News & Press

The Eternal Garden at St Peter's Hospital by Rae Wilkinson Design
Rae Wilkinson shortlisted for Pro Landscaper Sustainability & BioDiversty award 2023


Rae Wilkinson interviewed about sustainability for new podcast ProGRESS.

ProGRESS is a new podcast about Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially Responsible careers
ProGRESS interviews people working with Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially Responsible priorities and policies to talk about careers in their particular field. It aims to inform and inspire young people wanting to move into career sectors that share their values.

Invited as guest for the first episode, Rae talks about her own career path into horticulture and garden design and how she puts sustainability at the core of her approach. She also discusses how sustainability plays a part in her everyday life as well as her career, and how she went from studying art and three-dimensional design to environmental conservation before becoming a horticultural expert and celebrated garden designer.

Listen to this episode of ProGRESS here, and read more about Rae's approach to sustainability here.



Rae designs a new staff garden at St Peter's hospital, Chertsey.

Sculpture by Harry Gray for the Covid Recovery Garden
A new Staff Covid Recovery Garden designed by Rae has been officially opened at St Peter's Hospital, Chertsey.

Rae and the team at The Outdoor Room transformed the courtyard space into a tranquil garden for staff as part of the Trust's Healing Arts programme, and following on from her work with the Trust to create the Eternal Garden in 2022.

"The intention behind creating this garden was to acknowledge the hard work the staff do at the hospital, the risks they take and the losses suffered," said Rae. "The benefits brought by a moment within a garden, especially during the pandemic period and through difficult times is something of which we are all now becoming more aware. A garden is somewhere we can escape and recover, and also a space where we can reflect and remember, especially to remember those who have so sadly lost their lives while doing their vital work in this hospital during the Covid period."

Covid recovery-garden-Rae-Wilkinson Covid recovery garden Rae Wilkinson

At the opening event in May, the Duchess of Gloucester attended and unveiled a sculpture named 'Held' which had been created especially for the garden by Harry Gray, who also created the Covid Star Medal which was gifted to Ashford and St Peter's staff in 2022, the design of which features in the garden paving. The Covid Star Medal design has also been inlaid into a memorial bench which commemorates the colleagues that the Trust sadly lost during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Harry Gray said: "During the Pandemic we could not go into hospitals to hold our very ill loved ones, so as well as providing amazing care the staff gave this extra touch on our behalf. I have created this sculpture as a monument to remember these NHS staff and to celebrate this touch which is the very essence of what it is to be human."

Chief Nurse Andrea Lewis said: "I'd like to extend my thanks to Rae and Harry for creating this meaningful space for colleagues."

Watch a video of the opening below.

The Duchess of Gloucester opens Rae Wilkinsons Covid Recovery garden at St Peters hospital


Rae Wilkinson is announced winner of Pro Landscaper small project BIG IMPACT awards 2022.

Rae Wilkinson Garden Designer
The winners have been revealed for Pro Landscaper Magazine's small project BIG IMPACT Awards 2022 at a ceremony at FutureScape, the UK's leading landscaping trade event.

Nine category winners were announced with Rae Wilkinson winning the award for Best Planting Design Under £25,000 for Eternal Garden which she designed for palliative care patients at Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals in Chertsey.

Each year, these prestigious awards showcase and celebrate garden designs with modest build and planting budgets. "These projects show a skill and creativity that is often trickier to execute due to budget restrictions, time pressures and rising material costs. In fact, it's often hard to get the 'wow factor' within these restrictions." said Pro Landscaper's Joe Wilkinson. "Judged by some of the landscaping industry's top professionals, and covering all aspects of the sector, from design, construction and hard landscaping to sustainable gardens and planting design, winning this award is a great testament to the success of Rae's Eternal Garden."

Read more about Eternal Garden here.

Pro Landscaper Small Project BIG IMPACT Awards

Rae WIlkinson receiving the award for best planting design under £25,000

Read the Winners Brochure article here

Spread of Pro Landscaper Magazine small project BIG IMPACT awards

Conference speaker on Sustainability

On September 29th, Rae was a speaker on the subject of Sustainability at Landscape, the garden design industry trade show, at the NEC Birmingham.

Joined by other leading garden designers on a panel chaired by Rachel Bailey, the seminar looked at and discussed the increasingly important consideration of Sustainability in garden design.

Read about Rae's approach to Sustainability.

Portrait of Rae Wilkinson Barn with sustainable meadow planting


Eternal Garden

Rae has recently completed a new garden design for palliative care patients at Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals. Eternal Garden was opened on Thursday 28th April, at St Peter's Hospital, in Chertsey.

