For Michael Gilkey, Jr., great garden design isn’t born from a single idea. In fact, the second-generation, Sarasota-based landscape architect believes in the power of interaction so much that he’s built his business on it.
“I like information,” he says. “The more variables there are, the more questions I ask.”
This approach is a key part of his foundation. Gilkey studied landscape architecture at the University of Florida, where he graduated at the top of his class. After school, he entertained offers from large, national firms and thought he’d likely begin his career in the design offices of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. His father, an established commercial and residential landscape architect with a thriving business, had different ideas.
“He said, ‘I want you to work for me,’” recalls Gilkey. “I told him I’d come to work for the family business once I had some experience under my belt, but he wouldn’t have it. He said, ‘I don’t want anyone to ruin you.’”
The idea of an organization like Disney ruining the young professional’s career was hard to grasp at the time, but 25 years later, Gilkey realizes his father was right: “My education gave me the tools, but it was my father’s mentorship and tutelage that showed me how to use them.”
Today, Gilkey is the owner and principal of that family firm, which employs 40 people, as well as its own maintenance and installation crews. “I know that last part is a bit unusual for a design firm, but it gives us invaluable insight,” he says. “Florida has a wonderful growing climate, but you must pay attention to the rules of horticulture.”
At the company, all new projects begin the same way. Gilkey gathers all the parties involved—from the homeowners and their designers to his architects and crew—and sits at the meeting with a sheet of tracing paper and a site plan. As the conversation unfolds, he asks questions and sketches. “That’s when the magic happens,” he says. “We may have no idea where we’re going at first, but by the end, a clear direction has been set.”
While the firm isn’t known for any particular style, all its gardens are defined by their visual appeal, thoughtful layouts, and human interaction. “My overarching philosophy is purposeful design,” says Gilkey. “If the emotion of a space hasn’t been attended to, the homeowner’s reaction to it is not going to be great. We make sure to get there by asking questions.”
That emotional questionnaire informs everything about a project: what types of plants to use and where, what water features to incorporate, what extras (bocce court or sculpture garden?) are appropriate. It’s an approach that’s served him well. Gilkey’s clientele spans all over the Gulf Coast and Tampa Bay region, and the firm’s accolades include a 2020 Frederick B. Stresau Award from the Florida chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the state’s top prize for landscape professionals.
While the future is anyone’s guess, Gilkey is certain staying true to his approach will inevitably lead to more success. “I’m always thinking about things in the long term,” he says. “I want to know what my designs can handle and how they impact the local ecosystem. After all, Florida is my home too.”
Story Credits:
Text Kelley Marcellus
Photography by Greg Wilson & Ryan Gamma
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