MA - Landscape Architecture

Landscape architect Bunny Guinness has designed private gardens for clients ranging from HRH Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia to Sir Bob Geldof, but she is probably just as well known as a regular panellist on the long-running BBC Radio 4 programme 'Gardener's Question Time'.

Originally planning to study food science, she switched to horticultural science and then studied for a postgraduate diploma in Landscape Architecture at Birmingham Polytechnic (now Birmingham City University) in 1979. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University in 2009.

She worked in private practice for a number of years before setting up her own firm in 1986, and has since gained a wealth of experience on landscaping projects including housing developments, pedestrian precincts, golf courses and public gardens. She has designed a total of nine show gardens, winning six golds, at the Chelsea Flower Show, including a gold for her first design – a 'Wind in the Willows' layout for children – in 1994.

While her design work remains the core business, Bunny has also featured in a number of TV series including ITV's 'Guinness in the Garden' and Channel 4's 'The Great Garden Challenge', and has contributed to many magazines and newspapers including the 'Sunday Telegraph', where she has written a column for about 12 years, 'BBC Gardeners' World' magazine and 'Gardens Illustrated', as well as being the author of several books on the subject.

Remembering her time at the University she said:

We had a great mix of people on that course and most of the academic staff were practising landscape architects, so we got to benefit from their own experiences as well. I still refer back to a lot of what I learned then, and I'm also still in touch with people from the course as contacts and friends.

Nick Bunn is a Landscape Architect at Redbay Design in Torquay. He is a Licentiate Member of the Landscape Institute, the Royal Chartered Institute for Landscape Architects. He has participated in a design cherrette (an intensive design or planning session) in China and his design concepts have been exhibited in Somerset House, London.

Since graduation, Nick worked developing Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) services for major national house builders, before taking up his role at Redbay Design, where he specialises in LVIAs and design solutions within sensitive locations, working to reduce the impact of development and ensuring designs work within their local contexts and environments. His work covers anything from renewable energy schemes through to large scale developments such as housing schemes and hotels.

Nick studied Spatial Design at University College Falmouth before coming to Birmingham City University in 2008 to study part-time for a Post Graduate Diploma and then a Master’s in Landscape Architecture, graduating in 2012.

Alongside his study, he worked as a trainee CAD technician at a small, but growing, planning consultancy. After completing his MA, he applied for positions at specific landscape architecture practices and started as a Landscape Architect at Redbay Design in May 2013.

He said: “I think it is very difficult to prepare students for the world of work but what the Landscape Architecture course at BCU did was to provide the tools and skills required for when I got there. As I was studying while working I was able to apply some of these skills immediately and directly so could appreciate that they were very relevant and effective in reality.

“What I am most proud of is being in meetings with people from a variety of disciplines who have 20 to 30 years’ experience or more and find that my opinions are relevant, listened to and respected so I am able to influence discussions.”

“My time at Birmingham City University has given me a really wide range of skills that I continue to use every day, everything from the initial stages of the design, graphic skills to client presentations and public speeches” Ula explained. “I believe BCU has really helped me with my book by giving me the literary skills to be able to do it.”

Since graduating from Birmingham City University, Ula has worked for a number of landscape practices prior to winning the RHS Young Designer of the Year competition in 2017. Ula then established her own practice and won Best in Lifestyle Category award for her Style and Design garden at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show. Amongst all of this, Ula returned to BCU to work as a visiting tutor.

“BCU has been incredibly supportive of my career from the very first day and continues to do so” Ula explained. “The atmosphere and communication between the students and the staff is exceptional, so I always felt like I have an important connection to BCU - a reliable support network.”

The University truly cares about your career after the course is finished, which is really refreshing. I never felt like I'm all on my own after graduating, there was always someone to get advice from and inform about any job opportunities in the landscape industry. I was only in my second year of BA studies when I got offered a job at a Landscape Architecture practice that had strong links to BCU, which I always felt very grateful for.

“I have worked for a number of Landscape Architecture practices prior to entering and winning the RHS Young Designer of the Year competition. Winning the competition has led to a number of private jobs with new opportunities opening up with every step. Setting up on my own at that point seemed like a very natural thing to do. I have done some freelance work to fill in the gaps in between private commissions at the start but soon after became very busy with my own projects. “

“Our current work mostly includes private landscapes and gardens for clients all over the UK. The process spans from initial consultation and concept design right to the completion and aftercare. We have recently been commissioned for a project in China, which will kick start a new and incredibly exciting period of working overseas.”