‘WE’RE SEEING SO MUCH MORE ORIGINALITY AND CREATIVITY IN GARDENING’
Tom Leonard, 24, otherwise known as the Drag Queen Gardener, Daisy Desire, has set out to bring a “slice of glam” to the horticultural world through his allotment garden in Warwickshire and will attend the launch of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week
I’d never put on a gardening glove in my life, but when a long-term relationship came to an end, I applied for an allotment the next day. The plot was an absolute mess. I sat in a wheelbarrow and didn’t know where to start, but I fell in love with gardening. I learnt from my mistakes as I went along, and realised that it’s not about being perfect, it’s about accruing knowledge and experimenting as you go along. There’s nothing better than growing towering sunflowers from seed and thinking, “Wow, I grew that. I am Mother Nature right now – somebody give me a medal!”
One day, I happened to be in the allotment in drag and thought it would be funny to post a picture on Instagram as Daisy Desire. It was just for a laugh, but it got a lot of attention. The RHS invited me to Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. To be invited by such an established horticultural institution was a big moment. Traditionally, a large proportion of the people who attend are older, with acres of land – so it was an opportunity to shake up preconceptions about what horticulture is all about. When I arrived, the press went mad. I felt like I was at the Met Gala.
We do need to get people excited about horticulture. It needs to reinvent itself to survive. Houses are built with such small gardens these days, and skills are being lost. I want to celebrate gardening, raise its profile and get people interested. I just thought it would be fun to combine rhinestones with shovels.
While Daisy loves attention and being a public figure, as Tom I’m happy pottering around my plot. No matter how much time or space we have, relating to nature in some way is crucial to our mental and physical well-being. I want to get people who don’t see themselves as gardeners to plant some lettuce, to think about attracting pollinators, to learn about the importance of using peat-free compost or simply to get out there and be in nature.
Watching bees pollinating flowers you’ve grown is so satisfying, because you’re helping them, and they’re helping you.
We’re seeing so much more originality and creativity in the world of gardening, as it becomes a more popular pastime with a younger crowd and a whole variety of people from diverse backgrounds. My dream is to present gardening shows. I’m not trying to upset or offend anyone. After two years of horrific circumstances due to the pandemic, let’s not be stiff-upperlipped and take ourselves too seriously. I can’t wait for the Chelsea Flower Show. I’ve planned my outfit, and I have the biggest wig. Let’s have some fun.