Monday 19th January 2009
Marshalls Seeds and Elm House Nurseries are proud to become the new sponsors of BBC Gardener of the Decade- Katherine Crouch.
Garden Catalogue of the Year, Marshalls Seeds has long been the favourite supplier to prize vegetable growers and increasingly favoured by gardeners appreciating the benefits of real, fresh and tasty food from their gardens and allotments. So it seemed a natural step to link up with the BBC Gardener of the Decade, Katherine Crouch, in promoting common sense vegetable gardening for all to enjoy.
Plus, Elm House Nurseries, the young plant specialist mail order plug plant supplier will be benefiting from her flower garden and container gardening ideas.
Since establishing her design practice in 2000, Katherine Crouch has gone from strength to strength, offering advice on all aspects of gardening, such as the design process, information on suitability of planting and general troubleshooting.
Her inspiring garden designs were featured as part of the BBC Gardener of the Year series and she was awarded the title in 1999.
Gardener of the year is celebrating its 10th year this year, hence Katherine was invited back to take part in the The BBC Gardener of the Decade competition, to find the champion of champions, consisting of the five of the previous Gardener of the Year title holders going head to head at the Eden Project. Five garden tasks were judged, independently of the BBC, by the Eden Project staff to RHS standards.
After three tasks, covering border maintenance, taking root and hardwood cuttings and identifying pests and diseases the lowest scoring contestant was eliminated. Further contestants were eliminated following grafting apples, using grafting tape and knives, and plant identification.
The final three remaining contestants had to build and write about a 2.5 by 1.5 metre border suitable, according to the DEFRA and Met Office predictions, for the climate in Cornwall in 2040.
The winner was announced in a special one hour programme broadcast on Friday 12th December at 8pm on BBC2
Katherine received a beautiful Dartington Glass vase, and will be at the press day at Chelsea Show in May 2009. She will also be on the Marshalls stand at the RHS Hampton Court Show in July 2009
Throughout 2009 Katherine will be working with Marshalls to promote vegetable gardening and use of plug plants in a fun and imaginative way, enticing people from all walks of life to get involved in gardening, be it a few tubs on their terrace, Gro-sacs on a patio full of vegetables or strawberries up a wall!
Her top tips and sound advice will also be featuring on the New revised Marshalls Website- www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk to be launched in January 2009 and the new look Elm House Nurseries Site www.elm-house.co.uk
Katherine is an experienced and entertaining speaker, and will be supporting Marshalls by giving talks and lectures to garden clubs, groups and societies.
Marshalls 2009 Catalogue, voted Garden Catalogue of the Year, is out now and contains even more information to help and encourage more gardeners to try the delights of growing their own vegetables and fruit. There are planting and harvest guides for all varieties and extra growing and cooking tips throughout the catalogue.
Contact
Claire Hart
Tel 01460 259776 Mobile 07825 07791
