Meet Karen

Creating beautiful, practical outdoor spaces.

When you place a commission with Karen you are working with a design specialist whose priority is to take the time to imagine, explore and test design possibilities on your behalf. 

With creative design talent and technical abilities, she is able to solve your garden design problems whilst introducing you to new and exciting possibilities.

You can read previous clients reviews at the end of this page. 
"Hello. My name is Karen Chamberlain and I’m a professionally trained Garden Designer living in Colchester and working throughout much of Essex and Suffolk. 

I’ve been a wandering creative who's found their passion in the fascinating world of garden design; a glorious mix of art, science, maths and nature!   On graduating from the highly regarded Writtle College I set up my professional practice. That was over 20 years ago and in the intervening years I've designed hundreds of gardens, trained in horticulture with the RHS at Beth Chatto Gardens, professionally qualified as an adult tutor in Garden Design, successfully joined both the Association of Professional Landscapers (MAPL) and, as a pre-registered member, the Society of Garden Designers (SGD). 

I’ve deliberately retained my independence allowing me to remain a design focused and artisan practice. I work personally with a small number of clients each year in order to achieve the best possible creative and practical outcomes for them. 
 
Thank you for taking the time to look through my web site. If you believe you’ve just found the right designer for you and your garden, let’s chat.
 
Look forward to hearing from you."   

Client's Reviews

"We've enjoyed working with Karen on our project we were listened to and offered valuable advice and guidance at every step.
Karen has a great balance of creativity and practical thinking and was highly professional and pleasant to work with."
"We were looking for a garden designer and found Karen just by chance and she has been brilliant. 
She listened, made suggestions and was always positive. At the end of the project we had a stunning layout which subsequently won a top award at a national professional landscaping event in London.".  

“You have really transformed our garden from a space that was fundamentally pretty but completely impractical to an absolutely functional and beautiful space. You interpreted the brief perfectly and your advice and guidance at all stages of the project from first principles to finished planted space was first class. Thank you.”
"We found Karen on-line and from our first meeting we knew that we wanted to work with her. She understood what we were trying to achieve, how we would use the area and then came up with a concept plan which hadn’t even crossed our minds. 
Karen’s technical drawings were incredibly detailed.  Everything ‘works’ perfectly and we are entertaining friends and family weekly as everybody wants to come to ours!"

"Having our garden designed and planted was a very positive experience for us.  Karen showed immediate empathy to what we were looking for. Since the garden has been completed not only do we have exactly what we are looking for and have spent lots of time in the garden it has also changed our perception of the house and its surroundings. We are no longer conscious of our proximity to our neighbours and the garden can be enjoyed from any room in the house becoming a real part of our living space" 
" Karen's ability and vision to see beyond our flat uninteresting piece of garden has been fantastic. 
We would have no hesitation in recommending her to anyone with a garden design challenge, whether small or large. She has a wealth of information and a wealth of experience to share.”
Karen really listened to our wishes and produced a very individual design which was both exciting and satisfied all the needs we had discussed. She does not design according to a predictable formula, but tackles each project in an original way.
Garden Design Plan Service

 Are you considering a completely new layout for your garden?  

This formal level of design service is most appropriate for clients considering a significant investment in a completely new garden.
And, although there are many stages in the full design package,  we will curate a selection that is perfect for your needs. 
Discover the process

Selected Project

Start your project today

Contact me to discuss your space
Contemporary Family Garden Suffolk Borders.