SARA'S
STORY
Sara built a successful design career in Manchester after graduating from The University of Manchester. She studied 3D Furniture Design and Making, not because she wanted to be a furniture designer, but because the course ethos encouraged exploration and experimentation through all mediums. Her final year projects did not include any items of furniture, she was allowed to push the boundaries of what was perceived as furniture, graduating with a First-Class Honours degree.
However, after the death of her mother, redundancy and the end of a relationship Sara found herself living back in Herefordshire in the family home she had inherited. She found solace and joy in its garden, working with plants and observing nature as she lovingly redesigned the space into her own private sanctuary, which helped her recover after such a difficult period in her life.
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It was during this time that she became a senior designer at Oakwrights Ltd in Herefordshire, designing bespoke luxury oak-framed homes, and working on many award-winning projects throughout the country. Inspiration struck with the idea that she could combine her passion for plants with her design skills and diversify into Garden Design after signing up for a Garden Design Diploma, 12 months later she graduated with Distinction and founded No.30 Design Studio.
OUR
NAME
No.30 Design Studio came from the house where Sara grew up, and whose garden sparked the idea for the business...No.30!
To raise awareness of her new business she applied to create a show garden at RHS Malvern Spring Festival in 2019 and was lucky enough to be selected. She built it entirely in sections in her garden and suffered massively from imposter syndrome, but it paid off and she was awarded an RHS Gold medal and Best in Category for her debut garden, rewarding her for her courage, bravery and hours of construction.
Over time Sara has built her business into a respected brand, becoming a leader in her field. For two years, she was the Design Solutions Feature columnist for the monthly Garden Answers magazine, where she diagnosed readers' garden problems, and presented design solutions each month, however due to the growing demands of her business she had to stop her writing.
Cementing her status as a leading garden designer, her second show garden was at none other than the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in September 2021. She felt privileged to be selected to have a show garden there, and it definitely puts the ‘wow’ factor on her garden design CV.
NO.30'S
GARDEN
In 2024 Sara and her partner will be opening the garden for the first time with the National Garden Scheme, and hope it brings the visitors as much joy as it does for them.