Project:  Interior landscaping refurbishment

Client:  Hartpury University & Hartpury College Libraries

Interior landscaping contractor: phs Greenleaf

Installation Date: August 2024 - February 2026

Awards: Gold Leaf Award

A set of architectural drawings was the starting point for a planting scheme that would become an integral part of the refurbished Hartpury University & Hartpury College Libraries. The aim was clear: use plants to bring warmth to the interiors, shape the way people move through the space and make the libraries more inviting places to spend time.

Working with the client from the early design stages, phs Greenleaf developed a scheme combining living and artificial plants and bespoke planters, with each element chosen to suit its surroundings. The project faced an unexpected setback when the original main contractor went into liquidation, leaving the site dormant for around 18 months. When work resumed, phs Greenleaf had to adapt the installation to the site as it stood while preserving the original design intent.

Completed in February 2026, the scheme brings together green walls, feature trees and timber-clad planters that double as seating and dividers. Planting helps distinguish social areas from quieter spaces, softens the architecture and gives the libraries a distinct sense of place.

 When phs Greenleaf first became involved, the architect’s drawings outlined the proposed layouts and circulation routes, but no planting types or specifications had been decided. This gave the team the opportunity to identify where planting would have the greatest impact and how it could work alongside the wider interior design.

 The scheme combines living plants with artificial features, selected to suit the light levels, access and function of different areas within the libraries.

 Artificial green walls provide bold, evergreen backdrops where limited natural light or restricted maintenance access makes living planting less practical. Larger specimens add further impact, including a 4m artificial Ficus and a 2.3m olive tree, bringing height and scale to the interior.

At planter level, the scheme includes living Aglaonema, Aspidistra, Zamioculcas and Sansevieria, alongside artificial Aglaonema, Calathea, Kentia and Sansevieria. The brief identifies these as part of the overall plant selection, although the precise locations of each species have not been specified.

 The timber-clad planters are a particularly practical feature of the design. They double as seating and dividers, helping to distinguish circulation routes, social areas and quieter spaces while maintaining an open feel. In the larger lightwells and double-height areas, the taller features draw the eye upwards and soften the surrounding architecture.

Together, these elements create a cohesive interior scheme, with artificial plants providing consistency in more challenging locations and living plants introducing natural variation where conditions allow.

Despite the 18-month delay and the challenges of working around completed interiors, phs Greenleaf finished the installation in February 2026. The result brings together green walls, feature trees and integrated planters to give the libraries warmth and character, while helping define the different areas. By choosing living or artificial plants to suit each location, the team has created a scheme that looks cohesive and works for the practical needs of the building.