
About
Studio Elwes
At Studio Elwes we aim to create landscapes for people to live, grow and thrive in, be that in private gardens or public spaces. We are inspired by a multitude of sources such as the landscape’s history, the genius of the space, the people and species that have used it and those that will continue to use it.
Studio Elwes aims to collaborate creatively with clients, consultants, craftspeople and nurseries to bring projects to life, we do this through meticulous planning, joyful design and a connection to nature.
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Hugo is a chartered member of the Landscape Institute and founding director of Studio Elwes. Having spent a childhood mowing lawns and cutting hedges for pocket money, Hugo begun his career doing the thing he knew best which was gardening. This led to his first proper job as a seasonal gardener at the Kensington Palace which soon become a full-time job. From there he studied garden design at the renowned Inchbald School of Design under the progressive tutelage of Andrew Duff, receiving a distinction and the Director’s Award.
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Hugo went on to work for Arabella Lennox-Boyd where he was fortunate to see the inner workings of one of highly acclaimed practices of the last 30 years. It was during his time working for Arabella that Hugo once more felt the call of Academia so left to study Landscape Architecture at Greenwich University.
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Following his time at Greenwich, Hugo begun work with Todd Longstaffe-Gowan where he would go on to spend the next 8 years. At Todd’s office, Hugo worked on and managed a broad range of projects from multi-million-pound projects in Barbados and grand estates in the English countryside to small, jewel box like gardens in London as well collaborating with major institutions on their public spaces such as The Hurlingham Club in West London, The National Portrait Gallery and Historic Royal Palaces.
Hugo Elwes
