Image courtesy of Michelle Washington-Jenkins
After a career in dance and co-founding a talent agency, Michelle Washington-Jenkins stepped back to raise her three children – and unearthed a passion for gardening. Today, she’s a trained horticulturist, professional flower grower and the digital creator known as @floriansbotanical, sharing her love of seasonal blooms from her beautiful Victorian walled garden in Hampshire. Discover how Michelle built a flower-filled life from scratch – and why her greenhouse is the beating heart of both her growing and creativity.
Tell us about your current garden
Images courtesy of Michelle Washington-Jenkins
I lean into a loose, naturalistic style that feels like it belongs in the English countryside – think rambling roses, billowy annuals, and soft colour palettes that move with the breeze. I love structure, too, but softened by planting that looks effortless. My garden is a working space, designed with both productivity and charm in mind – practical and pretty.
What are you most proud of?
Images courtesy of Michelle Washington-Jenkins
I’m most proud of building a flower-filled life from the ground up – literally. My garden started as an idea and has grown into something I now share with thousands online. I’ve created a space that feeds my creativity, supports my family life, and connects me with people across the country who want to grow more beauty in their own lives. Completing my horticultural diploma while raising my children and growing my business felt like a huge milestone; it gave me both confidence and credibility in the gardening world.
What inspires you in the garden?
Images courtesy of Michelle Washington-Jenkins
I’m constantly inspired by the rhythm of the seasons. As I specialise in growing cut flowers, for me, it’s all about celebrating beauty with purpose – flowers that not only look breathtaking in the border but are also destined for the vase. My training in horticulture taught me to understand plants deeply, but it’s the daily rituals, early morning harvesting and sowing in the stillness of the greenhouse that truly fill me with joy.
What are your future plans?
Images courtesy of Michelle Washington-Jenkins
I’m working on expanding my content creation alongside my growing. My aim is to demystify cut flower growing and inspire more people to see what’s possible, even in a small garden. I’m currently working on new workshops and trialling new methods of growing flowers. I want to champion gardening as part of a healthy lifestyle whether that’s through growing your own, connecting with nature, or simply taking a moment to breathe among the flowers.
Top gardening tip for beginners
Don’t be afraid to start small, but do it with intention. Whether it’s a handful of sweet pea seeds or a tiny patch of cosmos, choose flowers you love and grow them well. Focus on understanding your soil, your site, and the needs of the plants you’re working with. And if I had to give one essential piece of advice from a horticulturist’s perspective? Sow successively. It spreads out your harvest and gives you room to learn, adapt, and try again.
Why is your greenhouse so important to you?
Images courtesy of Michelle Washington-Jenkins
While my greenhouse is the beating heart of my growing space – home to trays of seedlings in spring and tender plants tucked in for winter, it’s also my creative studio. It’s where I experiment with styling, vintage planters and beautiful foliage combinations that bring joy to the everyday. I overwinter pelargoniums, nurture my favourite houseplants, and create seasonal planters that double as floral still-life moments. For me, gardening is as much about expression as it is production and my greenhouse is where those two worlds meet.
Grow like Michelle
Image: Rambling Rose banksiae ‘Lutea’ from Thompson & Morgan
If you want to buy some of the plants Michelle showcases on her Instagram page, here’s a quick shopping list:
You can find more of Michelle’s seasonal gardening and styling ideas on Instagram at @floriansbotanical, where she shares daily tips, tutorials, and behind-the-scenes moments from her garden. For more inspiration, our full series of Featured Gardeners is packed with 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.