Kirsty Wilson

Born: Kirsty Elizabeth Wilson, 5 March 1991,Glasgow, Scotland

Nationality: British

Occupations: Horticulturist/broadcaster/writer

Television: BBC Beechgrove Garden

Radio: BBC Radio 4 Gardeners Question Time

Kirsty Elizabeth is a British horticulturist, broadcaster, and writer who is best known as a presenter on the BBC gardening television series Beechgrove Garden and a panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time. Born in Glasgow, she obtained a First Class BSc. Honours Horticulture with Plantsmanship degree from The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, in conjunction with the Scottish Rural University College and awarded by The University of Glasgow. She then worked at the Highgrove Estate for Prince Charles, before taking up a position at Longwood Gardens in the USA. On returning to the UK, she worked at St Andrews Botanic Gardens and then the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. In early 2024, she returned to working for King Charles III as head of Gardens at Balmoral Castle and Birkhall in the Highlands of Scotland. Her book, Planting with Nature was published in 2023. Kirsty is a RHS Herbaceous Committee Member.

Early life and education

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Kirsty Elizabeth Wilson was born on 5 March 1991 in Glasgow. She attended Baldernock Primary School and Douglas Academy in Milngavie. She played hockey for her school and rode horses in the local area. She obtained a First Class BSc. Honours Horticulture with Plantsmanship degree from The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, in conjunction with the Scottish Rural University College and awarded by The University of Glasgow in 2013. She also obtained a Diploma in Garden Design with Distinction in 2019.

Career

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2013-2015: Production Gardener in the gardens of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles at Highgrove Estate & Raymill Estate

2015-2016: International Horticultural Trainee – Longwood Gardens, USA

2016-2018: Glasshouse Supervisor – St Andrews Botanic Garden

2018-2024: Herbaceous Supervisor – The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

At the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Kirsty was responsible for core areas of the Living Collection e.g. the Chinese Hillside, Herbaceous Border, Queen Mother’s Memorial Garden, Biodiversity Garden, Rain Garden, Garden of Tranquillity, Demonstration Garden, Experimental and Cryptogamic Garden including six ponds. She also redesigned the Queen Mother’s Memorial Garden. She also undertook international expeditions to Yunnan in China and Hokkaido in Japan.

2024 – present: Head of Gardens for King Charles III at Balmoral Castle and Birkhall

Television and Radio Career

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2019 – present BBC Beechgrove Garden Series - TV Presenter and Garden Designer

2022- present BBC Radio 4 Gardeners Question Time – Regular Panellist and Contributor

Publications

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Wilson, Kirsty. Planting with nature: a guide to sustainable gardening. Birlinn, 2023.

Krivtsov, Vladimir, Steve Birkinshaw, Scott Arthur, David Knott, Ruth Monfries, Kirsty Wilson, Derek Christie et al. "Flood resilience, amenity and biodiversity benefits of an historic urban pond." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A 378, no. 2168 (2020): 20190389.

Kelly, David, Kirsty Wilson, Kalaichelvam Aravindan, and David Knott. "Hydrological and planting design of an experimental raingarden at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh." Sibbaldia: The International Journal of Botanic Garden Horticulture 19 (2020): 298.

Awards

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Gold Medal, Best Show Garden and People’s Choice Award at Gardening Scotland 2019

RHS Roy Lancaster Award 2021 – awarded to an individual under 35 who has achieved an exceptional contribution to the practice, science and promotion of horticulture.

