We create landscapes and gardens, grounded by a deep respect for the natural world, that deliver beauty and function in equal measure. Whether a garden oasis in London, rolling acres in the Surrey Hills or public placemaking, all our creations share the magic of Moss — delicate yet resilient; elegant yet humble; and celebrating the restorative power of nature.
Founded in London by Barbara Samitier, Moss Studio draws on over 20 years of experience. Now composed of a small but perfectly formed team, the studio continues to deliver unique schemes and grow a varied and inspiring portfolio.
We approach each project with a fresh perspective, keen to be led by the site, the context and its people. This ensures a sensitive response to the site and design brief resulting in a unique space, that feels just right and meant to be.
We keep movement, light, fragrance and emotion in mind, appealing to all of your senses. Our gardens are resilient and stand the test of time, evolving through the days and seasons.
We continually grow our knowledge to ensure fresh perspectives and creative solutions. We thrive off of working collaboratively with like-minded professionals and multi-disciplinary teams.
A positive impact on people’s lives and the environment is at the core of all our work.
Meet the Team
Barbara grew up in the South of France where the soil is rocky and red, the sky and sea deep blue and the air is filled with intoxicating fragrances coming from the pines, wild thyme, myrtle and more. She still draws inspiration from her childhood Mediterranean Landscape, which taught her that gardens and landscapes should be immersive, layered, and tactile. They should bring joy and a sense of belonging; “when I design a garden, I’m not looking to create perfection, but a little bit of magic”.
Having lived in the UK for more than 20 years, she is also very fond of the wide plant palette and charm that English gardens and the countryside hold. Having spent eight years working for an acclaimed international practice where she was involved with high-end residential projects in the UK, France and Spain, Barbara set up her own practice in 2012.
In 2024 Barbara established Moss – with the same team and design ethos but with a name reflective of the collaborative team approach and evolution of the practice. Barbara oversees all designs that leave the studio.
Ella spent a lot of time on the North Norfolk Coast whilst growing up; planning days around the rise and fall of the tide, hiding in flower filled gardens and climbing trees in the pine forest. This instilled in her a sense of discovery, a love for nature and a respect for the bigger picture, all of this underpins her design and thought process.
With a degree in Landscape Architecture and Ecology from The University of Sheffield and master’s from Birmingham City University, she graduated with distinction and was awarded ‘The Project which offers the most Inspiring Vision for the Future’.
Ella joined the practice in 2020 having previously worked for acclaimed BD Landscape Architects, delivering a range of high-profile spaces including ‘The Meadow at Elephant Park,’ which won the Landscape Institute’s award for ‘Excellence in Place Regeneration’.
At Moss Ella leads creative direction and visual communication.
Dean grew up amongst the semi-wild landscapes and stately gardens of North Wales. Here he developed an early appreciation for how generations of custodians have shaped the land, and how our work as designers must be guided by a sense of stewardship.
Studying Landscape Architecture at The University of Sheffield, Dean went on to work for several award-winning Architecture and Landscape Design practices gaining experience on a variety of public schemes, particularly within the education and housing sectors and often involving complex planning applications. His desire to get more involved with practical horticulture was growing during this time. Having completed RHS training, he became resident gardener at Dalston Curve Garden in Hackney in 2020. A role he continues to carry out alongside his work with us.
Dean brings to Moss a very rare blend of technical knowledge, creative design skills and practical horticulture. As well as leading projects from start to finish, he leads horticultural and technical design in the studio.
Kate is from the suburbs of London where, influenced by regular childhood trips to Wisley and a family of keen gardeners, her love for gardening began to develop.
Kate is our part-time Studio Manager and plays an integral role in the day-to-day running of the business, where her conscientious approach and can-do attitude is of great support to the design team whilst they focus on project work. Her background is in communications. She spent the first 10 years of her career in the civil service before moving on to become an account director for a media company and then an office manager for a small fashion advertising agency. During a career break to look after her children, Kate studied garden design at Capel Manor and qualified as a bookkeeper.
Kate’s role in the Studio has transformed the efficiency of the practice, improving our client experience throughout the process. Her genuine interest in gardens and nature-based projects also helps with the team cohesion and making things happen.
Press
What our clients say
Keep InteriorsWe have a large garden which was in need of a complete overhaul. We had problems with water logging in the winter and the grass and borders had seen better days. We also wanted to put in a garden office, but we were concerned this would dominate the garden.
The scheme Barbara came up with was amazing, separating the garden into zones she managed to actually make the garden look bigger even with the 5mx3m structure added. The planting is a huge success, we are not green fingered by any stretch of the imagination, the scheme she devised is low maintenance while looking very stylish, the addition of lighting means the garden also looks great at night.
I can thoroughly recommend Barbara, the whole experience was stress free, with fantastic results.
