Planting the seed

Having completed degrees in both Agronomy & Landscape Architecture in Italy, Stefano Marinaz studied for an MA in Landscape Architecture at the University of Greenwich in London. After a stint as a horticultural intern at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, he joined Arne Maynard’s studio to work on a range of private gardens in Britain, the USA and the Middle East.

Since establishing SMLA in 2012, Stefano and his team have worked on a rich mix of projects, often collaborating closely with architects and engineers.
SMLA creates elegant and secluded outdoor rooms for London clients, and rural gardens designed with exceptional sensitivity to the surrounding landscape. The studio also specialises in the historical restoration and reconstruction of landscapes surrounding listed buildings.
Stefano is a fully registered member of the Society of Garden Designers and is a Chartered Landscape Architect registered with the Landscape Institute.

His determination to realise each client’s vision for their garden means he is personally involved in every project. His knowledge of plants and planting enables him to layer bulbs, perennials, shrubs and trees in rich, naturalistic schemes guaranteed to provide colours, scents and interesting textures throughout the year. His schemes often encompass unusual plants selected to respond well to the particular conditions of a site, or to meet a special request from a client.
Stefano also pays close attention to the detail of hard landscaping, incorporating a contemporary twist in his choice of paving, water features, lighting and feature walls, and always seeking out new, unusual, and bespoke materials.

Adél runs SMLA’s London office, and is responsible for managing all of our projects in the UK. Having studied Landscape Architecture in Budapest, her love of travel led her to seek out work experience with practices in Portugal, and now London.

Her expertise is reflected in stylish and creative designs, and in a fine eye for detail as UK project manager. She visits each of our sites regularly to ensure the smooth delivery and completion of every project.

Tara studied a Bsc Degree in Landscape Architecture at the University of Pretoria in South Africa and was awarded an invitation to the Golden Key International Honour Society for achieving academically within the top 15% in her field of studies.

Growing up in South Africa which is known for being one of the most biodiverse and ecologically rich places in the world as well as Tara’s love for adventure, her passion for the outdoors grew from a young age.

With an inherent desire to create beautiful spaces as well as an interest in plants and nature, Tara chose to channel her artistic and creative skills into enhancing the aesthetic and function of outdoor spaces through Landscape Architecture. Her desire is to impact the lives of current and future generations by bringing people closer to nature while restoring the natural environment.

Vivi is the newest addition to our team. She recently joined the dutch office in Utrecht for her Erasmus internship and she is finishing her Landscape Architecture Bachelor degree at the International Hellenic University in Greece. She works with the role of Assistant Landscape Architect, helping throughout the different phases of the projects and contributing to the organisational process of the practice while gaining experience on the field she wishes to pursue.

We work with a solid and extensive network of additional architects, structural engineers, water feature specialists and lighting designers, who help to ensure the smooth delivery of our exceptional bespoke gardens in both Britain and Europe.