Ellen Tips is the general manager and lead designer for Jane Gil Gardens. She earned a Master’s degree in architecture from Columbia University, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Design from Arizona State University, and has an extensive design background in landscapes, florals, interiors, and textiles.

Ellen’s love of gardening began as a young child, working with her grandmother and mother in their lush and extensive perennial gardens in the mid-Hudson Valley and northern Connecticut, respectively. Ellen’s father, a professor of forestry, helped foster her understanding of plant biology and trees at an early age. Ellen’s voracious curiosity about plants has led her to read and study extensively on the subject and to travel to inspirational gardens nationally and internationally. Ellen has used her indoor and outdoor gardens at each of the places she has resided to continuously experiment with species, combinations, and growing techniques.

Following her graduation from ASU, Ellen worked for several years as a designer and project manager for a Phoenix architectural firm specializing in high end residential design. Ellen contributed to a number of beautiful residences, all of which seamlessly integrated into the desert landscape with thoughtful intention. Upon returning to New York, her design work was instrumental in the execution of several acclaimed fine dining restaurants, luxury event floral designs and several New York Fashion weeks. Through these experiences for exacting clients, Ellen has mastered the ability to coordinate an array of contractors and vendors and bring a design to life down to the smallest detail.

When Ellen met Jane in 2014, she discovered the ideal union of her background in design and love of horticulture. Jane and Ellen became fast friends and their mutual exuberance for gardening stirred inspiration in each other. Jane was Ellen’s mentor, sharing her invaluable wealth of knowledge from 34 years of garden design, installation and maintenance in New York. Ellen is passionately dedicated to creating and maintaining gorgeous, thriving gardens. She lives in Fort Greene, Brooklyn with her husband Travis, two children, and two cats.