Suzanne Lovell Inc

Architecture

Designing gardens with intuition vs. imposition

With a colorful history behind him, landscape designer Kim Wilkie has managed to create quite a name for himself worldwide. Growing up in a Malaysian jungle and an Iraqi desert was an adventure of its own, but the transition of being sent to school in England must have been tremendous. From there, Wilkie went on to study history at Oxford. It was there that Wilkie fell in love with historic landscapes.

As one of the world’s most sought-after landscape architects, it’s the way Wilkie actually restores historic landscapes that’s the reason behind his loyal following. Wilkie makes the connection between land + culture and memory + imagination. We think this quote by Wilkie himself sums it up perfectly, “Each place has its own special character and identity – a continuous conversation between the physical form and the lives lived and shaped within it. As a landscape architect I try to understand the memories and associations embedded in a place and the natural flows of people, land, water and climate.”

Thought of as Wilkie’s best-known work to date, the garden at Boughton House in Hampshire, England was a mismatched mess before he began the project. The inverted pyramid sinks down 21 feet and has a pond in the center. Called “Orpheus”, the connection between the space and the mythological story is instantly apparent.

Image courtesy of: Kim Wilkie

Located near Windsor Castle, the Great Fosters Hotel grounds were restored by Wilkie. Made into a 1920’s garden, this landscape was accentuated by mystical topiaries, which highlight the Baroque-inspired planting beds.

Image courtesy of: Architectural Digest 

This green living-wall at Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania measures 14″ tall and surrounds a surface area of over 4,000 square feet. Panels are filled with material made from composted bark and coconut fiber. Luckily, a great irrigation system was installed during construction so no “human watering” is needed!

Image courtesy of: Architectural Digest

Moving his studio and home to Franklin Farm, the place Wilkie’s parents saved from demolition, was a dream for Wilkie. He loves being surrounded by the history that’s around him! 

Next up for Mr. Wilkie is a compete overhaul to the grounds of London’s Natural History Museum… we can’t wait!

Image courtesy of: The Sunday Times

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