'My Real Garden'

During lockdown and beyond thanks to a tip off from Caro of Urban Veg Patch, my days were brightened up by the discovery of 'MyReal Garden' an online gardening community. 'My Real Garden' was started up by the lovely Ann-Marie Powell, a well renowned garden designer and Chelsea gold medalist.

Ann-Marie decided to use the unexpected time on her hands provided by lock down to transform her own neglected garden and in doing so decided that she would generously share her experience through a daily live Instagram session over at @realgardens

This soon developed into a regular virtual meeting place of both expert gardeners, newcomers as well as folk whose gardens had not been paid as much attention as their custodians would have wished because of other commitments. Get togethers have involved a combination of practical demonstrations, one to one conversations with well known gardeners, much sharing of practical hints and tips, lows and highs as well as virtual visits to real gardens. 

Emerging from this Anne-Marie put her energy to thinking about a way in which the 'My Real Garden' community could be documented in the way of a permanent record. She came up with the idea of a book which would celebrate the community as it felt its way through the pandemic and the the joy, support and hope we have felt through sharing our love and thoughts about our diverse gardens during these challenging times. Ann-Marie enrolled the help of her friend Tamsin Westhorpe, gardener and former editor of the magazine 'The English Garden' to help this idea to materialise into something concrete. The book has been based on contributions from many members of the 'My Real Garden' community. It features advice from real gardeners who come from different backgrounds and different countries along with their own photographs taken in their gardens large and small. 

The book is being crowdfunded and hopefully if the target is reached will be published on 23rd March 2021 to celebrate the date of the launch of 'My Real Garden'. With a few days to go the appeal has still to reach its target of selling a minimum of 1,000 copies in advance. I obviously have not seen the book yet neither am I one of the contributors but I think that it could make an ideal seasonal gift to family and friends who are into gardening or just starting out or even as a treat to yourself. I am treating myself and somebody else who is special to me. 

As well as buying a book there are are other rewards on offer including the chance to attend a Zoom lecture by Ann-Marie on 15th January at 7.30pm 2021 on the subject of 'Plants, Plants, Plants'. She is a most inspirational and motivating broadcaster whom some of you might remember from television coverage of both the RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows and programmes like 'Garden Doctors' and 'Garden Challenge'.

As well as providing information that gardeners no matter their level of experience will find useful. Some of the profits will be donated to the UK charity Greenfingers an organisation which creates beautiful gardens for children with life limiting conditions to enjoy time together with their families and friends in children's hospices. The more books that can be pre-sold the more help that can be provided to this excellent charity. Please have a look here for more details of all the perks on offer and consider supporting this cause. If you wish to join in a session on Instagram Anne-Marie is currently streaming from her garden every Sunday here from 12.30 p.m.

N.B.The illustration at the top of the page is not from the book itself but is a mock-up page.