Meet your team.
Rob Hardy & Co was formed in 2016. As the business has grown, Rob has brought together a trusted team of talented garden designers, horticulturalists, surveyors and project managers in Yorkshire.
We believe that by working together we make the most of our strengths to deliver beautiful gardens for you, our clients. The team also collaborates with several other experts in their field to deliver your perfect garden.
Rob Hardy
— Director and Garden Designer
Rob has over 20 years professional experience in garden design, horticulture, and project management. With a first degree in Fine Art, Rob completed a degree in Garden Design with the Northern School of Garden Design, following his studies in Horticulture at Askham Bryan.
His award winning garden designs balance artistry with a keen eye for colour, form and structure to create flexible, liveable outdoor spaces.
Now based in Harrogate, Rob is a pre-registered member of the Society of Garden Designers and a winner of an RHS Gold Medal and Best in Show.
Alex Cockayne
— Garden Designer
Alex is a passionate and enthusiastic garden designer with 8 years experience in garden design and landscape architecture. Since graduating from Leeds Beckett University with a first degree in Landscape Architecture he has been involved in the creation of beautiful award winning public and private landscapes across the Yorkshire region.
Tim Gray
— Garden Designer
Tim graduated from the Yorkshire School of Garden Design with distinction. Fascinated by the intrinsic romance of a garden and its power for building memorable experiences, Tim is driven by a design sensitivity towards the story a garden tells and how it connects to the environment and architectural styles to which it relates.
Following studies in law and a background in coffee and hospitality, Tim balances his analytical approach for drawing out the character of place with a desire to understand the character of the people who will inhabit it.
Claudia Willard
— Garden Designer
Claudia graduated from the Yorkshire School of Garden Design with a Distinction, following over 11 years working as a Real Estate lawyer.
Claudia's designs are frequently inspired by her connection with nature, having spent a large part of her formative years in the moors amongst wild landscapes, and she is continuously influenced by impressionist landscape art. Claudia is driven to sensitively consider the occupation and separation of space, and always seeks to establish a contextual connection to the surrounding landscape.
Mark Knight
— Garden Designer
Mark has a background in environmental consultancy and works to embed biodiversity and sustainability into our garden designs and outdoor living spaces. He completed a degree in Garden Design with the Northern School of Garden Design.
In 2019 he was a Finalist for the Society of Garden Designers’ Student Award and also won an RHS design competition for a new garden at Harlow Carr.
Susan Bone
— Landscape architect
Susan is a highly creative and accomplished Landscape Architect with over 25 years of expertise.
Adept at transforming concepts into stunning outdoor spaces, Susan achieves that seamless blend of functionality with aesthetic appeal.
Jack Taylor
— Visualisations and animations
Jack initially trained as a product designer but now focusses all of his time on producing stunning project visuals and bringing our garden designs to life with three dimensional images, virtual reality and walkthrough animations.
As a qualified designer, Jack is also involved in key design decisions too and is instrumental in the design process, working with the team to create stunning garden designs.
Liz Broadbent
— Horticulturalist
Liz is a professional horticulturist with over 20 years experience. She holds a Higher National Diploma in Conservation and Environmental Studies, and Level 3 Diploma with the Royal Horticultural Society
Liz is a member of The Gardeners Guild and the Chartered Institute of Horticulture.
‘The details are not the details. They make the design.’
— Charles Eames, Designer
Our design philosophy.
Our design philosophy is simple: create beautiful gardens that perfectly suit their location and the people who live in them. We want your garden to extend your home, add value to your property and be a desirable place to spend time. We want it to make you happy!
Great garden design is more than making your outdoor living space look amazing. It is the thought that goes into shaping the way we use the space, the features and furniture that we place in it. It is only when you begin to use the garden that you will experience all the subtle touches, the things visible and invisible, that make a great design really shine. We believe in really looking at those finer details that make all the difference.
Quality is of utmost importance to us. We believe in using the best materials, ethically sourced, that will stand the test of time.
Whether that is the finest hard landscaping materials or quality plants sourced from the finest nurseries in Europe, we will help you to source the best materials that your budget will allow.
