About Wyld Design
I’m Ralph, a garden and planting designer. After years as a jazz vibraphonist, I now help clients achieve gardens which feel like they’ve always belonged to their house and the landscape, through connected, concept-driven design.
Jazz has taught me that the most creative work emerges from embracing restrictions - whether that’s a chord progression or the unique conditions of a site. I bring this same approach to garden design, starting with conversations about your story, research into local history and ecology, and careful observation of your home’s architecture and interiors.
From this cultural and environmental detective work, I weave together designs that feel both deeply personal and naturally rooted. My passion for the environment drives every decision: I see each garden as an opportunity to create habitats, support local wildlife, and restore the vital connection between homes and the landscapes that surround them.
From a very young age, I was focused on becoming a professional musician. After starting out with classical training, I discovered the world of jazz, where music is created live and in the moment. Rhythmic, vibrant music, where no two performances are the same and energy and intention are as important as the notes.
I’ve always had a passion for creating narrative-driven work. As a musician, I’ve produced projects inspired by ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’, and the works of artist Paul Klee, interpreting patterns, colours, and themes into musical compositions. Translating ideas across artistic media has become a speciality and finely-attuned skill.
Then, in the lockdowns of 2020, when a gorgeous spring turned into an endless summer, I spent every spare minute in the garden, and a new path opened to me. For the next few years I studied and trained, and gained diplomas in horticulture from the RHS, and garden design from Capel Manor College. Throughout, I revelled in combining history, art, and horticulture into designs which tell a story in each tiny detail.
Practising and teaching improvisation has taught me that imposing restrictions boosts creativity. In garden design, this means working with the restrictions of the site, or cultural and historic influences, to produce the most creative and exciting work. Using conversations with clients, research into art and folklore, and the genius loci or unique spirit of the place, I design gardens that connect.
What brings these grounded gardens to life, with vibrancy and vivacity, is lush, naturalistic planting. I love the way plants do their own thing, and our input is only part of their story. One of my jazz and compositional heroes, Kenny Wheeler, once said he wrote detailed and precise music, outlining each chord change exactly how he wanted it, and then made sure to give it to musicians who would just do their own thing, regardless of what’s on the page. This is exactly how I like to think of planting design, and celebrating this wild autonomy of plants has become central to my approach.