References

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Smith, S. (2023) Scott Smith Interviews Beechgrove Garden Colleague Kirsty Wilson. Press and Journal, July 11. Retrieved 5 August 2024. https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/lifestyle/5915008/scott-smith-interviews-beechgrove-garden-colleague-kirsty-wilson/

Smith S. ( 2023) Rain Gardens Offer a First Green Line of Flood Defence. Financial times, 9 September. Accessed 5 August 2024. https://www.ft.com/content/52116384-fcdc-4b49-97bb-5f8f56baa197

Allan, V. (2023) Beechgrove Kirsty Wilson: 10 Ways to Turn Garden into Nature Reserve. The Herald, 26 March. Retrieved 5 August 2024 https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23407408.beechgrove-kirsty-wilson-10-ways-turn-garden-nature-reserve/

Swarbrick, S. (2020) Kirsty Wilson, Beechgrove Presenter on a Life Changing Visit to Pennsylvania, 2 May. Retrieved 5 August 2024 https://www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/18419615.kirsty-wilson-beechgrove-presenter-life-changing-visit-pennsylvania/

Anon (2024) A Day in the Life: Kirsty Wilson, Gardener and TV Presenter. Hood Magazine, 13 April. Retrieved 5 August 2024. https://www.hoodmagazine.co.uk/blog/a-day-in-the-life-kirsty-wilson-gardener-and-tv-presenter

Scougall M. (2020) With the Famous Beechgrove in Lockdown, Presenters are Preparing to Broadcast from their Homes. The Sunday Post, 13 April. Retrieved 5 August 2024 https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/with-the-famous-beechgrove-garden-in-lockdown-presenters-are-preparing-to-broadcast-from-their-homes/#:~:text=But%20that%2C%20too%2C%20hasn%27,each%20of%20the%20four%20presenters.

Lowne R. (2022) Exclusive Behind the Scenes Tour of the Blossoming Beechgrove Garden. Press and Journal 3 July. Retrieved 5 August 2024 https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/lifestyle/4449996/beechgrove-garden-bbc/

Ferguson B. (2020) Beechgrove Garden to Stay on Air. The Scotsman, 13 April. Retrieved 5 August 2024. https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-scotsman/20200413/281509343310817

Stevenson A. (2020) Beechgrove’s Back and Braver than Me. The Snday Post, 22 April. Retrieved 5 August 2024 https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/beechgroves-back-and-braver-than-me-well-i-wouldnt-let-you-into-my-garden/

Swarbrick, S. (2020) My Favourite Place, Kirsty Wilson, Beechgrove Presenter. The Herald, 2 May. Accessed 5 August 2024 https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-herald-magazine/20200502/281848645763712

Ritchie, C. (2022) Beechgrove Garden Presenter Kirsty Wilson coming to Gifford Flower Show. East Lothian Courier, 23 July. Retrieved 5 August 2024. https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/20295443.beechgrove-garden-presenter-kirsty-wilson-coming-gifford-flower-show/#:~:text=THE%20Beechgrove%20Garden%20presenter%20Kirsty,taking%20place%20over%20two%20days

McMahon, L. (2021) Beloved Garden Show, Beechgrove Bursts Back onto TV Screens in Time for Spring. The Scotsman 23 March. Retrieved 5 August 2024 https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/homes-and-gardens/beloved-gardening-show-beechgrove-bursts-back-onto-tv-screens-in-time-for-spring-3174979

Wilson, Kirsty. Planting with nature: a guide to sustainable gardening. Birlinn, 2023. https://birlinn.co.uk/product/planting-with-nature/ Retrieved 5 August 2024

Krivtsov, Vladimir, Steve Birkinshaw, Scott Arthur, David Knott, Ruth Monfries, Kirsty Wilson, Derek Christie et al. "Flood resilience, amenity and biodiversity benefits of an historic urban pond." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A 378, no. 2168 (2020): 20190389. Retrieved 5 August 2024 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2019.0389#:~:text=The%20results%20show%20that%20the,occurring%20among%20introduced%20plant%20species.

Kelly, David, Kirsty Wilson, Kalaichelvam Aravindan, and David Knott. "Hydrological and planting design of an experimental raingarden at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh." Sibbaldia: The International Journal of Botanic Garden Horticulture 19 (2020): 298. Retrieved 5 August 2024 https://doi.org/10.24823/Sibbaldia.2020.298

https://www.beechgrove.co.uk/kirsty--wilson

https://www.sruc.ac.uk/connect/alumni-friends/alumni-stories/kirsty-wilson/