From training with the Royal Horticultural Society to becoming Head Gardener at an RHS-funded community garden, Kim (@garden.with.kim) has turned a lifelong passion for plants into a thriving career. When she’s not working, she’s also a specialist dahlia grower cultivating over 100 stunning varieties – or indulging her soft spot for homegrown tomatoes. Here, Kim shares what inspires her work and how she plans to transform her own garden in the year ahead…
How did you get into gardening?
Images courtesy of Kim O’Brien
I’ve been a gardening fanatic since my childhood, and was a hobby gardener for much of my adult life before becoming serious and pursuing it as an occupation. I lead a really busy life as a Head Gardener at an RHS-funded Community Garden in Cambridgeshire. I also run a flower growing and floristry business as well as tending to my own garden and allotment. I am completely obsessed with dahlias and am a specialist dahlia grower and cut flower judge. My other gardening obsession is veg, and in recent years I’ve started growing over 50 varieties of tomatoes, but I’m always on the lookout for more. I’m now an RHS-trained gardener, but I’m still learning every day – and I love it! Gardening is full of surprises and no two seasons of growing are the same!
What inspires you in the garden?
Images courtesy of Kim O’Brien
I’ve always been fascinated by entomology and the biodiversity which is found within our green spaces, even in urban areas. With this in mind I garden with wildlife at the core of everything I do and am always thinking about ways to create the perfect habitat for beetles and other insects, while maximising colour and beauty for the delight of my human visitors. I’m constantly striving to reach a balance between the two and with the right plant choices it’s entirely achievable.
What’s your favourite gardening style?
Images courtesy of Kim O’Brien
I love the timelessness of cottage garden planting and creating a cutting garden is my ultimate goal each year. I’m a huge fan of dahlias (obviously), and also larkspur, delphiniums, helichrysums, nigella and cosmos which can create great swathes of colour and joy. I do have different areas of my garden which lend themselves to different styles, including a jungle area with Trachycarpus fortunii and cannas, and a shady border which is packed with spring bulbs including daffodils and bluebells, and a collection of around 20 hellebores.
What are you most proud of?
Images courtesy of Kim O’Brien
I’m proud to be a grower of over 100 varieties of dahlia and to be able to travel giving talks about this amazing plant at garden shows and to horticultural societies and gardening clubs. I’m also very proud that I get to teach gardening to adults and children at the community garden and to inspire the next generation of gardeners to grow their own food and flowers.
What are your future plans?
Images courtesy of Kim O’Brien
I’m in the process of redesigning my garden. Last year we added a polytunnel and new raised beds to accommodate my obsession for veg and tomatoes.This year we redeveloped the terraced area into a cut flower garden, and it has erupted with dahlias, which I’ve really enjoyed growing. Next year we will be installing a second pond and creating a container garden next to the seating area.
What’s your top gardening tip for beginners?
Images courtesy of Kim O’Brien
My top tip is never to be tempted to introduce any chemicals or poisons into the garden as a form of pest control as this will be detrimental to the entire ecosystem of your garden. Be patient and allow nature to find its balance. Sow more than you need in case things are eaten, and opt for building a small pond (a bucket will do) to encourage natural predators to your garden and maintain the health of the garden food chain. My overall tip would be give things a go and learn from your mistakes because that’s where the fun happens!
Grow like Kim
Image: Dahlia ‘Great Silence’ from Thompson & Morgan
If you’d like to grow the plants and flowers Kim showcases on her Instagram page, here are some of her favourites:
Follow Kim at @garden.with.kim to see her 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.