Jonny Bruce

A passionate plantsman, Jonny works at renowned Dutch nursery and garden De Hessenhof. He also edits an independent publication looking at art and horticulture

PORTRAIT ANDREW MONTGOMERY First plant love The bearded irises that still fill my mother’s small garden in Oxford made a big impression on me as a child. So much so that, aged ten, I secretly dug some up to plant in the school car park. Who has inspired your career the most? Family friend and gardener, Victoria Parkhouse has been a constant encouragement. When I was a weedy 14-year-old, Vicky gave me my first taste of horticulture when I was on work experience at Cotswold Garden Flowers. Favourite garden Working somewhere can completely change your appreciation of a place. Derek Jarman’s Prospect Cottage at Dungeness, on the Kent coast, formed the focus of my university dissertation but it was later, while helping in the garden, that I really fell in love with this unique landscape. Dream plant destination I have never made it to the Burren in west Ireland, a unique geology and flora relatively close to home. However, I do dream of alpine meadows in Georgia and conifers in California… whatever the destination, seeing plants in the wild is invaluable. Biggest challenges facing gardeners today Gardeners are tied to Nature’s rhythms and resist the instantaneous expectations of a digital age. The challenge is adapting to a society that is increasingly urban and online, whilst retaining integrity of knowledge and a sincere passion for the natural world. What heartens you about our attitudes to horticulture today? It is tempting to be cynical in the face of funding cuts, skills gaps, changing climate (the list goes on…) but somehow in the garden one cannot help but be optimistic. Gardens, like art, have the power to transform the way we look at the world. Favourite gardens blogs or books. Derek Jarman’s Modern Nature is beautifully written and one I return to repeatedly. I do not follow many blogs but Ian Young’s of the Scottish Rock Garden Club is fantastic. As is Plinth et al for a more artistic angle. Unsung plant hero Municipal shrubs such as Cotoneaster horizontalis – never judge a plant by its reputation but by how it performs in the garden. When pruned well it provides graceful structure, while its flowers bring it to life with bees. Bright berries follow in autumn and dusted with hoar frost it can be a star of the winter garden. Contact jbruce210@googlemail.com