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 Matthew Wilson joined
Harlow Carr in February 2004 as Head of Site and Curator, having
previously been the Curator of RHS Garden Hyde Hall for four years.
Despite vowing not to follow the family tradition (his parents ran
a nursery in a small village in Kent), Matthew has now become a
respected voice within the horticultural field. He had tried
several paths however before deciding on his true vocation, which
included journalist, hotel manager and chef.
However it was during his time working with his father at a
large historic garden in the south of England that Matthew’s
interest in gardening was kindled, which then led to studies at
Hadlow College. A childhood love of wildlife and the
environment has remained a constant theme and has been translated
into the management of the Gardens that Matthew has looked
after.
During his time at RHS Garden Hyde Hall Matthew succeeded in
transforming many areas of the garden quite dramatically. The
success of the Dry Garden, finished in 2001 and irrigated purely by
rainfall, pays tribute to his dedication and commitment to
gardening in an environmentally friendly way.
Matthew’s experience of developing Hyde Hall as an
outstanding garden will be immensely valuable as Harlow Carr
embarks on its next stage of development. At the time of his
appointment, Matthew commented “I am keen to respect the
traditions of the garden whilst also having a garden that is
relevant for today. This will mean pushing the boundaries and
exploding some of the myths that surround what can be grown in the
challenging conditions Harlow Carr offers. It will be a work in
progress, which will be very exciting to watch as it unfolds. We
are keen to share what we learn as much as possible so that others
can also enjoy a wider range of plants in their own
gardens.”
Another important element for Matthew is working with the local
community, schools and organizations to promote horticulture and
the work of the RHS in the North of England. This ranges from
working directly with local organizations such as Horticap and the
Harrogate Parks Design Group to helping community gardening
projects in Bradford. He also speaks regularly on sustainable
horticulture, planting design and wildlife and gardening.
Matthew contributes regularly to a number of publications both
locally and nationally including the Daily Telegraph and The
Guardian. Matthew has appeared on a number of terrestrial and
satellite television programmes and local and national radio.
Matthew is a Trustee of the Lowther Castle & Gardens Trust
(Cumbria), board member of the BBC’s Gardening Editorial
Advisory Board, Board member and horticultural advisor to Horticap
(Harrogate) and Patron of the Friends of Nidderdale Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty.
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