Celebrity gardeners predict the challenges of

GARDENING became a saviour to millions during 2020 as people had a go at growing their own veg, learning planting know-how and nurturing new houseplants.

So, what are the challenges gardeners face as we go into 2021? Our most famous greenfingered gurus offer their views.

ALAN TITCHMARSH

The gardening guru, whose latest poetry book Marigolds, Myrtle and Moles: A Gardener’s Bedside Book provides a much needed escape, says: “One good thing that did come out of 2020 was the realisation that gardens had an enormous part to play in not only preserving the sanity of people, but also in providing food.

“More folk than ever decided to grow their own fruit and veg. Thankfully, in spite of being closed at the beginning of the first lockdown, garden centres were opened just in time before the spring turned into an absolute disaster for British growers and British horticulture – worth around £24 billion GDP to the economy, and priceless in terms of our physical and mental wellbeing.

“I do hope that the legacy of this year – and the solace and stimulation that has been provided by gardens and gardening – will have a lasting effect on our attitude to growing things, and that future generations will see gardening for what it is – the sharp end of caring for the environment, albeit on a small scale at local level. It really does make a difference.”

MONTY DON

“On a very basic level, the challenge is space. By the time

I was in my early 30s I was on to my second garden of my own,” says the Gardeners’ World presenter, whose latest book My Garden World has just been published.

“But young people my children’s age, in their early

30s, don’t have houses, they don’t have gardens – it’s having the opportunity to garden.

“If young people have the energy and the desire to change things but don’t have access to gardens, like we did, that is a big challenge.

“Climate change is something that is affecting gardeners as much as anyone. It’s not necessarily disastrous but it is a change and it’s difficult.”

FRANCES TOPHILL

The Gardeners’ World regular (pictured above) and author of Rewild Your Garden says: “People have got more into gardening, especially growing their own food, but on a broader scale people have become so much more aware of environmental issues and sustainability and a kind of perspective on the world from Covid.

“If 2021 is anything like this year, getting hold of seeds will be challenging.

“The demand was huge last year – just ordering them was a challenge.

“But sustainability is the biggest challenge, and the industry of horticulture keeping up with people’s awareness of not using peat, not importing plants from all over the world without any idea of where they’ve come from, recycling our plastic pots and all those sorts of issues, as well as the waste that’s involved in horticulture and the lack of transparency of the industry and how sustainable it is.”

SARAH RAVEN

“With new research pointing to the immunological benefits of Vitamin D, being outside, growing and gardening is set to rise further, says the gardening broadcaster and author, whose new book, A Year Full Of Flowers is due to be published by Bloomsbury on March 4.

“Uncertainty about the future makes planning anything hard, and that includes the garden. There are longer than usual waiting times for things with greater demand for stock and fewer people out there able to grow and/or deliver the plants you want or need.

“And with Brexit, plant availability and prices are less certain. What will happen to the euro/pound exchange rate? Will there by tons of waste?

Will there be lorries held up full of plants coming from the continent needing water? Growing your own is the best way to keep at least some control.”