As director at Sheffield-based design studio Creative Cultivation, Will Tomson designs and creates sustainably built wildlife gardens and natural swimming ponds. Portrait Andrew Montgomery.
Life before gardening? I initially studied ecology, then worked various jobs including being a dog-sledding and whale-watching guide. I then taught song writing to disengaged young people for a charity where I was asked to help design and build a garden. This was a lightbulb moment: realising the creativity of gardening could be combined with helping wildlife and people.
Horticultural heroes I admire those who question everything and challenge old convention. In the past, William Robinson, Christopher Lloyd and Beth Chatto. More recently, Peter Korn, John Little, Keith Wiley and Josh Sparkes. Pam Lewis at Sticky Wicket and her approach to wildlife gardening is a huge inspiration to me. And I wouldn’t be where I am without friend and designer Tracy McQue.
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Favourite landscape Ponds, scrubland and woodland edges, due to the diversity they support. Also brownfield sites where the resilience of nature against human development can be observed.
Three most worthwhile tips Think of plants that are perfect for caterpillars, as they crucially support the entire food web. Gardening for wildlife doesn’t have to mean untidy. Neat stone walls and dead wood can be artfully incorporated into a design to provide habitat. Add water bodies of any size; the more, the better.
Most valuable training Finding spaces to garden, then observing how plants grow, die and interact with each other and wildlife. Working in Japan also helped me appreciate wabi-sabi, the beauty in decay.
Favourite planting style Naturalistic with some formal elements, with the plants being selected for their ecosystem function as well as aesthetic beauty.
Biggest challenge facing gardeners today How we build and plant resilient gardens that have longevity. It’s so important we share information about what has worked and what hasn’t, to help inform plant choices in the future.
Gardening for wildlife doesn’t have to mean untidy. Neat stone walls can be artfully incorporated into a design to provide habitat
In what direction do you see horticulture heading? Hopefully a wider acceptance of gardening sensitively for wildlife. We are in a biodiversity crisis, and as gardeners we are custodians of spaces that can provide a sanctuary.
Next big project Building more ponds of varying sizes to create a wide range of interlinked habitats and plants. I built my own natural swimming pool in my garden and now have commissions to build more.
Career aims To create landscapes for people, food and wildlife that last for future generations to enjoy and to inspire a new generation of gardeners. We run a social night called Talking Plants in Sheffield (@talking_plants_sheffield) for gardeners and plant lovers to get together and share information.
Contact willtomsondesign@gmail.com; @creativecultivation; creativecultivation.co.uk