Your stories | Gary Newell

Where do you garden?

Having come from a cosy but well-established cottage garden I am now getting to grips with a very much underdeveloped plot that is around a third of an acre in a semi-rural hilltop market town on the borders of Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire. 

How much time do you spend in the garden each week?

It varies.  With a young family and plenty of commitments, it’s fair to say the garden does not always come top of the list.  In the summer months we will easily spend 3-4 hours a week working in the garden or the greenhouse. 

Can you pinpoint when you first got ‘into’ gardening?

Exposure and interest were always there from my younger years, but it was not until my late teens that I knew it was the right path for me. I inherently had an interest in the outdoors and nature, but furthermore I was determined to avoid working in a factory which seemed to be the set path for so many when growing up in the Midlands.  At 16, heavily influenced by Diarmuid Gavin and 90’s garden makeover TV, I decided to do a short stint of work experience with a garden designer who put me to work with his landscape team.  I remember travelling down to Surrey and seeing behind the walls of the most amazing private properties and being seduced by the scale of investment people are prepared to put into their gardens.  Following this introduction, I was invited to help build a garden at Hampton Court, by which point I had already been accepted into Falmouth College of Arts to study for a Bachelor of arts degree in Arts & Environment: Sustainable Garden Design. 

Can you share three life skills you wish you were taught at school?

Independence, Confidence, Resilience. 

How would you describe your gardening style in 3 words?

I have never set out to define a personal style, I think when you have your own garden you just do what you like, don’t try to emulate someone else's vision, allow yourself to express your personality. Do what brings you joy and most of all don’t fight the natural desires of your outdoor space, work with what nature gives you. As for 3 words I am most certainly a frugal, make do and mend type of gardener. I don’t buy fertilisers and chemicals, therefore I garden very naturally. I passionately believe that a complete disregard for the rules and zero fear of doing the wrong thing when it comes to gardening is the best approach. This way, we discover and experience all the best parts of learning how to become the custodian of our land. My 3 words would be Gloves-off, Relaxed, Naturalised. 

What is your ultimate gardening hack?

So normally I would always say to people reduce the size of your lawn and invest in groundcover plants and think ecologically.  However, my number one go to, no matter what garden I have would always be “self-seeders.” 

I would not be without plants that have a willingness to naturally spread through the landscape.  Plants such as Digitalis, Euphorbia, Stipa, Erigeron and Papaver are all so vital in creating a landscape that fits my desire.  Frugal and free plants in a carefree landscape. 

What does gardening mean to you, and why do you do it?

Gardening has always been an escape for me, a time to be alone with my own thoughts and focus on creating something that takes time and dedication.  It’s the reason to get up and move, pull myself outside and reap the rewards of exposure to the elements, breathing in the air, and stepping back to observe the impact I can have on this ever-changing landscape.