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Twinflower is a creative collaboration between professional horticulturists Erika Packard and Tim Miles, who met while studying at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in Scotland. Together they design and caretake beautiful gardens in Edinburgh and beyond.

Erika Packard, BSc horticulture with Plantsmanship, MCIHort

Erika Packard taught herself how to grow plants from childhood in the United States, and practised horticulture in community gardens and on her own smallholding, growing cut flowers and vegetables. She earned a BA(Hons) degree in writing and photography and had a successful first career in communications and marketing. In 2013 she became certified as a community horticultural educator with the Piedmont Master Gardeners in her hometown in Virginia, an experience that inspired her to retrain as a professional horticulturist. Because of its unparalleled horticultural heritage and world-renowned gardens, Britain was her first choice of place to study. In 2017 she was awarded a BSc degree in Horticulture with Plantsmanship from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, finishing at the top of her class. She was Head Gardener of a large private garden designed by Tom Stuart-Smith in Kent as well as Head Gardener at the public Parham House and Gardens in West Sussex before returning to Edinburgh to start Twinflower.  

Erika is a full member of Chartered Institute of Horticulture.

Tim Miles, BSc horticulture with Plantsmanship, MCIHort

Tim Miles grew up in East Lothian, Scotland and moved into horticulture in 2014 after a career as a chef in prestigious restaurants around the world. Growing vegetables and foraging turned into an interest in horticulture and botany. Tim enrolled in the BSc Horticulture with Plantsmanship degree at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. While studying he worked at MacPlants, a nursery known as Scotland’s largest grower of herbaceous perennials. Tim graduated with distinction in July 2017 and that month began work at Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent. At Sissinghurst he developed the craft of gardening, learning formal maintenance of lawns and hedges and the art of border design and management. In 2018 Tim won the Chartered Institute of Horticulture’s Young Horticulturist of the Year competition. Before starting Twinflower, Tim was Assistant Head Gardener at Parham House and Gardens.

Tim is a full member of Chartered Institute of Horticulture.