John established Plantforms in 2007. He combines academic training in ecology with design to create sustainable and low maintenance planting schemes. His main enthusiasm is for naturalistic herbaceous plantings, with lots of colour and texture, that change dramatically over the seasons. It was a Planting Design Summer School in Berlin in 2009 that inspired him to incorporate ecology into his design process more explicitly. Being bowled over by the experimental gardens at Hermannshof, Germany,  encouraged this development further.  He regularly collaborates with community groups and the council to create work in the public realm, such as his street and park plantings in the City Centre, Morningside, New Town, Portobello and Leith. John also lectures for SRUC on their Garden and Greenspace Design degree course. And when the design work gets too much you might find him in a quiet place meditating or sitting at his easel struggling with a painting.