Biography

Michael O’Reilly is a civil engineer and multi-award-winning sustainable garden and planting designer. His design career is underpinned by many years as a Projects Director, delivering housing developments, light civil works, landscapes, and show gardens.

Michael founded The Garden Design Shop in 2009 and The Garden Design Clinic in 2011. In 2025, he co-founded Resilient Design, an international garden design collaboration with Hungarian garden designer Kitti Kovacs, launched at Futurescapes Global in Riyadh.

Giving Back to the Profession

Michael has consistently contributed to the profession through mentorship and leadership. He served as the UK SGD Regional College Organiser for Northern Ireland (2011–2013), joined the GLDA as a Full Member in 2012, and was elected to the GLDA Council the same year. He went on to serve as Chair of the GLDA (2018–2020), and edited both the GLDA Newsletter (2016–2020) and Compass, Ireland’s landscape design journal (2018–2025). He was elected a Fellow of the GLDA in 2020.

He has mentored emerging garden designers in Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, Ukraine, and Russia, and has been invited as guest speaker and lecturer in Ireland and internationally, delivering his well-regarded talk series, The Business of Garden Design.

Michael was Guest Editor of Ukraine’s L&A Magazine (Spring 2022) and served as Honorary Mentor to Ukrainian show garden designers (2020–2022).

Industry Recognition

In 2023, Michael was a shortlisted finalist and joint second runner-up in the UK’s inaugural Sustainable Garden Design Company category awards at London Excel.

Judging Experience

Michael has served as a show garden judge in Ukraine (Head & Technical Judge in 2017, and judge in 2019, 2021, and 2022), and in Belarus (2018). In the UK, he trained as a trainee RHS judge and worked at Hampton Court in 2023 and 2024.

Design Ethos

Garden design is Michael’s third career and a true vocation. He approaches every project by seeing through the client’s eyes, designing gardens that are rooted in personal connection and deep understanding.

His portfolio spans gardens across the island of Ireland, the UK (including Southampton and Edinburgh), and internationally in Ukraine, Russia, and Saudi Arabia.

Outside of design, Michael is a devoted father of three, a keen swimmer and golfer, and a passionate Perennials RFC Vets rugby player.

Design Qualifications

• Certificate in Garden Design and Horticulture, South Eastern Regional College (2007–2011)
• Diploma in Planting Design, London College of Garden Design (2018)
• Certificate in Sustainable Design, London College of Garden Design (2022)

Awards

• 2008, GSI – A Garden of Earthly Delights: Silver Gilt Medal (Large Show Garden)

• 2008, GSI – The AMS Commercial Display Garden: Gold Medal & Best in Category

• 2009, GSI – Room for Reflection: Gold Medal, Best in Show & Supreme Judges’ Award

• 2014, GSI – A Room for All Seasons: Gold Medal, Best in Show, Supreme Judges’ Award & UTV NI Garden Designer of the Year (joint award)

• 2016, RHS Tatton Park Flower Show – Gold Medal