Rae has transformed the existing courtyard at the hospital into a calming and private garden which provides a dedicated space for loved ones to spend precious moments with their family or friends whilst receiving end-of-life care at St Peter's Hospital.

The garden comprises a patioed area surrounded by pleached trees, an oak pergola, planted beds, wooden benches and three water bowls to fill the garden with the calming sound of trickling water. Also located in the courtyard is a garden room with bi-folding glass doors to allow the healing power of nature to flow throughout. To enable The Eternal Garden to be used both day and night, all year round, the room has heating installed and lights around the garden's patio area.

The Eternal Garden designed by Rae Wilkinson for St Peter's Hospital, Chertsey The Eternal Garden designed by Rae Wilkinson for St Peter's Hospital, Chertsey

Garden designer and TV presenter Arit Anderson, who officially opened The Eternal Garden, said, "We come into the world in a whirl of energy and what happens after that is up to fate, but what we do need is to be nurtured in our most difficult of times. The Eternal Garden will be a wonderful place of sanctuary and healing to patients, family, and staff at St Peter's. Bravo to the team, Rae Wilkinson and The Outdoor Room for creating this special and necessary space."

UPDATE: More on this garden here.


Garden Design Journal May 2022

Garden Design Journal

Rae Wilkinson features as one of two designers commissioned to create gardens for hospices, her's being a redesigned courtyard for palliative care patients at St Peter's Hospital, in Chertsey.

Read more


Dream Garden Magazine featuring and interview with Rae Wilkinson

Dream Garden Magazine

In this 'Meet the Designer' interview with Dream Garden Magazine, Rae explains her design process and the benefits of having a designer on board when embarking on a new garden project.

Read more


Sod Show Podcast. Rae Wilkinson Garden and Landscape Design Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, London, South-East England

The Sod Show

Rae in conversation with fellow garden designer and Sod Show host Peter Donegan about her Gold Medal winning garden at RHS Chatsworth.

Listen to the podcast.


Shoot Gardening. Rae Wilkinson Garden and Landscape Design Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, London, South-East England

Shoot

Rae's Gold Medal winning Mindfulness Garden at RHS Chatsworth Flower Show 2019 is featured in the Shoot online magazine.

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Cover of The English Garden Magazine August 2018. Rae Wilkinson Garden and Landscape Design Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, London, South-East England

The English Garden

Rae's contemporary, soft design for a converted stable yard garden is featured in the August 2018 edition of The English Garden Magazine.

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Prolandscaper July 2018 Rae Wilkinson Design. Rae Wilkinson Garden and Landscape Design Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, London, South-East England

Why I love horticulture

Rae shares her love of horticulture in the July 2018 issue of Pro Landscaper Magazine.

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Pro Landscaper Cover Jan 2018 Rae Wilkinson Garden and Landscape Design Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, London, South-East England

Designer Plants

Rae's planting scheme for a recently completed garden is the subject of a feature in the January 2018 edition of Pro Landscaper Magazine.

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Rae Wilkinson Homes and Garden. Rae Wilkinson Garden and Landscape Design Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, London, South-East England

Homes & Gardens

Rae's garden design for a Dutch Barn conversion is featured in the September 2017 edition of Homes & Gardens Magazine.

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Rae Wilkinson ProLandscaper Magazine. Rae Wilkinson Garden and Landscape Design Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, London, South-East England

Life/Style

Rae is interviewed about her life, career and inspirations in Pro Landscaper Magazine.

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RHS Hampton Court 2016 Rae Wilkinson. Rae Wilkinson Garden and Landscape Design Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, London, South-East England

RHS Hampton Court 2016

Rae's 'Breath of Fresh Air' garden for The Abbeyfield is featured in the July issue of Pro Landscaper Magazine

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Garden Design Journal Cover. Rae Wilkinson Garden and Landscape Design Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, London, South-East England

Garden Design Journal

Rae shares tips for other designers about to work on their first show garden.

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ProLandscaper magaine cover. Rae Wilkinson Garden and Landscape Design Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, London, South-East England

RHS Hampton Court 2015

Rae's Healing Urban Garden features among ProLandscaper magazines favourite designs.

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Rae Wilkinson RHS Hampton Court. Rae Wilkinson Garden and Landscape Design Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, London, South-East England

A taste of RHS Hampton Court

Rae's Healing Urban Garden was featured in The Telegraph's glimpse of the top attractions.

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Rae Wilkinson Country Life. Rae Wilkinson Garden and Landscape Design Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, London, South-East England

Country Living

Rae's 'HUG' RHS Hampton Court show garden was featured in Country Living's online magazine.

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Rae Wilkinson Garden and Landscape Design Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, London, South-East England

Homify Magazine

Rae's work was featured in Homify's online magazine.

Rae Wilkinson Garden and Landscape Design Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, London, South-East England