Diary or confessions of a Head Gardener?

I’ve just offered up my services to write a regular contribution to the lovely garden.help a newish venture written by highly experienced garden journalists and radio presenters Val and Steve Bradley. Both of whom have been incredibly kind and supportive to me over the years.

Garden Help is an online magazine/ resource which not only has amazing gardening information but has lots of fab competitions where you can win some serious prizes! Also, for a very short time, new subscribers can also download a book “12 Months in the Garden”… I have my copy already!

But what would you like to hear about?

I sometimes look at some of these people who write for these online publications and some, not all, really turn me off. There’s one in particular that just seems to tune into controversy and tearing others down and that’s just not my thing (I’m aware the irony of by even mentioning it I’ve fallen into that trap so we shall move swiftly on!)

Im not a star like Monty, Adam Frost, Joe Swift or Rachel … How many female role models do we actually have? as I know for me it was Carol Klein who was a massive influence on my career choice but we seem to have sidelined Pippa Greenwood, Anne Swithenbank and Alys Fowler. I can only think of Two current female presenters you see regularly and that’s Francis Tophill and Arit Anderson… but i digress!

If I was to write a regular slot of say 200 words what exactly would people wants to hear about?

Honestly there’s only so many times you can say I weeded the beds and lets face it a lot of what we do as a gardener is monotonous, repetitive work. This is why I try to keep things interesting for myself by taking a deep dive into a plant a day. It keeps me learning at least 5 facts and hopefully able to recognise it long after the flowers have faded. That’s not a diary or a confession though!

There are certain tasks which we all do at set times, chit potatoes, plant tulips, lift Dahlias. I know when I first started gardening I would read these magazine articles, devour them, as everything was new knowledge to me. After 2 or 3 years of religiously reading EVERY article in EVERY magazine i started to realise I was being told the same things just in very slightly different ways by exactly the same people. So how am I different? What do I have to share that’s groundbreaking? …. other than my charming personality that is…. I almost wrote that without laughing!

When I first started gardening in my own garden I do remember that enthusiasm that overtook me though, I started to write a book, convinced that my experience was going to change the world. That my ideas and views were going to revolutionise how people viewed it. I look back at 20 something year old me and I want to give her a hug for being so annoying and cocky.

I now know that the snowdrop that I “discovered” was just a very ordinary ‘Flore pleno’ and literally everyone for the past 200 years knew that, it was only me that didn’t. I love that I was that enthusiastic… I’m also slightly embarrassed that I would excitedly try and explain to people how special it was.

I see that wonderful enthusiasm in others now and like the people I admire most I try to emulate their patience that they had with me, I happily give time to them to explain to me how exciting their discovery is and realise I’m smiling stupidly at their happy face and then realise that that’s exactly what our gardening community is about!

Excitement, discovery, enthusiasm and friendship!

I went on to study Ornamental Horticulture, got my RHS, studied Taxonomy at Oxford Botanic gardens, then Organic Horticulture but I’ve never forgotten my passion for sharing knowledge. Its what makes this job special! That and the amazing people I’ve met along the way who held my hand when I’ve felt like giving up, because I have at times. So I would like to share more with everyone, so what would YOU like to know most!

Let me know in the comments below 🙂