Award-winning designer Darren Hawkes to speak at the APL Awards 2026

6 November 2025

The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has announced award-winning garden designer Darren Hawkes as a speaker at the prestigious Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) Awards 2026.

Darren has won numerous Gold and Silver-Gilt medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and has designed award-winning show gardens, including the 2023 ‘Samaritans Listening Garden’. He is the creative lead at Cornwall-based Darren Hawkes Landscape and Garden Design, a visiting tutor at the London College of Garden Design and an RHS judge. His most recent projects include prestigious domestic gardens across the South West from the Cotswolds to The Lizard in Cornwall. Last year, he also created the podcast, ‘The Garden Design Confessional’, where he discusses gardens with other leading landscape architects and garden designers.

Phil Tremayne, APL General Manager, said:

“It’s great to have Darren speaking at the APL Awards 2026. As a leading designer with years of experience and many notable gardens to his name, I know his expertise, creativity and award-winning projects will be an inspiration to our finalists and everyone attending on the day. He’s also a fellow Cornish man, so I can’t wait to hear what he has to say.” 

The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) is a specialist group within the HTA for landscaper and garden designer members and has an esteemed reputation for quality and landscaping excellence. 

The APL Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in landscape design and recognise the HTA’s talented landscapers and garden designers, whose creativity and skill transform gardens across the UK. Winners will be announced on Friday, 13 March 2026, during a special awards ceremony at The Brewery, 52 Chiswell Street in London.

The APL Awards 2026

• There are 123 finalists across 22 categories. For a full list of finalists, visit: hta.org.uk/apl-awards/finalist
• There are two new categories for 2026: Outdoor Living and Waterfalls & Pond Features.
• The APL Awards 2026 are in partnership with: Country Supplies, Decking Network, Makita and Steintec.

To book your place, visit: hta.org.uk/apl-awards/visitor-booking-form