Graduate Spotlight: Kathryn Cox

Before venturing into a life of Garden Design, Kathryn Cox enjoyed a long and successful career as creative director in the advertising industry. Originally from Sydney, Kathryn left home so she could plant herself firmly in the thick of the sprawling metropolis of London. That was where the action was, and she wanted a piece of it. Today, it is not the concrete jungle or the breakneck pace of advertising that excites her, today she is buzzing at the prospect of uncovering hidden gems in crumbling Victorian gardens on the outskirts of the city. 

Garden design was always an echo somewhere in the back of her mind and while Kathryn loved her creative work in advertising, she began to feel like she had achieved her goals. Whilst being grateful for working with talented people, her curious mind was becoming restless. Then in 2020, the whole world was told to go home and lock down. The advertising industry went quiet, but it was in this quiet that she would be reacquainted with an old yet familiar voice. That voice was her innate and indeed profound urge, to make some sort of contribution to the earth. Something that would both leave a legacy and connect with the future. She was asking herself existential questions about time and value and what she could do to pay it forward to the planet that had given her so much.



It was then she discovered National Academy of Creative Arts. 

 

For Kathryn, the attraction of BAGD was not only the cost, which for her was not a prohibitive factor, but the flexibility at which she could pace her studies. She wanted to complete the course in her own time, on her own terms, and fit it around all the stuff that life tends to throw at us.

The course is a comprehensive curriculum, and she found the halfway point most challenging. This is generally around the time it becomes clear that the more you learn, the more you realise how little you know. She also found that the history and the nuts & bolts of the course interested her more than she would have expected. It is an in-depth and richly designed course, and while at times she was borderline overwhelmed, it's also clear that if it was easy, everyone would do it.  

During the course, Kathryn’s greatest area of self-doubt was in her drawing skills. She always felt this was one of her weaknesses. She was certain she would need this as a designer, and it worried her. But throughout the course she began to learn of the many garden design techniques that enable designers to sketch their layout and plans without requiring DaVinci level drawing talents. Kathryn knuckled down and decided she would not be beaten. Garden design drawings include many industry-recognized symbols and patterns that represent various garden elements. It was eventually very clear to her that great drawings do not in fact equal great designs.

And then the awards came along.

It was during this period of gratification and indeed, hard-earned satisfaction, that Kathryn found herself peering into the eye of her own imposter syndrome. The first accolade was the Outstanding Graduate Award 22/23 conferred upon her by the Academy. She had no idea such an award even existed so when her name was called out at the graduation ceremony, her jaw could have been scraped from the floor.

Then, at the end of 2023, the highly prestigious Pro Landscaper ‘Design under £50K’ national award came along. This was for a small ‘Naturalistic Wildlife Courtyard’, Kathryn designed immediately after completing the course. She had already worked with a professional photographer and had fabulous shots of the garden on her website, and almost on a whim a couple of days before the deadline, she entered the competition. She was shortlisted along with 9 other finalists and went along, without expectation. Not only was she – again – shocked that she won it, but her garden is featured on the front cover of the Pro Landscaper magazine as well as a huge feature inside, for the spring edition. 

Kathryn believes in constant learning and putting herself out there, outside of her comfort zone. Competitions and awards are not really her “thing”, but she is beginning to see the merit of having certain accolades, not only for self-confidence, but for marketing purposes. The publicity and the outside verification have garnered attention and in turn, new clients.

When dealing with clients, Kathryn’s background in advertising has been hugely beneficial. She has developed strong soft skills and truly listens to the client, but this time through the prism of her garden design mind. Some clients want her to take care of everything, others love to collaborate but one thing they all seem to have in common is a preference for low-maintenance gardens. To Kathryn, the “aftercare” as she tenderly refers to it, is simply part of the process. A garden is a living breathing thing and therefore needs love. Another way Kathryn shows love for her outdoor spaces is to always aim for sustainable natural materials, where possible and where appropriate. 



Some students may be under the impression that once they graduate, it’s time to set up a business but Kathryn is a prime example of the many options available to post-grads. She is currently working as a full-time garden and landscape designer for a well-known design and build practice in London, Acacia Gardens, and is also creating a small garden for the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in this year called ‘The Flower Power Field’. The garden is a tribute to the iconic Woodstock Festival of 1969, the home of flower power. The garden represents an imaginary place for the bands to chill out, with a tepee pitched amongst a field of kaleidoscopic Asteraceae’s and ornamental grasses. Hippy style signs from the 60’s and 70’s stand proud, channelling the Woodstock spirit of ‘Flower Power’, ‘Peace’ and ‘Love’. All messages of universal harmony which of course, are still so poignant today. 

Starting out, whether as a freelancer or with a company, can be a daunting experience and while winning awards is a great confidence booster, new ventures will always involve a little fear and a lot of enthusiasm. Kathryn believes in hard work and dedication and even though she loves what she is doing, it doesn’t make it easy, it is just a different kind of motivation. She is motivated by a genuine enthusiasm for the work. She is constantly surprising herself and finds great excitement on her new path.  

For Kathryn, it is more than a job and more than a career, she feels a spiritual connection with nature and hears its call. But that doesn’t mean her eye is not firmly on the prize. Next stop – gold at Chelsea!  

 To connect with Kathryn, ask any questions & see more of her work. Go to @kathryncox.studio.