and native planting, Elaine has a gentle touch when it comes to design, and a life-long passion for roses. Having grown up on a farm she learned the importance of flora and fauna from a very early age, this helped hone her style when she trained in garden design in Kent, the Garden of England.

“My career in horticulture started in London working on the country’s leading gardening magazines including BBC Gardeners’ World, regularly exhibiting at RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower shows, and working on a multitude of specialist environmental projects before joining the company in 2019.”

Here at Creative Landscape Co., we get to transform people’s gardens! We carefully consider and design each garden to its own specific criteria and the client’s requirements. I love the creativity that brings as no two gardens are ever the same. It’s great working with award winning teams of like-minded people to achieve beautiful green spaces for all to enjoy.”

Cameron

Cameron has a Horticulture and Landscape apprenticeship from the Berkshire College of Agriculture.

He started with us when he was still studying for his apprenticeship and after two years, he joined us in a permanent position. He has since been promoted to a semi-skilled landscaper role.

“The key highlights of my job are the opportunities to work in a vast array of environments that require different skills ranging from problem solving to workmanship skills, the perfect platform for someone to build and grow as I have done the past four years and continue to do so! I have my sights set on becoming a skilled landscaper and then eventually, foreman”.

Ciaran

Ciaran is in our planting team and has recently been given the opportunity to take on more responsibility within his team with a view to becoming Team Leader in the future.

He started off at Creative Landscape Co. in a part-time role at just one day a week whilst at college. He enjoyed it so much he joined us full time once he had completed his course.

Originally in our maintenance department, Ciaran soon discovered that planting was his passion and transferred across to one of our planting teams.

“The transformations on the gardens we create is very rewarding. Seeing what we can achieve for the customer is true job satisfaction.”

I would say, this type of job would be a good fit for anyone who likes working outside and who enjoys a challenge. Creative Landscape Co. is a great place to work because they allow you to grow professionally as well as develop and grow as a person. They give you many opportunities to improve your skills in all departments.”