“The delivery of well designed outdoor space is a blend of art and science, whereby creative and visual appeal goes hand and hand with the functionality and sensitive integration of home and garden.”
About me
Where Duncan started
Duncan Millar was raised in the Scottish Borders where his interest for gardening started from a young age. Helping to maintain his parents and grandparents gardens, Duncan spent many school holidays’ keen to spend time and learn from those around him. With an enthusiasm for people and for a growing awareness of the positive effect of green space on wellbeing, Duncan went on to study a degree in Physical Education at the University of Edinburgh. After successfully completing university and leaving somewhat uncertain of a career in teaching, Duncan intuitively turned to his passion for gardening and horticulture. Fittingly, Duncan took up a position at Newton Don Plant Nursery, working alongside the committed team and experienced nurseryman Stephen and Emma Emmerson. This was to be an invaluable experience broadening his plant knowledge and his application of planting design.
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Imbued with a sense of direction and inspiration from his time at Newton Don, in 2018, Duncan moved back to the Scottish Borders where he started working as a private gardener. Eager to take on greater responsibility he started working alongside clients in a consultancy role to maintain and develop small and large scale landscape projects. Notably, Duncan helped to deliver and consult on the planting design of a Saltire Housing Design Award project winner, ‘The Beekeeper’s House’, Roxburgh. This afforded Duncan the opportunity to work closely with experienced landscape gardener and designer Nick Burton and helped to affirm his own design ambitions.
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With the flexibility to work across disciplines, Duncan has been able to use his knowledge of garden construction and stewardship to reinvigorate and reimagine many landscape spaces. Since 2021, Duncan has worked to develop and design the gardens and grounds of Eildon Hall, Melrose. This 19th century private house had recently undergone extensive renovations to accommodate the Earl of Dalkeith and his family. Working collaboratively to restore the large mixed borders, Duncan has gone on to create a curated woodland walk, mixed and herbaceous borders, and to extend planting into the terraced meadow. He has also redesigned an extensive dilapidated early 19th century garden, opening to the public in 2024 and a diverse range of projects from coastal sites to small urban plots. Characterised by a passion for knowledgeable planting design and sustainable landscape solutions, Duncan seeks to create memorable garden spaces with long lasting impact.
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The delivery of well designed outdoor space is a blend of art and science, whereby creative and visual appeal goes hand and hand with the functionality and sensitive integration of home and garden.
I approach all schemes with an understanding of the need for practical and creative solutions, overlaying formality and structural form, and a sense of richness of planting.
With a commitment to delivering a long-term view, all large and small detailing elements of a scheme are considered - taking into account how the garden sits and enhances the surrounding scape, to the choice of materials and individual plants. This parallels a commitment to finding ecological and sustainable solutions.
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Duncan now lives in the Scottish border town of Kelso with his wife, young daughter and son, working across the south of Scotland, Edinburgh, and north of England - and further afield as required.
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Some of the services I offer include:
Master planning
Landscape specification & detailing
Horticultural consultation
Design details (e.g. lighting, irrigation, water features, planters etc)