Gordon Ledbetter

Gordon T. Ledbetter of Design F&L Ltd has wide experience in both corporate and residential design, and has designed theme parks in Ireland, England, Malaysia and Singapore. He has a special interest in the use of water in the landscape and is a founder member of the IWLS: The International Water Lily and Aquatic Plant Society with headquarters in the USA. This society is the official registration body for water lilies and lotus (Nymphaea & Nuphar). He is the author of five books, including two on water gardening.

His commissions have included: The Sensory Garden at Leopardstown Park Hospital; The Butterfly Park, Singapore and the Edinburgh Butterfly Park; designs for the Delta remedial centre, Carlow; Fountain Water Clock at the Jurong Bird Park; The Garden of Remembrance, St Thomas's Church; wildlife lake, Ryewater Nursery, Dorset; The Millennium Garden of Time for Youghal County Council; chief designer for the National Garden Exhibition Centre, Co. Wicklow.; and many private commissions in Ireland, the UK and the East.

Design, for Gordon Ledbetter, is largely a question of how the site will be used. The family or hospital garden, the office courtyard, theme parks, all have different needs and function in different ways. It is for the designer to address those needs, in conjuction with whatever opportunities and limitations are afforded by the site. In keeping with modern thought on design, he favours, where possible, incorporating indigenous plants beneficial to fauna and the environment.