After a short period of training in forestry, aged 17 years old, he worked at Chelsea Physic Garden, London, before moving to the Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley, for a wider and more varied experience. He then became aware that the art of gardening had interlinked specialities that had become dissociated in modern times and he resolved to form his own multidisciplinary ‘atelier’ in the future. "This wisdom of the profession neither lies in well-prepared flower decoration nor in a too subtle design, but in the understanding of the site and soil, as well as in the respect for each speciality in its traditions. The role of the landscape designer is to orchestrate all these.”

 

In the course of his career he has met eminent landscape architects including Lester Collins, Russell Page, René Pechère and Lanning Roper. One of his teachers at Wisley, Dr Martyn Rix, a renowned botanist and author, is still a friend associated with his work.

 

 

 

Close to the landscape designer Russell Page (1906-1985), François Goffinet succeeded him as landscape designer of the popular Sculpture gardens, at the world headquarters of PepsiCo, in Purchase, New York – a position he has been occupying for 30 years. In the USA, his projects can be found in many states, from the East Coast to California, from the Far North to Florida, and to the Caribbean.

 

 

 

He also seeks the services of artisans to finalise his designs, respecting the knowledge of each of their disciplines. Bricklayers, stonemasons, marble craftsmen, carpenters, blacksmiths, etc. combine to study the details, build pavilions, grottos, bridges, terraces, stairways, balustrades and other garden related items. It is with them that he has created a collection of customised garden furniture (wood, rattan, and metal) and ornaments.

 

François Goffinet works on his projects in collaboration with renowned architects and decorators, always pursuing his training and continuing to strive to maintain the essential links which must exist between architecture and gardening, between gardening and nature.

 

His work has earned him recognition and support from English Heritage in England (historic monuments) and from University of Virginia in the United States. He is an associate member of Royal Horticultural Society gardeners, International Dendrology Society, FLS (Fellow of the Linnean Society) in 2015.

 

 

 

© 2005-2018 François Goffinet

 

 

Born in Château de Reux (Belgian Ardennes), François Goffinet was fortunate to grow up on his family’s large estate created in the early 1900’s. Immersed in an artistic atmosphere of music, painting, sculpture and gardening, he started his training. Encouraged by his grandparents, he discovered the beauty of their garden in Annevoie. This spectacular water garden created in the 1750’s by his forefather is composed by more than twenty gravity-fed ponds and pools, featuring about fifty fountains and cascade.

 

After a short period of training in forestry, aged 17 years old, he worked at Chelsea Physic Garden, London, before moving to the Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley, for a wider and more varied experience. He then became aware that the art of gardening had interlinked specialities that had become dissociated in modern times and he resolved to form his own multidisciplinary ‘atelier’ in the future. "This wisdom of the profession neither lies in well-prepared flower decoration nor in a too subtle design, but in the understanding of the site and soil, as well as in the respect for each speciality in its traditions. The role of the landscape designer is to orchestrate all these.”

 

In the course of his career he has met eminent landscape architects including Lester Collins, Russell Page, René Pechère and Lanning Roper. One of his teachers at Wisley, Dr Martyn Rix, a renowned botanist and author, is still a friend associated with his work.

 

Today, his company, François Goffinet Limited, has offices in London and Chevetogne (Belgium). His projects involve both hundreds of hectares of private and public properties and small gardens for private houses. They include some of the most famous historic estates in Europe and United States, but also some new contemporary gardens.

 

Close to the landscape designer Russell Page (1906-1985), François Goffinet succeeded him as landscape designer of the popular Sculpture gardens, at the world headquarters of PepsiCo, in Purchase, New York – a position he has been occupying for 30 years. In the USA, his projects can be found in many states, from the East Coast to California, from the Far North to Florida, and to the Caribbean.

 

In England, upon the recommendations of Russell Page, he worked for the Marquess of Bath in Longleat for the restoration of the park created by Capability Brown and creation of a new arboretum. In Badminton he designed the new gardens adjacent to the castle and the church, for the Duke of Beaufort. After ‘The Great Storm’ of 1987, he restored the park at Leeds Castle (250 hectares), Kent. In London, he redesigned fourteen parks and public gardens from the Victorian era for Henry Smith's Charity Kensington Estate.

 

He also works in Europe (France, Italy, Great Britain, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland) and has designed projects near Moscow, in Turkey and Morocco.

 

To implement his projects, François Goffinet involves teams of professionals from complementary fields - like an 18th century Atelier - in particular landscape architects, architects, botanists, horticulturists and architectural and garden historians (► VIDEO from the TV programme « Des Racines et des Ailes » FR3 Director Frédéric Wilner, Eclectic Productions, Boulogne-Billancourt, France).

