My Life in Plants
The first plant I ever grew
Cress on my (unwashed) flannel – my mother was horrified so we tried to grow it on blotting paper instead, but my flannel was much better!
The plant that shaped the gardener I am today
Rosa filipes ‘Kiftsgate’ – if you can plant this rambler in a small garden and it survives, you’re man enough for anything!
My favourite plant
Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’. I’m really keen on plants that light up the winter and this, particularly set against a dark background, is a stunner, especially in low winter sun.
The plant that changed my life
My first gardening experience was growing multi-coloured gourds in a growing bag on a flat roof overlooking the marshalling yards at Clapham Junction.
The gourds spread all over the broken bitumen on the roof and looked absolutely stunning – also, “come up and see my gourds” was a surprisingly successful invitation!
The plant that made me work hardest
Pyracantha ‘Orange Glow’ is brilliantly coloured in spring and autumn/winter, but is as prickly as hell and, therefore, extremely difficult to prune, yet I’ve just planted it as a hedge in the front garden of my new town house as extra security.
The plant I am in human form
Wisteria sinensis,
like me, has its roots overseas, but is happiest in a temperate climate. It’s robust, holds fast to strong structures and is interested in exploring its environment. It’s an early flowerer, but continues to produce fragrant blooms throughout the season – and is very happy with other plants around it, too.
The plant of which I would love to grow more
Bergenia ‘Sunningdale’ is
wonderful, architecturally and structurally, with shocking pink flowers and leaves that gradually turn an amazing burgundy colour through winter. It loves neglect and facing north – what’s not to like?
The plant I would always give away as a gift
As an organic gardener, what else but comfrey ‘Bocking 14’? Comfrey is a supreme all-in-one fertiliser, mulch, soil improver, slug attractor and much, much more. You get up to five cuts a year of its bountiful leaves, which boosts composting and rots down to a brilliant plant pick-me-up. It can be used at the bottom of a trench or as a mulch.