Jo Thompson
Listed by House & Garden, Country & Town House and Country Life magazines as one of the country’s top ten garden designers and plantswomen, Jo has won multiple awards, including four Gold medals for RHS Chelsea Flower Show gardens. She sits on several RHS advisory committees, is an RHS judge, lectures in the UK and internationally and is a visiting tutor at the London College of Garden Design.
Jo's approach to garden design is one of creating harmony within the landscape; colour, architecture and the surrounding landscape all working together. She is committed to working sustainably, favouring local, natural materials, and through her use of plants, she aims to improve and enhance the biodiversity of each project, and believes passionately in everyone’s right to the access to green space.
She has written two books including The Gardener’s Palette, which celebrates her love of colour. Her third book, publishing in 2025, will look at the allure of romantic gardens. Her weekly Substack newsletter The Gardening Mind shares her insights about designing for all kinds of gardens.
Recent articles by Jo Thompson
When to plant summer bulbs and the best to choose for a gloriously colourful garden
Spring is the ideal time to plant summer-flowering bulbs. We asked four experts to recommend their favourites
A junk-shop container lifts this elegant pot planting display with fritillaries and viola for early spring
Award-winning designer Jo Thompson kicks off a new container-planting series with three enchanting early spring flower combinations. Words Jo Thompson, photographs Jason Ingram
Spring beauty in a pot: a stunning plant pot design you can plant up at home from designer Jo Thompson
Award-winning designer Jo Thompson's container-planting series continues with this early spring flower combination using Narcissus and Scilla. Words Jo Thompson, photographs Jason Ingram
An enchanting early spring planting combination for pots by designer Jo Thompson, for even the smallest garden
Award-winning designer Jo Thompson shares container-planting inspiration with this enchanting early spring flower combination. Words Jo Thompson, photographs Jason Ingram
Designers' favourite dahlias
Three garden designers and landscape architects – Arabella Lennox-Boyd, Ula Maria and Jo Thompson – choose their favourite dahlias for late-season colour.