Earliest garden memory Admiring the tulips (I believe they were ‘Apeldoorn’) in my parents’ city garden and the prize-winning geraniums adorning my grandmother’s Alsatian farmhouse.
First plant love Tropical orchids and aroids. I fell in love with them while studying in Hamburg’s Loki Schmidt Garten. Even though I’ve since drifted from botanical horticulture, these diverse families still hold a special place in my heart.
Most valuable training The RHS Wisley Diploma was easily the most formative part of my career. It deepened my understanding of plants and garden management, and introduced me to many generous and inspiring people. For my current role, the opportunity to aid the revival of Benton End under James Horner has been invaluable.
Dream plant destination The Socotra Archipelago off the coast of Yemen, and Madagascar. I am obsessed with island ecosystems and these two are home to some of the most outstanding plant communities I can think of. The Azores in the North Atlantic Ocean would be a close third and much more appealing to my climate-conscious mind.
I want to see thriving allotments, local nurseries, market gardens and home gardens that support and complement each other
Favourite ‘weed’ you’re happy to have in the garden Great horsetail (Equisetum telmateia) is abundant at Bottengoms, and far less troublesome than its smaller cousin. Former owner Ronald Blythe was fond of it, describing it as handsome, and I have to agree. I deliberately retain some of this statuesque native in the borders to preserve their wild essence.
Biggest challenge facing gardeners today The shocking loss of our biodiversity and lack of legislation to combat it. I would love to see more drastic action to reduce the availability and prevalence of pesticides in our garden centres and their plants.
Where do you see horticulture heading? I hope that we can shift our focus to local, community-fed gardening. I want to see thriving allotments, local, independent nurseries, market gardens and a matrix of home gardens that support and complement each other, sharing seeds and knowledge.
Next big project I hope to develop a holistic vision for the future of the garden at Bottengoms, creating accessible pathways, establishing a badger-proof propagation area and enhancing our spring-fed stream and ponds to further support wildlife and biodiversity.
Instagram @jon_z_gardener
