Dan Pearson OBE is closing his London-based design studio after 23 years to shift his focus toward ecology and conservation.
A pause in a 38-year career
Dan Pearson Studio will cease trading on Friday 11 September. The firm employs nine people and is led by Pearson and his partner Huw Morgan, who serves as Managing Director. The practice will remain open long enough to finalize work on active projects for clients.
Pearson has been designing environments since 1987, but the studio closure marks a significant shift in his professional life. He told Gardens Illustrated that he never intended to run a busy practice, describing it as something that “happened by default.” After two years of consideration, he decided this was the right moment to step back.
“I took the big leap after two years of working out whether it is the right thing to do and decided that this was the bravest and most definite thing to do,” Pearson said. “This period that I’m going into now is a period of reflection; not exactly metamorphosis, but refining who I am, what I do best.”
From practice to preservation
The decision stems from a desire to work more closely with his belief that humans have “positive agency over our environment.” Pearson plans to move away from general garden design and into ecology and environment conservation. He described the move as “sideways,” noting that he wants to be “nimble” and refine his approach to his work.
During the pandemic, Pearson and Morgan moved to Hillside in Somerset full-time. The garden has become a central part of his future plans, though he admits he struggled to find time to maintain it. “It’s time for me to engage again with the garden,” he said. “And from that, I will feel what the next move really needs to be.”
The nine-member team will be let go as the studio closes. Pearson said finding a way to transition the staff was one of the hardest parts of the decision. “They’re a good team and it’s been one of the biggest hurdles for me to overcome,” he admitted. “It’s a big nest that we’ve woven out of many different parts, and unpicking it without breaking anything is complicated.”
Focus on projects with meaning
While the studio closes, Pearson will retain involvement in several long-term projects. He will continue his advisory role at Sissinghurst, where he has served as a “godparent” for years. He will also take on a similar mentorship role at the Beth Chatto Gardens in Essex, where he revealed a new masterplan in August 2026 for an expansion including seven acres of woodland and meadow.
Other ongoing work includes the Play Earth Park in Japan, a nature-themed public park Pearson is developing with former Tokachi Millennium Forest head gardener Midori Shintani. He plans to visit the site annually to ensure the project is steered in the right direction. Additionally, the Maggie’s Centre in Bristol is currently moving through planning, and Pearson intends to keep a close relationship with those projects.
He is also looking to establish a pro-bono relationship with the greening project around the Garden Museum in Lambeth. “Putting my energy into those kind of projects for people that need good environments feels like the right thing to do,” Pearson stated.
A return to collaboration
Pearson said he has drawn inspiration from Dutch designer Piet Oudolf, who operates with a group of collaborators rather than a large practice. He believes this model allows for more meaningful work. Although he is stepping away from the business, he is not ruling out doing some residential garden design if the project and client are a good fit.
He emphasized that the closure is not retirement. “This is not retirement; this is not an ending,” Pearson said. “This is the closing of one door and the opening of another.” He plans to spend the next two years refining his thinking and making new connections, ultimately aiming to create places that resonate and have “real meaning.”
