Britain’s first professional female landscape designer, Fanny Wilkinson, has been honoured with a new statue unveiled on Thursday at Coronation Gardens in Southfields – marking the final stage in the restoration of the park’s 1904 water fountain.
The bronze sculpture, designed by local artist Gillian Brett, now stands proudly atop the historic fountain, which had stood dormant for decades. Wilkinson, who shaped more than 75 public gardens across London during the Victorian era, originally laid out Coronation Gardens over a century ago.
The project, a collaboration between the Friends of Coronation Gardens, Enable, and Wandsworth Council, was supported by a design competition held in partnership with the Putney School of Art and Design. The statue’s installation is the centrepiece of a broader programme of park improvements, including the repair of the water fountain and a newly renovated playground.
Gillian Brett’s design features Wilkinson offering a small plant in her hands – a gesture, Brett explained, that symbolises both her contribution to public green spaces and the “growing shoots of creativity.” Olive branches etched into the hem of the statue’s skirt pay tribute to the Friends of Coronation Gardens, whose logo features the same motif.
Charles Runcie, Chair of the Friends group, said at the event: “We’re thrilled we now have a centrepiece for the fountain, to complete its restoration. Who better for it to be than an image of Fanny Wilkinson, the ground-breaking garden designer, who laid out Coronation Gardens over a century ago and whose legacy we honour.”
The statue unveiling also forms part of this year’s Wandsworth Heritage Festival, which celebrates the borough’s history and cultural figures. The festival runs until 13 July and features exhibitions, talks, and tours across the borough as part of Wandsworth’s year as London Borough of Culture 2025.
A historic park with deep roots
Coronation Gardens was originally created to commemorate the 1902 coronation of King Edward VII. It was gifted to the people of Wandsworth by Sir William Lancaster, a philanthropist and former Mayor of Wandsworth, who also co-founded the Putney School of Art and Design. Over a century later, the park remains a cherished green space in the heart of Southfields.
The installation of the Wilkinson statue restores the fountain to something close to its original design, which featured a female figure visible in early 20th-century photographs but later lost. Brett’s modern interpretation gives new life to that lost icon.
To learn more about the gardens see the Friends of Coronation Gardens website.
Love the sculpture. It’s lovely. Happy we are celebrating Fanny Wilkinson. Disappointed that the fountain isn’t a functional drinking fountain for everyone.
Why are we still spending money on public services that exclude disabled and elderly people? Do they not need water? Have they not paid taxes all their lives?
All it needed was a tap on the side that elderly / disabled people could access. Plans were provided but the council and the friends decided to ignore them. Not a very good demonstration of inclusivity, and not very community minded.