I have been gardening since I was a small child, and a garden writer for many years. At present, I possess a quarter of an acre of well-drained chalky soil, much of which is devoted to an organic kitchen garden. I created the flower garden when my home was built in 2000, and included two small pools and lots of plants to attract wildlife. There is a cold greenhouse and walk-in polytunnel, some old plum trees and even a small flock of hens.
I studied horticulture by doing evening classes at Canterbury Technical College and I have read widely. Much of my knowledge, however, has been gained from experience over several decades in three East Kent gardens. I love flowers and growing plants of all kinds, but vegetables, fruit and herbs are top of my list.
The English countryside with its plants and wildlife is one of my great interests and I love to walk there with my dog at all times of year. I'm also a keen cook and like to make my own recipes using mainly home-grown produce.




Steve Bradley (Brad)
Brad
Brad
My name is Steve Bradley, but I'm known as Brad. I'm a freelance garden writer and broadcaster, who studied horticulture at Writtle, Cannington and Pershore Colleges, achieving the RHS Master of Horticulture Diploma.
I have also spent many years teaching horticulture at all levels, from amateur to degree, and was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship to further my research in the USA and Canada. I like nothing better than to pass on my knowledge and now lead specialist days on various practical subjects for the English Gardening School, based at the Chelsea Physic Garden in London.
I have worked for BBC and Independent television stations as a presenter and also as a presenter/adviser on a series of 12 practical gardening videos for Periwinkle Productions. I was researcher/presenter on three official Chelsea Flower Show videos, but then changed sides and became an exhibitor, winning a Silver Gilt medal in 2002, Silver medals in 2004 & 2006, and a Bronze medal in 2005.
I enjoy testing my knowledge on local BBC Radio stations in Kent, where I am resident gardening expert, as well as Essex and Cambridgeshire, by answering questions on a live phone-in basis.
As an author, I have more than 40 titles to my name, including Propagation Basics and the bestselling Ground Force Weekend Workbook (with Alan Titchmarsh as consultant editor), which accompanied the Ground Force series. In October 2002, I joined Peter Seabrook as gardening correspondent for The Sun newspaper, and I'm behind the Masterclass series of step-by-step practical projects in Gardens Monthly magazine.



Val Bradley
Val
Val
Hello. I trained in Amenity Horticulture at Askham Bryan College, York. I have taught horticulture (Surrey) , worked in a local authority Parks Department (Liverpool), a large garden centre (Essex) and now work for a wholesale bedding plant nursery (Surrey). I am also gardening correspondent for The Sun newspaper every Saturday, along with my husband Steve (Brad) and Peter Seabrook. I have written eight books including the most recent, The Complete Guide to Houseplants, and co-written or edited dozens more with Steve.
You can find me at The Chelsea Flower Show each year on the stand (usually a pyramid of new plant introductions) that The Sun sponsors and runs with students from Writtle College, Essex.
I love all aspects of horticulture and, with the huge library of books that we've amassed over the years, what I don't know, I can find out!






Liz Dobbs
Liz
Liz
My father wanted me to be a chemist, but in the end it was hearing a talk about scientists breeding baked beans to grow in the UK that led me to complete the degree - Biology of Man and his Environment. 'I'd keep quiet about the environment bit if I were you, or you'll never get a job,' was my dad's dire prediction. Afterwards, I spent rather too long looking down a microscope at the undersides of leaves. Realising that academic research was not for me, I joined Gardening Which? where I had 11 interesting years researching, testing and writing about all aspects of gardening. I also met my husband there, who got me into the joys of home-grown fruit and veg. While my children were young, I freelanced, working on various gardening books, magazines and partworks, with a brief dally into financial-service report writing to keep the cashflow going - one of the few jobs that allowed me afternoons to garden. I joined Gardens Monthly magazine in the summer of 2004, first as features editor and now as editor. Since then, I rarely seem to get out into my own garden, although I do love to visit other people's gardens.





Julie Hollobone
Julie
Julie
My early horticultural antics included the usual climbing trees, picking wild flowers, making 'fairy' gardens and distributing four-leafed clovers to school friends (no, really).
I initially worked in the food industry, having studied Food Science at Reading University, but turned to horticulture as my interest in plants and gardening grew. After a period of college study, while working at a garden and small nursery, I gained the RHS Diploma in Horticulture and began to run short workshops for the garden visitors. Realising that teaching was an ideal means of sharing my interest and enthusiasm with fellow gardeners, I organised a variety of courses locally, while gaining my teaching qualifications.
Now, as a college lecturer, I help students either to gain professional qualifications in horticulture or fuel their interest in plants and gardening for their own pleasure. I also work as horticultural advisor on Gardens Monthly magazine and wrote the How To Garden series, available on this site to subscribers of the magazine. Although constantly frustrated by how little time I can spend in my own garden, I do enjoy the challenge and rewards of a clay soil on a steep slope with visiting deer...




Mary Payne MBE
Mary
Mary
I have been a professional horticulturist for 45 years and enjoyed every minute of it. I trained at Studley Horticultural College in Warwickshire and then at Cambridge University Botanic Garden, where I learnt my plant knowledge. I have run my own gardening classes for amateurs for 20 years in the Bristol area and have made many friends through them. I also specialise in creating planting schemes for clients and have a particular interest in the naturalistic style using grasses and perennials. I gained valuable experience in this style when I created the planting schemes for the gardens at Lady Farm in Somerset.
I undertake consultancy work helping folk overcome specific gardening problems, or how to manage gardens successfully, and give lectures to various groups on a variety of topics. I enjoy taking part in many local Gardener's Question Time sessions for charities and garden clubs. For BBC Radio Bristol I do regular live “phone ins”, answering listeners' gardening queries, and I also record pieces in various local gardens or nurseries for later broadcasting.
I am lucky that I visit many gardens as part of my work and often have to pinch myself to remind myself that I am actually working. My own garden is very small (one fiftieth of an acre!) but I love it dearly. The front garden is designed for easy maintenance with steppe-style planting in hot colours, while the back garden is more of a traditional cottage style in cool shades. I open the garden for the National Gardens Scheme by appointment, as I can only get eight people in at a time (four in the front and four in the back!). I love the challenge of making the most of space in a small garden and my husband is excellent at making wooden garden features for me, such as trellis and arbours.
My children (now grown up) finally accepted that horticulture was as a creditable job for their mother to do when I worked for HTV on a number of gardening programmes and, to the complete surprise of all of us, I was awarded the MBE for Services to Horticulture in the South West in 2004. We all enjoyed our day at Buckingham Palace.
When not doing something gardening-related, which is rare, I enjoy ringing handbells with the village team. We visit nursing and residential homes, especially around Christmas time, to entertain them. I like relaxing in any garden, but especially my own, with a glass of wine and good company.



Jon Wheatley
Jon
Jon
I initially trained in horticulture, arboriculture and leisure management, then worked in commercial and amenity horticulture for 35 years in a wide range of positions in the South West. Eventually I left local government, where I had responsibility for parks landscape design, arts, children's and sports services, to pursue my own horticultural business - a bedding plant nursery and landscape maintenance company.
I am a member of the RHS Floral Committee as well as Chairman of the Dahlia Committee, a Britain in Bloom National Judge and Vice Chair of the South West. I have designed a number of Chelsea floral Exhibits, six of which have won Gold medals. I'm a lecturer and writer, and regular, longstanding contributor to Gardens Monthly magazine.