About Kate

I am a skilled horticulturist with over 8 years' experience. My business is called Wild About Horticulture because I get very excited about plants and gardening and because I believe wildlife should be allowed to thrive around and about us and our gardens. I offer organic maintenance gardening, mentoring (so you can learn to manage your garden yourself) , consultancy and smallscale planting design in and around the TW postcodes and in the Sherborne area of Dorset.

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My Philosophy

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I seek a balance between making space for nature and maintaining the garden as a managed space. I think gardens should be beautiful and functional spaces for both people and wildlife. For wildlife, they should be safe, welcoming and biodiverse spaces offering food, shelter and opportunities to breed. For people, gardens should be for fun and playing, relaxing and mindfulness, foraging and growing food, and for socialising and enjoying nature. Gardens are a wonderful and very important opportunity to support biodiversity, community, beauty and healthy living, all of which can be compromised in our modern society. I think it is easy to be very separated from nature when living a busy life in town and I believe that we did not evolve to be distant from nature and that this can cause stress, anxiety and sadness. With just a few changes we can make our gardens into places where we can be close to nature. They can be havens for both people and wildlife from the stresses of modern life. I think it's really important to have access to naturally beautiful spaces where we can be quiet, calm and peaceful. I'd rather focus on this than get caught up in perfection, over-the-top neatness and design trends or comparisons with the neighbours. 

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My approach is informed  by my interest in nature and wildlife, organic gardening, restorative and regenerative agriculture, soil health, no-dig gardening, rewilding, ecosystem restoration, conservation and planting design. I aim to work with and within nature and natural cycles and systems as much as I practically can. I don't use chemicals at work at all and I strive to put wildlife and soil health first. My research and experience has convinced me that the use of chemicals and (in many cases) synthetic fertilisers is misguided and counter-productive. There is always something you can do to help nature, even with very small space or budget. I work in gardens of all sizes and I welcome enquiries from people with small gardens and small projects, as much as from those with bigger spaces and ideas. 

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How did I become a Horticulturist? 

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I took a roundabout route, which included an English Literature degree, being a teaching assistant in France and working for charities. 

 I am a former WFGA (Working for Gardeners Association) WRAGS Trainee and I have the RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture, passing with Commendation. I have a Level 1 Garden Design qualification from Capel Manor College, which equips me to design beds and borders, and a Level 2  Certificate in Organic Horticultural Practice. I have designed and built two Beautiful Borders gardens for BBC Gardeners' World Live, achieving Platinum in 2022 and Silver in 2019. I was awarded Silver-Gilt for my entries in Richmond in Bloom 2018 and 2019 . In 2026 I am studying for a Certificate in Community Orcharding with The Orchard Project. 

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 Contact me if you love your garden and you want an organic gardener who proritises wildlife, natural beauty and wellbeing in your garden. 

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