Rae Wilkinson MSGLD, Garden and Landscape Designer

In conversation with Anna Roochove, Arbour Landscape Solutions

RHS Gold medal-winning garden and landscape designer Rae Wilkinson MSGLD brings close to three decades of industry experience to her practice, working across Surrey, Sussex, London and the wider South-East. With early roots in art and design, environmental conservation and hands-on landscaping, Rae's path into design was shaped as much by site as by studio. Her naturalistic, sustainable approach has earned recognition at RHS Chatsworth, RHS Hampton Court and beyond, with planting consultancy work at Chelsea spanning many years. A member of the SGLD, BALI and the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, Rae works across a broad range of project types - from contemporary urban courtyards to large country estates - with every design grounded in the character of the site and the needs of the people who will inhabit it.

Q: What inspired you to become a garden designer?

I went from art college to environmental conservation to landscaping and garden maintenance where I worked with some inspirational designers who inspired my natural progression into designing gardens.

Q: How long have you been in practice?

I have been in the industry for nearly 30 years and have been designing gardens for nearly 20 of those years.

Q: Where did you train?

Merrist Wood, Garden Design Diploma with Andrew Wilson, 2007.

Q: Which award-winning Chelsea Flower Show gardens inspire you?

I have worked as a planting consultant for many years at Chelsea Flower Show and have been inspired by many beautiful gardens and great designers, too many to mention here! Designs which have stood out to me over the years as truly inspirational were by designers such as Cleve West and Andy Sturgeon.

Q: Where do you gain inspiration for your garden designs?

I look to the natural world, to the local vernacular and to my experience of creating art and sculpture to inform my designs.

Q: Do you always tend to work with the same landscaper to install your gardens?

There are a handful of contractors I predominantly work with and we know what to expect from one another which can serve a project very well.

Q: Tulips or grasses - what are your favourites and why?

I do have a passion for ornamental grasses and the textural structure they bring to a garden. I am however a plant lover so there are hundreds of plants I could name as favourites.

Q: In one sentence, how would you encapsulate the transformative power of gardens?

The greatest gift of a garden is the restoration of the senses and the calming of the mind.

Q: What advice would you offer to newly qualified designers?

Go and learn about everything you don't know well, preferably onsite or in gardens you can access — plants, drainage, lighting, construction — and never stop being open to learning more. We are expected by our clients to be experts in all the multitude of elements that make up a garden, especially plants, and we should be. There is always more to learn and information out there is constantly changing and progressing, so find out whatever you can to keep feeding your knowledge.

Q: Which trade shows do you like to attend?

Futurescape, Futurebuild and Surface Design Show.

Q: Which areas of the country do you cover?

Mainly the South-East and London, but I will always consider projects countrywide and beyond.

Q: Do you specify products for your designs?

Yes, this is an important element of the design service I provide.

Q: Are you part of any trade body organisation?

SGLD, BALI and CIH.

Q: If you were to write your own legacy, what would it say?

Hopefully that I have been a designer who has brought some joy and nature connection through some original, site sensitive and creative work.

Q: What difference do you want to make that lasts beyond your lifetime when it comes to designing gardens?

Bringing the focus back to nature when it comes to designing gardens and landscapes has to be key — from the first assessment of the site to the last feature built, natural materials, natural inspiration and site appropriate choices are how we provide gardens we can enjoy where nature can also exist.

Q: What products have you specified from Arbour?

Paddlestone walling, Sinai Pearl Limestone, clay pavers and Core Edge.

Q: What is the positive impact you experience from working with a reliable materials supplier?

The access to product advice and options, and good reliable supply alongside the resolution of issues and queries should they arise. 
Thank you Rae for your time.

If you can think of a garden designer, landscaper, landscape architect, or industry influencer that you'd like to see featured in our spotlight articles, we'd love to hear from you. Simply click the button below to e-mail Anna to nominate someone.