Photograph by Huw Morgan
Anna Benn is a Garden Designer based in Oxford, specializing in planting but experienced in all aspects of garden design and construction.
A registered member of the Society of Garden Designers, Anna trained at Capel Manor College and has practised as an independent garden designer, and experienced gardener creating private city and rural gardens for over a decade. Passionate about plants she has worked with some of the country’s greatest plant specialists including Derry Watkins at Special Plants, Mary Keen and Dan Pearson.
Anna has designed a wide variety of gardens from small urban roof terraces to family gardens and larger landscapes. Drawn to wilder, less formal styles of planting she is flexible in her approach and able to work in different styles. She works closely with her clients and responds sensitively to each garden’s site and surroundings to arrive at design and planting solutions that respond to individual needs and the demands of the site.
Before training as a garden designer Anna was a publisher and author writing about Russia. She continues to work on occasional books including commissioning and editing Dan Pearson’s Spirit: Garden Inspiration (Fuel, 2009). Her twin passions of Russia and Gardens were combined in 2018 when she designed Chekhov’s Garden for the Anton Chekhov Foundation at the Hampton Court Flower Show. The Garden has now relocated to College Surgery, Cullompton.
Anna lives and works in Oxford.
A registered member of the Society of Garden Designers, Anna Benn trained at Capel Manor College (diploma 2005) and has practised as an independent garden designer, and experienced gardener creating private city and rural gardens for over a decade. Passionate about plants she has worked with some of the country’s greatest plant specialists including Derry Watkins at Special Plants, Mary Keen and Dan Pearson.
Anna has designed a wide variety of gardens from small urban roof terraces to family gardens and larger landscapes. Drawn to wilder, less formal styles of planting she is flexible in her approach and able to work in different styles. She works closely with her clients and responds sensitively to each garden’s site and surroundings to arrive at design and planting solutions that respond to individual needs and the demands of the site.
Before training as a garden designer Anna was a publisher and author writing about Russia. She continues to work on occasional books including commissioning and editing Dan Pearson’s Spirit: Garden Inspiration (Fuel, 2009). Her twin passions of Russia and Gardens were combined in 2014 when appointed Director of Garden Projects by the Anton Chekhov Foundation with a view to restoring Chekhov’s Hospital Garden in Yalta, a project which was put on hold in 2014. She continues to work for the foundation, exploring the creation of a Chekhov garden in this country.
Anna moved to Oxford in 2015 where she lives with her husband and three children.