Madhvi VaghelaMoss have delivered yet again! They attentively redesigned a garden Barbara had previously designed for us to update it for our changing needs with teenagers to think of too now and wow what a success! It’s better than it has ever been!
They listened carefully to our brief and have created a new place for us (and a ton of wildlife) to live in. It’s lush full of native planting but with a nod to the tropics at points (exactly what we asked for) with lots of beautiful nooks, spots to sit in and surprises. It flexes between an entertaining space and a sanctuary and never disappoints. It has truly extended and enhanced our usable home. It looks, smells and sounds beautiful and anyone who steps into it is transported to a world of natural magic and asks after the designer. I couldn’t recommend Barbara and the Moss team highly enough.
Julia ThompsonAs an interior designer I understand the importance of getting expert design advice, so having come across Barbara’s work Moss was the top of my list when the time came. What was once a plain, boring space is now an amazing oasis perfectly balanced between a relaxing space for adults and fun for the children. It’s been transformed with beautiful trees, several seating areas, and a kids woodland play area, all tastefully installed to blend seamlessly. The team was fantastic to deal with from start to finish – always attentive, incredibly creative and happy to collaborate and work with my ideas.
We couldn’t love our garden more!
Gemma BrickwoodWe were absolutely blown away by the design for our garden. Moss delivered exactly what we were hoping for with 100% extra on top!
Working with the team was a real pleasure and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Moss.’
Ally Power“We have just used Barbara to completely redesign our 120ft London walled garden. It was a real pleasure working with her. The best thing about her? The fact that she just got me. Not an easy task as I’m incredibly fussy. She really listened to what we asked for, and what we wanted from the new garden and delivered pretty much on the button. I think she has an incredible eye and great ideas.
On a personal level, I liked her a lot too. She was easy to get along with and really honest. A great trait in anyone! She sourced the most amazing tiles too – I’d use her again just for that!”
Victoria ReedI have been an admirer of Barbara’s work for many years, so when it came time to design our garden after our house renovation, I knew Moss was the perfect choice. From the very beginning, they impressed me with their thorough understanding of our site and our specific needs and desires. The first stage concepts they presented blew me away. Moss not only captured everything I had asked for but also exceeded my expectations with stunning details and materials that perfectly complemented our new extension.
Having followed Barbara on Instagram, I had complete trust in her abilities, so I gave her the freedom to do what she does best. I am absolutely thrilled with the results. Every single point on our brief was met. What sets Moss apart is their ability to truly understand their clients. They take the time to listen and comprehend their needs, wants, and personal style, allowing them to create a garden that reflects their clients unique personality and enhances their overall living experience. Their designs go beyond mere aesthetics and take into account functionality, sustainability, and the integration of the garden with the surrounding environment. I can’t wait to see the transformation of seasons. Thank you Moss!
Lindsay GormleyMy garden is giving me such joy! Being able to see the changes every day is so exciting. Everything is coming to life, and seeing the plants which were dormant or had disappeared over winter coming through is so lovely. There are surprises every day.
I’m out there weeding, watering and patrolling for snails every evening. You have turned me into a gardener!
Zoe PhilpottBarbara is a wonderful garden designer and a joy to work with. Inspired by our travels in Japan and Kerala – and the Horniman gardens on our doorstep — We had a strong vision for our small London garden. Barbara drew it out of us, patiently collaborating with our ideas to bring to life a stunning jungle haven. The planting is cleverly designed, providing the idea of a thick jungle-like density of palms, bamboos and flowering grasses with accessible pathways between the beds.
In such a small space you are encouraged to meander. Pockets of privacy, surprises to discover. The plants are so obviously happy. The birds have returned and each summer is more joyous. The single banana is now two. The grasses are four feet high. Everything is flourishing. Including us.
Peter McDonaldAbsolute pleasure working with Barbara, very professional and her creative flair and ideas was incredible, we are very pleased with the end product as our customers who also think the garden and grounds are now incredible.
The garden was finished to a very high quality, on deadline and within budget, a perfect job.
Tony WilloughbyOur garden was a bit of a jungle and needed redesigning, but we wished to retain something of the wild look. We were put in touch with Barbara. She has succeeded beyond all expectation. She gutted it, re-designed it and re-planted it.
Cleared of everything last Autumn the garden looked like a building site and we were very worried that we would be without a proper garden for some time, but she assured us that all would be well by the Spring and the result now is stunning — a huge tribute to her vision and her planting skills. Magic!
Fran MonksBarbara designed our garden In Oxford from scratch. We had just finished a big building project, so there was little more than a pile of earth to start with. She was brilliant to work with creatively, and was really able to take on board the style that I wanted and translate it into a practical scheme within our budget. So far we’ve lived with the garden for six months and there has been an ever changing interest.
Our flower beds have bloomed and bloomed and are still doing so in November! We are delighted and we love the work that she has done.