Gardener is a technology studio that builds websites.

Clients see Gardener as a holistic partner, aligned with their primary objectives rather than any specific technology solution. Gardener shepherds projects start to finish and delivers final work that’s designed to last and grow with the business.

Gardener’s founder, Ian Hatcher-Williams, defines the practice as “studio-as-case-study”, where he openly shares knowledge and resources with others in the creative industry. Gardener has become known for their Perennial Report, an annual look at the business’s profit and loss, new business, and operations.

After five years in business, Ian wanted to refresh the visual identity for Gardener to represent how the brand had grown and to support its future endeavors.

We defined three key brand attributes that guided us through the design process. First, the visual identity needed to feel logical. He wanted a visual identity that was pragmatic and clear and would reflect his approach to communication and making using the brand easier. Next, it was important that the brand felt modest. Gardener prioritizes creating value for clients without exploitation and nurturing trust in the community through transparency and integrity. Their sales and marketing are primarily non-persuasive and oriented towards a mission of shared success, so he wanted the identity to feel subtle and thoughtful, not flashy or brash. Finally, the visual identity needed elements that felt organic. While the brand is logical and modest, we didn’t want to lose sight of the their central metaphor comparing the cultivation of living things to the process of collaboration and work.

The resulting identity is one with deep roots and room to grow. Like Gardener’s practice, it appears simple and unassuming at first glance, but reveals care and intention in every detail.