‘You get a real sense of the knowledge that went before’

GARDEN, CAMBRIDGE BOTANIC

I first went to Cambridge University Botanic Garden when I was at college, quite a few years ago now. They were teaching us about different plant groups and I just got more and more interested, it was addictive. You learn more, find out more, and develop favourite plants. It’s full of horticultural tradition and you get a real sense of the knowledge that went before.

There was a huge range of different plants, all labelled with names and where they’d come from in the world. It was astonishing that they could have come so far. There was so much more information than you get in the garden centre!

The winter garden looks fab, even in July and the scented garden and the glasshouses are amazing. I love the organisation of the systematic beds – they have to rearrange them as the plants are reclassified!

I love the fact there are so many mature trees. There's a central avenue with large conifers, such as giant redwood, but my favourite is Ostrya carpinifolia, the European hop hornbeam. It’s beautiful; the hanging flowers look like a cross between hops and tassels, and the leaves are a bit like elm leaves. You can stand beneath, in the dappled shade, and watch the shafts of sunlight.

I’ve used ideas from their Mediterranean beds back at Fullers Mill as we have sandy, dry soil there. I look at how they are laid out and what plant varieties they have included, like spartium and Convolvulus cneorum. Even simple things like Lavandula dentata, as its good to get away from the bog-standard ‘Hidcote’ variety.

I like to walk through the whole garden and clamber over the alpine area – it’s set out to scramble on! There's a sense of childlike excitement about it and there are lots of nooks and crannies full of exciting things. I know the Head of Horticulture, Sally Petitt – she brings her students to Fullers Mill and we take ours there. It’s always nice to wander around and talk plants with her.

■ Cambridge University Botanic Garden, 1 Brookside, Cambridge CB2 1JE; www.botanic.cam.ac.uk.