Nigel Dunnett and James Hitchmough: The Dynamic Landscape

Arit Anderson studied garden design at Capel Manor College and rose quickly to success at RHS Chelsea 2013 winning the Fresh Talent category followed by a Gold Medal at RHS Hampton Court in 2016 for her own show garden which highlighted the need for renewable energy. She is a presenter for BBC Gardeners’ World, hosts a popular podcast ‘Growing Greener’ and writes for national publications all of which enable her to open up the debate about the future of gardening in a changing climate to a wide audience.

Nigel Dunnett is Professor of Planting Design and Urban Horticulture in the Department of Landscape at the University of Sheffield and is one of the world’s leading voices on innovative approaches planting design. He is a pioneer of the new ecological and sustainable approaches to gardens, landscapes, and public spaces. His work revolves around the integration of ecology and horticulture to achieve low-input but high-impact landscapes that are dynamic, diverse, and tuned to nature. Nigel’s work is based on decades of detailed experimental work, delivering a wide range of innovative approaches to achieving transformational and multifunctional urban greening. His work has had widespread application in practice: he works as a designer and consultant and regularly collaborates with a wide range of other professions. Nigel was the first winner of the Landscape Institute Award for Planting Design, Public Horticulture and Strategic Ecology in 2018. In 2020 Nigel was made an Honorary Fellow of the Landscape Institute, and in 2023 an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and appointed as a Royal Designer for Industry. Nigel’s 2019 book ‘Naturalistic Planting Design: The Essential Guide’ (Filbert Press) is a market leader in the field and won ‘European Garden Book of the Year, 2021. Nigel’s book with colleague James Hitchmough ‘The Dynamic Landscape: ecology, design and management of urban naturalistic planting’ (2003, new edition coming in 2025) is a classic text. Nigel founded the company ‘Pictorial Meadows’ which is now the UK market leader in ‘Designed Meadows’. In December 2022 Nigel was named as one of the top three most influential people in the UK landscape Industry. Projects include: Tower of London Superbloom 2022; The Barbican, Beech Gardens and High Walk (Phase 1 2013, Phase 2 commencing 2026); Grey to Green, Sheffield (2015-2020); Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (co-principal planting design consultant 2008 – 2014 and ongoing); Grosvenor Square, London (implementation 2025-6); Battersea Power Station (2022); Diamond Garden, Kings’ Gallery, Buckingham Palace 2013. Nigel takes a ‘People-First’ approach to bringing sustainable and biodiverse urban greening into the mainstream. Nigel was appointed as a ‘Royal Designer for Industry’ in 2023.

James completed a BSC (Hons.) in Environmental Horticulture in the School of Biological Sciences, University of Bath in 1979, and a PhD in Database Design for Plant Selection in 1984. He worked as a Lecturer/Senior Lecture at Burnley College, University of Melbourne, Australia from 1983-93. James commenced as Reader in the Department of Landscape, University of Sheffield in 1995, was appointed Professor in Horticultural Ecology in 2004, and Head of Department from 2014-18. He retired in September 2022.
In parallel with his academic career, James has always worked as a consultant on landscape projects around the world, often using these to translate his research into practice and policy. He was one of the two lead planting designers on the London Olympic Park from 2007-14, following the publication of “The Dynamic Landscape” a seminal text on the application of nature-like planting to the urban realm.
Since 2010 he has focused on projects in China, often in collaboration with Chinese Government agencies to advance the use of local native species in large scale nature-like design projects, involving more than 50 visits and expeditions. Post his retirement (not really a retirement at all) James continues to work on design projects, currently in the UK, China, Australia, Spain and Oman.

Helen Hoyle is a Lecturer in Healthy Urban Landscapes in the School of Architecture and Landscape at the University of Sheffield and a NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) Transdisciplinary Research Fellow in the Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research. Her research lies at the intersection of Nature and human wellbeing, informing policy and practice to prioritise biodiversity and wellbeing in the context of a changing climate. Helen believes passionately in collaborating closely with those who juggle these priorities on the ground, policymakers, practitioners, and communities and is delighted to be part of a large multidisciplinary partnership led by Luton Borough Council, awarded a £1M grant by the highly competitive Natural England Nature Towns and Cities Heritage Lottery Fund. The project ‘Roots to healthy places: nature connections in Luton’ will focus on improving health, access and connections to nature across communities, with a particular focus on communities already identified as facing barriers to access. Helen is a member of the Adaptation Committee of the Irish Climate Change Advisory Council where she shares expertise in nature-based solutions, biodiversity and health.