The Designer
Geoff Whiten is a leading garden designer who specialises in the design and landscaping of private gardens that are both good to look at and practical to live in. He has also worked on a number of large, special design projects - most notably the gardens at Lambeth Palace. Now a Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers, which he originally helped to set up 25 years ago, Geoff regularly writes for gardening magazines and occasionally broadcasts on radio and television. He has been a consultant to the Royal Berkshire College's horticulture department, and acted as a design judge for the Royal Horticultural Society.
Geoff has a long history of involvement at the Chelsea Flower Show and is the Chelsea's longest, exhibiting designer with more than 32 years' experience of show gardens. In the early 1960's, Geoff trained as a gardening apprentice with Slough Corporation, working in town and city parks, and this is where he first assisted with displays at Chelsea.
Geoff went on to work for a variety of landscaping and garden design companies before embarking on a highly successful freelance garden design career in 1970. He continued to be involved in displays at Chelsea until, in 1975, he designed his own, first show garden. Geoff has appeared at the event every year since and has a formidable record of creating medal-winning gardens at Chelsea. Geoff has won a medal every year since 1976, including six golds. Most recently he won a silver at Chelsea 2007 for the Brett Landscaping and Building Products 'Relationships Garden'.
About returning to Chelsea in 2008 Geoff says "Chelsea epitomises the simple pleasures in life and gives me a chance to step back from the rat race and enjoy a little escapism. I also love being able to share my enthusiasm with visitors and to gently guide and encourage them to get as much enjoyment out of their own gardens as possible. That gives me a great sense of achievement".
We caught up with Geoff to ask him a few questions and get a few tips:
What is your top environmentally responsible gardening tip?
Composting. It’s something that everyone can do to help the environment. Far too much waste ends up in landfill sites. In fact, according to the Government-sponsored Recycle Now campaign, every year the average dustbin contains enough unrealised energy for 500 baths, 3,500 showers or 5,000 hours of television – and yet as much as 50% of the waste in our bins could be composted. What’s more, that compost can then be used to help your garden grow. Get the soil right and the rest will follow. It’s the perfect example of recycling and re-using.
What particular trends will dominate the season?
‘Growing your own’. More and more people are beginning to think seriously about their carbon footprint and what they can do to reduce it. Consumer interest in locally produced food that hasn’t been flown half-way around the world has risen considerably in the last few years and I think there will be an increasing number of people who will want to take that a step further and have a go at growing fruit, veg and herbs in their own garden.
What inspired your Chelsea exhibit, ‘Real Life by Brett’?
The Chelsea Flower Show’s visitors are my inspiration. I’ve been coming to Chelsea for many years now and yet it still gives me a huge buzz when I hear someone say ‘I could recreate this garden at home’.
