Creating a comprehensive guide to trees

Filbert Press, in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, commissioned us to design The Essential Tree Selection Guide, an award-winning definitive reference highlighting the vital role trees play in the health of the natural world.

We led cover design and internal layouts, creating a structure that could hold both breadth and depth — from introductory features to an extensive reference section.

At the heart of the book is an A–Z Tree Directory, representing more than 550 trees selected for their ecosystem benefits, resilience, and long-term contribution to future landscapes. Our design balanced accessibility with authority, using clear layouts and typography to make this immense body of information engaging and easy to navigate.

The Essential Tree Selection Guide has been praised by Gardens Illustrated as “invaluable for professionals … and amateurs”, strengthening Kew’s publishing presence with a design that makes complex ecological knowledge approachable and useful. The book has received prestigious award nominations, including recognition by the Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries (CBHL) due to its revolutionary, scientific approach to urban arboriculture.