My Life in Plants
The first plants I grew
Aged five, I helped my dad on the allotment in Yorkshire, planting potatoes, beetroot and peas – and probably ate most of the produce while I was picking it.
The plants that shaped the gardener I am today
When I was working as a groundsman I liked deep red geraniums and mesembryanthemums for their exotic looks. These days I really like coloured vegetables. There are some amazing colours in the veg world, with Swiss chard being one of the brightest.
My favourite plant in the world
I’m partial to fuchsias as I had my first success propagating them. I also like gladioli and usually plant a row among my vegetables. I’m also sentimental about the beautiful fragrance of rose ‘Ena Harkness’, which grew around the front door of my childhood home.
The plant that’s made me work the hardest
The good old potato as the ground needs a lot of work to prepare. One of the most frustrating is parsnip; it always takes me two or three sowings to get them germinated, despite trying various techniques.
The plant I’d like to grow more of
Raspberries, but I don’t think I’d cope with any more as our freezer is full to busting now! Roses are another favourite, but they take time to care for them properly. I also adore the beautifully scented sweet pea.
The plant I am in human form
The swede. I’m nicely rounded and sweet, keep well, can be used all year and my roots are firmly in the soil!
The plant I’d always give away as a gift
I don’t generally give flowers as gifts, but all my spare vegetable plants go onto a table at the allotment for other plot holders to use. I do the same with all my excess vegetables. This way there’s quite an exchange of plants and vegetables each year, which is a nice thing to do as all the spares are made use of.