A MAN OF MANY PARTS

Martin Fish is one of the UK's most respected and loved horticulturalists. He has been a regular on TV and radio for nearly 30 years, while at the same time a prolific writer in national magazines and books. Here he chats with Grapevine podcast presenter Daniel Heighes

- Daniel Heighes

Where did it all begin for you, Martin?

It’s a bit of a cliché but it started in my Grandma Smith’s garden when I was a young child. She was a proper country woman and she loved to potter around growing flowers in her cottage garden. I remember spending lots of time with her and my uncle who grew vegetables and kept hens. We also used to go on long walks and she taught me about nature and wildflowers.

That led on to me getting a part-time job when I was 13 on a small nursery in the village, which confirmed that I wanted to grow plants and be a gardener. I left school at 16 and got an apprenticeship on the Newark parks department, which started my career in horticulture and the rest, as they say, is history!

Who has been the biggest influence on you in your horticultural journey so far?

Early on in my gardening career Geoff Hamilton definitely influenced me because he was very much a practical gardener. From the late 1970s until his death in 1996 he was the main TV gardener and I loved his relaxed, down-to-earth style that inspired so many people. I never wanted to design gardens for a living, but I love creating gardens and for many years I grew plants, and landscaped, and maintained gardens. I was lucky enough to meet Geoff on several occasions through my BBC Radio work and he was always so encouraging and happy to give me advice as a young gardener and broadcaster.

Apart from any books you have written, what is the best gardening book you have ever read?