About Charlesworth Gardens

As the founder of Charlesworth Gardens, Lee Charlesworth BSc (Hons) holds a degree in design and a strong foundation in architecture. This blend of disciplines allows him to realise concepts with precision and insight. Lee's extensive tenure in the building sector includes designing and constructing gardens for a multiple award-winning landscape company, as well as being part of the build team for two award-winning gardens at the 2003 Chelsea Flower Show.

Design has been my lifelong pursuit. From a young age, my artistic inclinations were evident—winning a Christmas card competition at six and a school garden design contest at seven, among other early accolades. Though I pursued architecture after leaving school, my passions have always spanned forms, leading me to embrace spatial design as my true calling. I am attuned to the interplay of spaces, structures, landscapes, and human experience within them.

My focus has always been direct engagement with clients in their personal environments. Early interviews with architectural firms crystallised my preference for intimate, homeowner-led projects over vast commercial undertakings. For many, this work presents unique challenges—its deeply personal nature demands empathy and nuance. Yet that is precisely its appeal: every garden I create is a bespoke mirror to the client's tastes, evident in how they adorn and inhabit their home.

I often observe a regrettable divide between house and garden—a visually appealing composition that overlooks flow, utility, and emotional resonance. My method prioritises 'feel': the intuitive harmony of form and function, echoing the Bauhaus principle that design serves purpose, while acknowledging that purpose can elegantly emerge from form. I strive for gardens that envelop and inspire, yet remain effortlessly practical—child-safe, low-maintenance havens that integrate with modern rhythms, offering respite rather than added burden.

My architectural heritage equips me not only to envision beauty but to navigate the technical realities that ensure longevity. Landscaping, to me, mirrors the human form: hardscaping provides the essential skeleton and infrastructure, the unseen foundations without which nothing endures; softscaping adds the vital layer of texture and allure. Neither thrives in isolation—they interdepend, crafting holistic beauty we instinctively recognise.