This month’s "Meet the Member" features Penelope Walker, who designed The Panathlon Joy Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year. In her spare time she enjoys, running, cycling, and working out, as well as acquiring new skills redecorating her house.
Tell us a little about yourself and why you come to Unicorn Studios?
Hi, I’m Penelope, I’ve been a garden designer since 2017 and love my job! I’ve worked from a home office until now but following a large project which involved a lot of interaction with others, I realised it was time to get more social on a permanent basis. It’s been brilliant to be part of a larger office set up again. I’m particularly enjoying cycling in so it’s great to have somewhere secure to put the bike.
Outside of work (if that’s a thing), I’ve recently bought a house so I’m currently redecorating that. There’s some new cabinetry required so I tend to spend my evenings and weekends in the DIY shops and decoration centres plus watching a never-ending stream of YouTube videos on how to embrace my inner DIY goddess. Otherwise, I enjoy keeping fit through sport, running and working out etc. Anything else? I suppose seeing friends occasionally.
What was your first job?
My first job was at a local riding stables looking after 20 or so horses. I was only 12 years old when I started and it was a health and safety nightmare! Sometimes I was there on my own but it didn’t occur to me that this could be a problem and I don’t think my parents realised. I worked from 7am-12pm for the grand sum of £5 and absolutely loved it.
The Panathlon Joy Garden
What work accomplishment are you most proud of?
There’s a couple really; taking the leap from having worked in the City in finance to going solo is something that I’ll always be proud of myself for embracing but probably the more obvious is designing a garden at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year.
I used to visit the show before I was a designer and marvel at the gardens there. Then once I was in the industry, it was a goal of mine to design a garden but I could never have imagined achieving this at such an early stage in my career. It was hard work to even just get the funding and RHS approvals. The garden was completed on behalf of children’s charity, Panathlon and funded by Project Giving Back.
Panathlon host competitive sporting events for children with disabilities and special educational needs. In preparation for the show, I volunteered to help at a local event and the transformation that participating in sports has on the attendees is heart warming.
Drilling down into Panathlon’s core objectives revealed that the charities core values are centred on inclusivity, promoting accessibility and normalising difference. I was keen that the overall message of the garden be an uplifting and positive one. Therefore, I focused the concept on the way that Panathlon bring joy to the lives of the participants and so the idea of The Panathlon Joy Garden was born.
The Panathlon Joy Garden
The application involved several stages requiring huge amounts of detailed drawings, presentations and panel interviews. Once we had the official nod, it was undoubtedly a stressful time trying to co-ordinate all the details.
The show requires that gardens have plants contract grown as there’s an expectation that everything is completely perfect but following an exceptionally wet spring, I was told that half of the plants that I’d ordered weren’t going to be in flower. My trees were also very late coming into leaf; in the months leading up to the show, it seemed like one problem after another.
The build was intense too; we had 8 days to complete the garden which included three trees weighing over 700kg each, a concave pathway and over 800 plants. We worked non-stop from 7.30am until the job was done. One night, it was a last minute scramble to get off site before the gates closed at 9pm.
However, I’d recruited a really hard working and dedicated team including a very good friend who came over from New York to pitch in. After the judging was completed and I got to meet lots of people who were all very complimentary, all the pain somehow became a distant memory.
I was awarded a Silver-gilt medal for the garden with the planting design being rated as ‘Excellent’ which is something I’m particularly proud of. Having Queen Camilla personally congratulate me on the garden was another highlight. Meeting Andrew Lincoln wasn’t so bad either.
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Early bird most of the time. I’m a bit of a diva though – I’m neither without the right amount of sleep. I find the mornings easier; my heads clear and I feel most focused. It’s great to get things done before most people are even up.
Meeting Sally Philips from Smack the Pony at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show
What’s one of your favourite memories this year?
This is a boring answer as I’ve already half answered this but it’s still being at the Chelsea Flower Show. I met so many lovely people – some were famous such as Sally Philips from Smack The Pony, Paul Hollywood, Andrew Lincoln from Waking Dead and Love Actually but also lots of people who just wanted to talk about plants – it was a bit of a dream really.
It was also very much like Christmas in the sense that I got to see everyone that I love in the space of a few weeks and there were a lot of lunches, dinners and laughs but I didn’t have to buy any presents. Actually someone even gave me a four-leaf clover which they’d had preserved just before judging - I nearly cried!
What’s something you’re planning on doing in the next year that you’ve never done before?
There’s a few things on the work front that I’d like to tick off my list; I’m particularly keen on designing a garden/courtyard space for a luxury hotel or spa.
On a personal note, I think getting my house completely redecorated is a good 12 month goal. I’ve never
wall-papered so that’ll be new.
Llevelo Garden Design
When working what is your guilty pleasure?
Naps and snacks of course! Isn’t that everyone’s? I suppose working in my comfies was good.
If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in something, what would it be?
Only one thing? I’d like to be able to take great photos and have persevered with this somewhat hopelessly over the years.
Being able to fix my bike would be the more useful skill. I enjoy going bike packing from time to time and when you’re out in the middle of nowhere on your own, not having a good grasp of a bike failure isn’t ideal.
However, I would have to say cabinetry. I enjoy working with my hands and being creative plus there’s that concept of creating something from nothing. It’s something I’m slowly getting into but in absence of a finger snap, I think mastery is a few years away.
What is your hidden talent?
Agh the old ‘secret party trick’ style question…unfortunately, there’s nothing hidden about me..
Llevelo Garden Design
What three people would be your fantasy coworkers at Unicorn studios? And why?
Tough question – I’d still need to get work done! I’m sure there’s some business big-wigs whose experience would be useful. I’m a fan of Kit Kemp’s; she’s a brilliant interior designer now entrepreneur and founder of a successful hotel chain. Her style is a little quirky, colourful and very stylish. It’s right up my street. The combinations she uses can be very bold but her schemes are excellent.
Then a comedian would be good. It would be tough to choose as there’s so many good ones out there. Maybe an icon such as Bill Bailey or John Cleese or lesser known but equally funny (in my opinion); Paul Merton, I think his ability to deliver a one liner is unrivalled. I don’t think someone whose humour was centred on long stories would be very conducive to the office atmosphere.
For number three, I’d have to say Dave from my old office. Dave was great – he’d go out each day and get a whole host of great ingredients and make everyone lunch. We all chipped in a fiver to cover costs and got a delicious and full meal out of it. Every single day! Fellow Unicorners – take note! (Admittedly working next to M&S helped too).
Would you rather be a tiny unicorn or a giant hamster?
A tiny unicorn definitely! I have a Tinker Bell inspired unicorn in my mind (just without the unrequited love bit); she gets stuff done, she’s fearsome and glitter just seems to appear near her – yes definitely a tiny unicorn. Who would want to be a giant hamster?!
Contact Details
Penelope Walker
Llevelo Garden Design
01473 487723
Benefits of joining Unicorn Studios
Productivity
Work-life balance
Cost effective
Collaboration
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