Featured Gardener from England

Today’s featured Gardener is with The Chatty Gardener, selected images taken from her garden.

Where do you garden?

I garden on the outskirts of Cheltenham in the Cotswolds, England. The soil is extremely sandy and the garden is high up with views to the Cotswold Hills but it does make it quite cold in winter.

Why did you start gardening?

I can’t really remember a time when I didn’t garden. As a child, I always had a patch that was mine and even when I was a student or living in a rented flat, I had houseplants. Gardening and growing things has always been a part of my life.

What do you like most about gardening?

I still get the same thrill from growing things from seed as I did when I first started. There’s something quite magical about mixing a dry seed, some compost, water and a little warmth and seeing it grow.

What are some things you grow?

I grow a bit of everything – trees, shrubs, perennial flowers, annual flowers, fruit and veg. The Kitchen Garden is where I spend a lot of time with crops ranging from beans, squash potatoes and brassicas to soft fruit, herbs and tomatoes. A couple of years ago, I started a cutting bed and now grow dahlias, tulips and annuals to cut for the house.

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from gardening?

Optimism. I think gardeners are generally positive people. We’re always looking ahead and planning for the future.

What are your biggest successes and failures with your garden?

These vary every year. What works one season may be disastrous the next. As I write, the broad beans are fantastic – a bumper crop and really tasty. However, I’ve had a complete failure with sowing some flower seeds. The important thing is not to dwell on what hasn’t worked and to celebrate the successes.

Any advice for beginner gardeners?

Start small and easy. Don’t try to grow everything and choose what you really like and not what’s fashionable. Get to know your soil and your climate. There’s no point in trying to grow tender things in a frost pocket, or putting acid-loving plants into alkaline soil. Above all, enjoy it and remember there’s always next season.