Meet the Gardener: Matt @gardeninthecountry

Matt and I met through YPHA (Young Person's Horticultural Association) and we both feel so passionately about gardening being accessible to all ages- particularly young adults. Matt's instagram is full of helpful tips and tricks for veg and flowers, plus he shares his gardening journey with the gorgeous Nala, who causes mischief along the way. If you don't already then go and follow Matt & Nala @gardeninthecountry.

 

 

Tell us a bit about you and when did you started gardening, and why?

 

 

 

I'm a 30 something year old gardener, enjoying developing my current garden through trial and error! I’ve worked at an independent garden centre for about 15 years and this is where my passion for gardening and growing my own food has developed, especially in the more recent years after owning my house. Growing vegetables has been something I’ve always had an interest in ever since I was little after watching and helping with my grandfather and father in their gardens.

 

 

 

Which gardeners inspire you and why?

 

 

 

I’ve always been inspired by Alan Titchmarsh (who hasn’t been!) I was lucky enough to work on a garden on one of the shows he’s in which was a great experience! I love how he makes gardening easy and relatable especially for the beginner gardener! But I also have to admit that since having a page on Instagram, I follow so many great gardeners who I learn from on a daily basis!

 

 

 

What’s the most ambitious gardening project you’ve completed or have planned?

 

 

 

I think building my raised beds would be the most ambitious project I’ve taken on as at the start I have no idea what I was doing! My next challenge is to create year round colour and interest throughout the flowerbeds in the garden. 

 

 

 

What is your favourite thing to grow?

 

 

 

As I’m big into growing vegetables this is quite a hard question to answer however if I had to choose a couple beetroot and sweetcorn would be two of my favourites. 

 

 

 

Anything new you want to try in the next growing season?

 

 

 

This year I’m trying outdoor cucumbers I’ve not grown them before so watch this space! 

 

 

 

Where is your favourite garden in the world, and why?

 

 

 

Can I say my mums garden as an answer to this? As it’s where I first started learning to grow and now where I take some inspiration from! However if we’re talking gardens to visit I do enjoy a visit to the national botanic garden of Wales and if we’re looking world wide I have visited Gardens by the bay in Singapore and that was pretty breath taking!

 

 

 

What do you wish you’d known earlier about gardening?

 

 

 

I think it would be that gardening isn’t just for an older generation and to have got more involved and stuck in at a younger age!

 

 

 

What advice would you give someone new to gardening?

 

 

 

Gardening in my mind is all about trial and error. Yes there are certain parameters which you have to follow to get the best out of plants however there’s nothing wrong with trialling something new and if you succeed it’s amazing, but if it doesn’t work at least you had fun in the process! Although one tip is to try not to take on everything in the garden at once, break it down in to different sections and it soon becomes a lot more manageable!

 

 

 

When not gardening, what do you like doing?

 

 

 

Normally song writing and playing guitar or running around after Nala the dog, she definitely keeps me on my toes!