 

He also seeks the services of artisans to finalise his designs, respecting the knowledge of each of their disciplines. Bricklayers, stonemasons, marble craftsmen, carpenters, blacksmiths, etc. combine to study the details, build pavilions, grottos, bridges, terraces, stairways, balustrades and other garden related items. It is with them that he has created a collection of customised garden furniture (wood, rattan, and metal) and ornaments.

 

François Goffinet works on his projects in collaboration with renowned architects and decorators, always pursuing his training and continuing to strive to maintain the essential links which must exist between architecture and gardening, between gardening and nature.

 

His work has earned him recognition and support from English Heritage in England (historic monuments) and from University of Virginia in the United States. He is an associate member of Royal Horticultural Society gardeners, International Dendrology Society, FLS (Fellow of the Linnean Society) in 2015.

 

 

© 2005-2018 François Goffinet

 

 

Born in Château de Reux (Belgian Ardennes), François Goffinet was fortunate to grow up on his family’s large estate created in the early 1900’s. Immersed in an artistic atmosphere of music, painting, sculpture and gardening, he started his training. Encouraged by his grandparents, he discovered the beauty of their garden in Annevoie. This spectacular water garden created in the 1750’s by his forefather is composed by more than twenty gravity-fed ponds and pools, featuring about fifty fountains and cascade.

 

After a short period of training in forestry, aged 17 years old, he worked at Chelsea Physic Garden, London, before moving to the Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley, for a wider and more varied experience. He then became aware that the art of gardening had interlinked specialities that had become dissociated in modern times and he resolved to form his own multidisciplinary ‘atelier’ in the future. "This wisdom of the profession neither lies in well-prepared flower decoration nor in a too subtle design, but in the understanding of the site and soil, as well as in the respect for each speciality in its traditions. The role of the landscape designer is to orchestrate all these.”

 

In the course of his career he has met eminent landscape architects including Lester Collins, Russell Page, René Pechère and Lanning Roper. One of his teachers at Wisley, Dr Martyn Rix, a renowned botanist and author, is still a friend associated with his work.

 

Today, his company, François Goffinet Limited, has offices in London and Chevetogne (Belgium). His projects involve both hundreds of hectares of private and public properties and small gardens for private houses. They include some of the most famous historic estates in Europe and United States, but also some new contemporary gardens.

 

Close to the landscape designer Russell Page (1906-1985), François Goffinet succeeded him as landscape designer of the popular Sculpture gardens, at the world headquarters of PepsiCo, in Purchase, New York – a position he has been occupying for 30 years. In the USA, his projects can be found in many states, from the East Coast to California, from the Far North to Florida, and to the Caribbean.

 

In England, upon the recommendations of Russell Page, he worked for the Marquess of Bath in Longleat for the restoration of the park created by Capability Brown and creation of a new arboretum. In Badminton he designed the new gardens adjacent to the castle and the church, for the Duke of Beaufort. After ‘The Great Storm’ of 1987, he restored the park at Leeds Castle (250 hectares), Kent. In London, he redesigned fourteen parks and public gardens from the Victorian era for Henry Smith's Charity Kensington Estate.

 

He also works in Europe (France, Italy, Great Britain, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland) and has designed projects near Moscow, in Turkey and Morocco.

 

To implement his projects, François Goffinet involves teams of professionals from complementary fields - like an 18th century Atelier - in particular landscape architects, architects, botanists, horticulturists and architectural and garden historians (► VIDEO from the TV programme « Des Racines et des Ailes » FR3 Director Frédéric Wilner, Eclectic Productions, Boulogne-Billancourt, France).

 

He also seeks the services of artisans to finalise his designs, respecting the knowledge of each of their disciplines. Bricklayers, stonemasons, marble craftsmen, carpenters, blacksmiths, etc. combine to study the details, build pavilions, grottos, bridges, terraces, stairways, balustrades and other garden related items. It is with them that he has created a collection of customised garden furniture (wood, rattan, and metal) and ornaments.

 

François Goffinet works on his projects in collaboration with renowned architects and decorators, always pursuing his training and continuing to strive to maintain the essential links which must exist between architecture and gardening, between gardening and nature.

 

His work has earned him recognition and support from English Heritage in England (historic monuments) and from University of Virginia in the United States. He is an associate member of Royal Horticultural Society gardeners, International Dendrology Society, FLS (Fellow of the Linnean Society) in 2015.

 

 

© 2005-2018 François Goffinet