Ben from @beninthegarden has been gardening since childhood, helping his parents outdoors before creating a cottage-style space of his own. His Suffolk garden combines classic cottage planting with prairie favourites, creating a space that’s full of life and enjoyed by both people and wildlife. Find out what inspires his planting choices, what he’s most proud of and his top tip for beginner gardeners…
How did you get into gardening?
Images courtesy of @beninthegarden
I started gardening from a very young age, mostly helping my parents in their garden, or when I visited my nan’s house. I’ve always enjoyed gardening, but the real obsession started when I finally got my own!
What inspires you in the garden?
Images courtesy of @beninthegarden
Seeing growth inspires me. I love the feeling that what I’ve created has purpose, even if that’s just bringing me or my family some joy. I love the process of seeing how a space has been transformed!
What’s your favourite gardening style?
Image courtesy of @beninthegarden
I would say it’s a mixture of cottage and prairie. We live in quite an old cottage, so we’ve naturally got a cottage garden, but I’ve added in a lot of prairie staples as the garden is very dry.
What are you most proud of?
Images courtesy of @beninthegarden
I’m most proud of the amount of bees and butterflies we’ve been able to attract to our garden. I feel like you just don’t see them anymore when you’re out and about, so seeing hundreds in a space you’ve created really does make you feel good. I’m happy that they love the garden.
What are your future plans?
Image courtesy of @beninthegarden
I want to just maintain what’s already here, but let’s be honest, gardeners can’t help themselves. I’m sure I’ll cook up some crazy schemes that’ll involve adding extra borders with more plants. Right now though, I really want to let the plants reach their maximum potential.
What’s your top gardening tip for beginners?
Images courtesy of @beninthegarden
My top gardening tip for beginners is not to focus on trendy plants. They look great, but don’t overlook the classic staples which have proven themselves in gardens across the world. Sometimes the best plants aren’t the showiest!
Grow like Ben
Image: Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’ from Thompson & Morgan
If you’d like to grow the plants and flowers Ben showcases on his Instagram page, here are some of his favourites:
Follow Ben at @beninthegarden to see his garden grow and change through the seasons. For more inspiration, our full series of Featured Gardeners contains a wealth of hugely knowledgeable growers who are also worth a follow.
The Thompson & Morgan horticultural team produces a wealth of content around gardening and food production. Since the first seed catalogue was published in 1855, Thompson & Morgan has grown to become one of the UK’s largest Mail Order Seed and Plant companies. Through the publication of our catalogues and the operation of our award-winning website, Thompson & Morgan is able to provide home gardeners with the very best quality products money can buy.