‘Marigolds started arted my pest passion’
The first plant I ever grew
I spent my childhood in the garden (until my parents cruelly insisted I went to school!). I helped my mother with anything and everything, as long as it was outside. I was allowed my first mini-plot at the ripe old age of four – what else would you sow other than candytuft and Virginia stock?
The plant which shaped the woman I am today
I fell madly, deeply in love with marigolds after seeing some for sale at the local greengrocer. I carried them home in triumph, ready to plant out the next day. But when I hurtled downstairs to start planting before breakfast I discovered them devastated by hungry looper caterpillars. That anger, mixed with misery (and wasted pocket money) may, I suspect, have been the thing which started my fascination with pests... and a determination to tell them who was boss!
My favourite plant in the world
Possibly an impossible question as I have more than one favourite, but probably an apple tree. Ideally one that’s large and gnarled, and with a heavy crop of fruit to follow that breathtaking blossom. As a child I spent many happy days half way up one of the apple
trees in our garden and created a private bower beneath it, a space into which adults only dared to come by invitation!
The plant which made me work hardest In my youth, it was privet. As a small child I was pressganged into helping collect up all the clippings from our privet hedge. It wasn’t my favourite job and I had my eye on being the one using those shears! Now, it’s probably bracken as it seems to be hell-bent on encroaching in our garden faster than we can remove it. The plant I am in human form I guess it’d have to be an apple tree again – reliable throughout the year, knows how to put on a stunning display and bears wonderful fruit (well, two fab children). But the only thing is I’d prefer not to be too prone to scab or canker and hate the idea of an infestation of codling moth!
The plants I’d love to grow more of Trees, well, pretty well any tree on offer, but especially those that have good autumn colour. Whenever I detect the end of summer is in the air I can
feel a certain sort of sadness creeping in. But then, despite the shorter days and often gloomier conditions, as soon as I see some decent autumn colour starting to appear, my spirits lift.
The plant I would always give as a gift I’ve given plants as gifts more often than anything else I reckon, with vegetable plants probably being the number one choice as I have a passion for encouraging people to grow their own... but clematis and roses are high on the list, too.