FOLAR
Friends of the Landscape Archive at Reading

Celebrating Hal Moggridge's Career In Landscape Architecture

A celebration of Hal Moggridge’s Career in Landscape Architecture

FOLAR wanted to understand what impact working with two founding members of the Institute has had on his own approach to landscape architecture, but also in the positions he took on with the LI and IFLA. He has developed a broad and deep knowledge on many aspects of landscape architecture. FOLAR wanted to learn more about some of his key interests and their practical applications that cover both his commissioned and voluntary work. Through a varied programme of speakers and topics we hoped to discover more about his work, ideas, principles, and also about him.

How can such a quiet and modest man achieve so much?

Colvin and Moggridge is now the UK’s oldest landscape practice. The archives of both Hal Moggridge and Brenda Colvin are safely housed at MERL, fully catalogued and open to all: https://merl.reading.ac.uk/collections/brenda-colvin.

One of the most valuable objectives with FOLAR’s celebrations on special lives is being able to discuss, ask questions, see projects and learn and also share so much more about different aspects of peoples’ life and work, rather than guessing or making assumptions.  We hope you will enjoy what you find here.

Hal Moggridge, OBE, is an architect, landscape architect, author, past president of the Landscape Institute (LI), twice winner of the LI gold medal, recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Victoria Medal of Honour. And, in September 2025, he was honoured with the IFLA (International Federation of Landscape Architects) President’s Award, given in recognition of his contribution for the advancement of the profession of landscape architecture through participation with IFLA.  

Continuing FOLAR’s special series celebrating the life and works of UK’s renowned landscape architects, Hal was an obvious choice. He has spent almost all of his working life in landscape architecture. Hal has spent his working life in landscape architecture. Throughout this time, he has shared his knowledge and wisdom guiding multiple landscape focused organisations and professional bodies at international, national, and local levels. Hal has long provided a compass of wisdom, generosity, and diplomacy. He sees landscapes not only as cultural treasures, but also tools for reconciliation and he embraces diversity as a strength. His courage, clarity, and humanistic vision continue to inspire. He continues working now as a consultant to his practice and advising on multiple committees, including FOLAR.  

We wanted to understand what impact working with two founding members of the Institute has had on his own approach to landscape architecture, but also in the positions he took on with the LI and IFLA.

12. A life rooted in vision, diplomacy and generosity

About this video

Martha Fajardo is a Colombian architect and landscape architect, Doctor of Letters (DLitt, University of Sheffield, UK); CEO of Grupo Verde and former President and Honorary Member of the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) and cofounder and chair of the Latin American Landscape Initiative (LALI). Martha expresses the honour of being here in person to celebrate the extraordinary life and career of Hal Moggridge—a landscape architect whose influence, like the landscapes he shaped, will endure for generations.

Hal’s work—and his generous spirit—transcends borders, languages, and time zones. Meeting Hal first as a visiting professor at the University of Sheffield, he extended his characteristic generosity: listening attentively, advising with clarity, and encouraging with that gentle, perceptive optimism everyone came to treasure. Years later, their paths crossed again, through IFLA. He was not just a mentor or advisor—he was the compass that pointed toward diplomacy, unity and vision. There were tensions, negotiations, and delicate balances between history and hope. Hal believed in bridges—not borders. And thanks to his quiet leadership, those bridges still stand. He helped guide the efforts in uniting IFLA and EFLA (European Federation of Landscape Architects) through the “Coming Together” initiative, which today lives on as IFLA Europe. IFLA was designated as a partner in the development of the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach, and Hal was appointed as IFLA’s official liaison for that process. His landscape understanding gave unique depth to this evolving global heritage framework. Hal fully supported a vision to recognise the lifetime achievements of our most inspiring professionals through the creation of the Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award, IFLA’s highest honour.

Hal, the human being, a man who not only designed landscapes but with his beloved wife Cass and family also cultivated relationships, respect, and hope, inviting people into their lives with such warmth and grace. The conversations, the laughter, the shared meals, the generosity of spirit—those are the true treasures. And Hal embodies what is now called landscape diplomacy—the belief that the profession can be a tool for healing, reconciliation, and the building of resilient futures rooted in both ecology and culture, art and biodiversity. A British and global voice—spoken softly, heard widely.

Master of Landscapes, he also remains a master of legacy. “His legacy lives in the gardens he restored, the parks he protected, the students he inspired, and the global landscape architecture community he so lovingly helped grow, reminding us that true leadership is not loud, but luminous.”

About this series

Hal Moggridge was an obvious choice to continue FOLAR’s special series celebrating the life and works of UK’s renowned landscape architects. He has spent almost all of his working life in landscape architecture. Throughout this time, he has shared his knowledge and wisdom guiding multiple landscape focused organisations and professional bodies at international, national, and local levels. Hal has long provided a compass of wisdom, generosity, and diplomacy. He sees landscapes not only as cultural treasures, but also tools for reconciliation and embraces diversity as a strength. His courage, clarity, and humanistic vision continue to inspire. He continues working now as a consultant to his practice and as a volunteer advising on multiple committees, including FOLAR. Through a varied programme of speakers and topics we hoped to discover more about his work, ideas, principles, and also about him. How can such a quiet and modest man achieve so much? One of the most valuable objectives with FOLAR’s celebrations on special lives is being able to discuss, ask questions, see projects and learn and also share so much more about different aspects of peoples’ life and work, rather than guessing or making assumptions.

The archives of both Hal Moggridge and Brenda Colvin are at MERL, fully catalogued and open to all by appointment: https://merl.reading.ac.uk/collections/brenda-colvin

The Landscape Institute collection at MERL: https://merl.reading.ac.uk/collections/landscape-institute/

More information about FOLAR, and joining us https://www.folar.uk/

 
Mary McHughComment