Helena Pettit is the kind of woman who makes ordinary mortals seem a tad underpowered. For a spot of relaxation after a busy show season, she chooses a 100km kayak trip up the coast of Norway, beaching her craft and wild camping by night. Her garden in Kent, she confesses, is often a little neglected, as she spends so many weekends away, hiking with a band of equally energetic and outdoorsy friends. She is a second degree Dan black belt in Kyokushinkai karate – retired, she hastens to point out, although she used to fight for the Great Britain squad in her youth (she says it wistfully, although she is only in her forties – a mere stripling in the world of gardening). She has faced off attackers in dodgy nightclubs (no doubt in high heels – Helena is exceptionally glamorous), and trekked through the Andes in Peru. Yet she considers herself the least adventurous in her family: her brother ran off at 17 to join the French Foreign Legion.
Her mum, who disapproved of all that fighting, is delighted to see her tomboy daughter end up with a nice ladylike job – first as director of shows at the RHS, then in 2020 adding the Society’s five gardens and retail to her portfolio. She is shortly to hand over responsibility for the gardens as she takes on a new role, as director of commercial and innovation, and can barely contain her anticipation.
Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av Gardens Illustrated.
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Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av Gardens Illustrated.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Field of Dreams - The naturalistic gem Hans Gieszen has created in former meadowlands near Utrecht in the Netherlands is the culmination of a lifelong passion
Ever since his mother gave him seeds as a small boy, gardening has been a passion for Hans Gieszen. He is completely self-taught, relying on garden visits and books for instruction, with one book in particular, Dream Plants for the Natural Garden by Henk Gerritsen and Piet Oudolf, influencing his style. “It was fascinating,” says Hans, remembering his first encounter with the book. “All those photos – pictures with mists and these tall and low plants and grasses. I realised I couldn’t do it in my small garden, but I kept dreaming and reading about it.”
WORLD OF POSSIBILITY
This superb tour of the world's botanical gardens highlights their vital role in saving the planet's flora, says Claire Masset
THE FEMININE TOUCH?
Does your garden have masculine or feminine style, and does it even matter? Head gardener Benjamin Pope unpicks gardening's gender stereotypes
'If you emulate nature, you're on to a winner'
Gardener, television presenter and author Carol Klein talks about her new book, the books she loves, her current challenges and what she's up to next
FRIENDLY ADVICE
When tasked with creating a garden for her friends, designer Neive Tierney found the project came with challenges - not least the need to include a wheelchair ramp and squeeze in a saltwater swimming pool
Passing the baton
The celebrated nursery and garden at Marchants Hardy Plants in East Sussex is now being managed by a new team, who continue to inspire visitors with innovative planting
My sweet gourd
Clark Lawrence, an American living in the heart of Italy's pumpkin province, loves growing different cultivars of pumpkins and ornamental gourds for their sweet flavours and fabulous looks
ANDY JASPER
The new CEO of the Eden Project on his excitement about a new chapter, the legacy he's left at the National Trust and his joy at heading home to Cornwall
Bedding in
In just under nine years, the owners of Arvensis Nursery in Wiltshire have created a mature garden that displays their high-quality perennials
Late summer dreams
From cool pastels and foliage to hot colours, designer Jo Thompson creates three stylish container combinations for autumn
