Hello, I am Margaret Zheng, the garden designer behind MARZ Garden. I had a successful career lecturing in Chinese language and literature for over 10 years in Hong Kong. Driven by my passion for plants and nature, I left the academic world to pursue floristry. After undertaking courses in Hong Kong, Taipei, and London, I eventually established my flower shop, mugof. When I was studying floristry in London, I first encountered the concept of ‘horticulture’ and visited countless gardens, which sowed the seed for my dream: to create sustainable gardens beneficial to both human and nature. Even though at that time there was no such industry back in Hong Kong, the path was set.

Not long after this, the situation in Hong Kong changed dramatically. This coupled with the challenges of the pandemic led my family and I to relocate to the UK in 2022 to embark on a new chapter. Within weeks of landing in the UK I had started volunteering at a community garden in Bristol. Within a year, I had achieved both the principle and practical RHS Horticulture Level 2 qualifications, with one Merit; and also the diploma of Bristol Garden Design School, with Distinction. Now I am a pre-registered member of the Society of Garden Designers (SGD), and I am fully committed to actively developing my knowledge and skills.

I was born and grew up in China. China boasts a rich history of gardens that infused my upbringing. The stunning gardens in my hometown of Hangzhou, coupled with my eight-year immersion in traditional Chinese art during my youth, played a significant role in shaping my perspective. The landscape architect, Sylvia Crow once said, ‘A Chinese garden is essentially a place in which to philosophies, to withdraw from worldly strife.’ To me, a successful garden design always brings a sense of balance, peace, and harmony.