Meet Craig McGibbon, Engineer turned Garden Designer

Engineer turned garden designer, Craig followed his passion from a worse ever interview to the interest that inspired him. 

“I stumbled through my worse interview ever with this revelation - I just wanted to get back to building my deck” 

Question (Q): What inspired you to become a garden designer?

Answer (A):
I think my parents watched too many episodes of the comedy series The Good Life starring Felicity Kendall and Richard Briers. I grew up on small holdings living the “good Life”, growing our own fruit and vegetables, rearing animals and tending the land. I have fond memories of Orchid, our matriarch Jersey cow, whose daughters were all named after flowers. 

The sons ended up in the freezer or bartered to the local homestead community after enjoying a happy few years. I remember Miss Piggy, a Gloucester Old Spot pig, who as young children my sister and l loved to ride like a pony. We looked forward to the birth of piglets, with soft velvet noses and their crazy playtimes. When l was 11 years old we moved to a medieval hall with three acres of land, orchards and farm buildings, sold to my parents by an eccentric antiques dealer. The house was liveable but the gardens were derelict. 

My parents started to create a vegetable garden, a formal herb garden, rebuild garden walls, install a large patio terrace and other landscaping projects, which l helped with on weekends and holidays. An old farm hand and jack of all trades, would help with projects. He was truly old school, passing knowledge down in the same way he was taught. It was from him that l learnt how to mix cement, build walls, pillars, edging, layer a hedge and numerous other skills.

At school l took interest in Craft, Design and Technology and studied to become an Engineer, working for several corporations after university. After ten years l became completely disillusioned by corporate life so took eight months off to go travelling. The best experience l had during this time was spending three months as a Conservation Work Volunteer in Costa Rica. It also reignited my interest in building outdoors…

On return to the UK, a few friends asked me to build their garden whilst l looked for work as l had always dabbled in projects in my spare time. During one landscaping project for a friend l had an interview for an engineering job in my field of expertise. During the interview, l was asked “Why do you want to work for us?” and all l could think was “I don’t! I just want to get back to building the deck”. 

I stumbled through my worse interview ever with this revelation. 

To my surprise the next day l was offered the job. I turned it down, much to their surprise and went back to building the deck with a huge smile on my face!

From there it was a natural progression to get a Diploma in Garden Design to feel legitimate and gain confidence in the designs l was already creating.

Q: How long have you been in practice? 

A: Over 20 years, leading now Craig McGibbon Ltd in designing and building bespoke gardens across Hertfordshire

Q: Where did you train?

A: My Diploma in Garden Design is from Blackford Centre a distance learning centre, though this is while l was already building, planting, and designing gardens for clients. 

Q: Which award-winning Chelsea Flower Show gardens inspire you?

A: The times l visit it is more about a specific material, planting combination or an element that catches my eye versus the full gardens.

Q: Where do you gain inspiration for your garden designs?

A: From conversations with clients, what are they trying to achieve and their personal taste, the architecture of their homes, and the natural landscape of the garden . We are designing and building their garden – not our own.  I like Japanese homes and gardens with their simplicity and elegance.  When l get designers block l will flick through Diarmuid Gavin and Terrace Conran’s Book – Outdoors The Garden Design Book for the Twenty-First Century 

Q: Do you always tend to work with the same landscaper to install your gardens?

A: Yes — as a design-and-build company, we build the designs. It means I can ensure the vision on paper is realised exactly as intended on site. I also do design only commissions where the client gets another landscaper to build the project.

Q: Tulips or Grasses, what are your favourites and why?

A: Grasses, tulips are beautiful but short lived.  Grasses are architecturally beautiful all year round

Q: In one sentence how would you encapsulate the transformative power of gardens?

A: I hear it all the time from my clients “It has changed our lives – we love spending time in it”

Q: What advice would you offer to newly qualified designers?

A: I feel design only is tough – create a design and build company.

Q: Which areas of the country do you cover?

A: Primarily Hertfordshire, St Albans, Harpenden, and Welwyn Garden City, but we take on select projects further afield where design and client vision align.

Q: Do you specify products for your designs?

A: Yes, always. The right materials - from paving to planters, also advise on furniture and other features.

Q: Are you part of any trade body organisation?

A: Yes, I am a member of the APL (Association of Professional Landscapers), which supports best practice in design and build.

Q: What difference do you want to make that lasts beyond your lifetime when it comes to designing gardens?

A: To give a little oasis away from a noisy world, where joyful memories are created for the owners.

Q:What products have you specified from Arbour?

A: Clay pavers, binding gravel, split-faced stone, paddle stones, granite setts and more.

Q: What is the positive impact you experience from working with a reliable materials supplier?

A: Peace of mind

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