Our next 'Girls in their Garden' series muse is model and Head Gardener of The Old Rectory, East Sussex, England- Sharnee Gates.
I first met Sharnee when I cast her as one of the models for my Winter 2014 campaign. Set in the Blue Mountains amongst native gum trees and wintery mist, her natural beauty was a perfect fit for my label. Fast forward 10 years and she has modelled all across the globe, now calling a cottage in East Sussex, England, home. Sharing how isolating travelling for work could be, Sharnee found refuge in beautiful gardens, and one experience at the Loki Schmidt in Hamburg planted the seed that she could pursue her love for them professionally. After completing a Level 2 apprenticeship with the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society), and being 'Head of the Winter Walk' at an 18th-century garden for two years, she was entrusted to manage the Arne Maynard designed Old Rectory, currently owned by Lord Barker of Battle.
All of this to me is straight from a romance novel (and upon receiving the photos Sharnee and her partner took exclusively for this interview it was emphasised tenfold). Films like the Secret Garden, The Wind in the Willows and novels by Bronte immediately spring to mind, transporting me directly to the feeling of the cool summer grass under my feet amongst the roses the day I moved to London. I'm also reminded of my love for that unique shade of green England possesses…so deep and rich compared to the sun-kissed yellow tinge of the Australian bush.
Up with the birds to speak to me across time zones, Sharnee is curled up with a cup of tea. Her mixed British and Aussie accident is as endearing as her freckles. As she lists all the different types of gardens she cares for (a knot garden being one), I frantically take notes and google them afterward. This ‘Girl in her Garden’ is another completely unique story for the series and a fascinating glimpse into the cultural prestige of gardeners in England. Enjoy this journey of Sharnee: From Model to Master Gardener.
Describe yourself as someone who loves you would…
Well, I asked my partner and he said, “You are powerful, and use your body and mind everyday to nurture the people and plants around you. She's a ditch- diving, tractor driving, shovel wielding, crazy Australian with a soft spot for identifying butterflies and calling out Latin names. She sees all the colours of the garden. ”
If I think about what my family would say I think it would be: “ She achieves anything she puts her mind to, she’s strong-willed, hard-working, not one to be messed with and fiercely herself.”
Describe your garden in three words.
Romantic, Quintessentially English, Cottage.
Favourite plant?
Cercidiphyllum japonicum f. pendulum -An incredible round-leaved tree in weeping form that smells like brown sugar and goes golden in the autumn.
Favourite quote?
“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” Maya Angelou
You spent 8 years traveling the globe for modelling - the environmental impact of this, reflected by the 2018 devastating fires in Australia pushed you to rethink your work. Do you feel you would have moved away from modelling if those fires didn’t happen?
I think I was searching for new experiences to stimulate and excite me. However, I don't believe I would have pursued a career in gardening if it hadn't been for that pivotal moment. Seeing the landscape I was so familiar with in flames created a sense of urgency to do something meaningful. In fact, I probably would have continued modelling for a few more years.
Tell us about the first experience you had that made you want to pursue gardening as a career?
I was in Hamburg for a modelling job, and whenever I travelled for work, I sought solace in a garden or nature space near my location. During this trip, I decided to visit the Loki Schmidt Garden, a large botanical garden within walking distance of my hotel. It was high summer, and the entire garden was bursting with colour. As I wandered through the landscape, I noticed a man riding past me on a bicycle, with a trailer attachment filled with tools. Watching him tend to the garden fascinated me.
"In that moment, I realised that one could work outdoors and be a gardener for a living. The idea of contributing to such beauty and tranquillity was deeply appealing."
You describe your garden growing up to be a jungle with the weirdest and most wonderful plants. Do you think this subconsciously seeded your passion and current career?
Yes, I think it did. When I was a child, my mum always encouraged us to garden on Sundays. She had a passion for planting exotic plants and created a jungle-like space in our backyard. She would grow things like tamarillo, carambola, custard apple, bananas—anything and everything she could get her hands on. My mum's bold and "give it a go" approach to gardening made me feel at home in a garden. Her adventurous spirit instilled in me the confidence to attempt challenging gardening techniques and fostered a love for interesting and unique plants.
Your garden has a lot of different elements and sections to it. Can you give us a brief explanation and if you have a favourite?
The garden, designed by Arne Maynard, is a quintessentially romantic English garden featuring a variety of distinct sections: a knot garden, cutting garden, orchard, a pond and stream, copse, vegetable patch, and the south and west borders, which reach their peak in spring and summer. Our garden showcases a soft pastel colour scheme with dazzling pale delphiniums and white umbellifers intermingled with an abundance of roses, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a Pre-Raphaelite painting. The soft pastels contrast beautifully with the dark copper beech and bright box topiary, enhancing the garden's timeless and captivating allure. It's a place I take inspiration from daily, there is a new favourite part every time.
I find the culture around gardens in the UK so romantic and as head gardener of a Lord's estate, your job is very prestigious. Is the romance of it something that draws you in?
One reason I chose to stay in the UK to pursue gardening is the prestige and romantic allure of English gardens. Here, gardening is taken very seriously, providing an ideal environment to grow and hone my skills. As a young female horticulturist, it is a great privilege to be Head Gardener and leave my mark on The Old Rectory.
Anything you want to leave us with?
Anyone can and should garden, have a go. It has changed my life for the better and I hope to share the joy of gardening with anyone and everyone!
Connect with Sharnee at @sharneegates and follow @theoldrectorygarden for updates on her beautiful work
My aim for this series is to share stories of women across the globe, in an array of career paths and life stages. To connect, educate and inspire us to improve our world and ourselves, one plant at a time. I could never have imagined how diverse each woman's story would be. To date we have had everything from a dancer growing balcony herbs, a fashion sales agent running commercial farms, a meditation teacher raising pigs, a naturopath growing medicinal plants for her successful soaps and sauces, and a climate-science academic excitedly harvesting potatoes. We have now highlighted women from 3 different countries, and 7 unique locations. I’m intrigued to where we go next!
If you or someone you know should be my next muse, please reach out here: celeste@sonzaistudios.com