This weekend we were lucky enough to attend Toby Buckland’s Garden Festival in the stunning surroundings of Bowood House, Wiltshire. We soaked up the festival sunshine (when the wind wasn’t gusting); we dined on some fine festival food (an unlikely combination of goat curry and marshmallow crepes); the kids hoisted themselves up a rope for a tree-top view of the site (us adults were too chicken); and, of course, we bought some splendid looking plants and seeds. But mostly we were there to corner some of the country’s leading garden experts and force them to all answer the same three summer gardening questions…
Toby Buckland
First up it’s our festival host – TV and radio gardening expert, Toby Buckland.
What’s the best thing about the garden during summer?
Entertaining. Having people round for barbecues. Plants plus people equals garden show off!
Have you seen anything from the festival you fancy taking home?
Lots of herbaceous plants at Hardy’s
What’s your favourite garden drink?
I like Pimm’s but my favourite is a mojito made with clear rum. I love drinks that involve muddling with mint.
Rob Hardy, Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants
With that recommendation for Hardy’s plants we hotfooted it to their stand…
What’s the best thing about the garden during summer?
The nurseries are our garden, so it’s enjoying the range of plants – there’s always something coming into flower and gardening is all about observation.
Have you seen anything from the festival you fancy taking home?
I haven’t had a chance to look around yet but we’ll be on the look out for anything that extends the flowering season – like our primula vialii.
What’s your favourite garden drink?
Our nurseries are next door to Bombay Sapphire Gin, but my wife Rosie is the gin drinker.
Jonathan Moseley (right)
Next we caught up with two of the BBCs Big Allotment Challenge judges. First of the pair to enter the hot seat, floral designer Jonathan Moseley
What’s the best thing about the garden during summer?
Picking flowers! My favourite? Sweet peas – keep picking and they carry on flowering.
Have you seen anything from the festival you fancy taking home?
I’ve already bought a nice millstone.
What’s your favourite garden drink?
Pimm’s and lemonade.
Jim Buttress (left)
Hanging out with Jonathan was the king of the vegetable shows, ace judge and all round good chap Jim Buttress.
What’s the best thing about the garden during summer?
I’m never there! Too busy going to shows like this. But I do like growing veg in containers – runner beans, spinach and tomatoes.
Have you seen anything from the festival you fancy taking home?
The great thing about this event is that it’s packed with proper nurseries and local sellers who you’re not going to see in garden centres. There are great herbaceous plants, shade loving plants and they all provide top gardening advice. Take a look at Pretty Ugly Plants – they have carnivorous plants and cacti which are great to get kids interested.
What’s your favourite garden drink?
Real ale. There are lots of great microbreweries around now. My local pub serves Meantime. They’ve just been bought out by a huge global company (Anheuser-Busch) so it will be interesting to see what happens with them.
Alex, Pretty Ugly Plants
If carnivorous plants are good for Jim, they’re good for us. So off we trotted to see the action and, of course, to ask a few questions…
What’s the best thing about the garden during summer?
North American pitcher plants.
Have you seen anything from the festival you fancy taking home?
I am on the look out for ferns.
What’s your favourite garden drink?
A good cup of tea. I’ve got a special cup with a lid on it to stop compost getting in.
Roxana, Butterfly Cottage Garden Plants
After the insect munching carnivorous plants we wandered over to the less destructive world of butterflies, where Roxana was looking after the cottage garden plants stall.
What’s the best thing about the garden during summer?
The long evenings.
Have you seen anything from the festival you fancy taking home?
I’ve seen a bumblebee hive. It’s a nice idea to be able to provide a home for the bumblebees.
What’s your favourite garden drink?
A cup of tea or elderflower cordial.
Pippa, Beans and Herbs
French beans are one of our own summer growing favourites, so while loading up on some new bean seeds we got some expert insights…
What’s the best thing about the garden during summer?
It has got to be beans. I’m growing about 70 different varieties of climbing French beans from a collection of 300.
Have you seen anything from the festival you fancy taking home?
Willow supports for beans. I’m going to put in a special order.
What’s your favourite garden drink?
A cup of tea.
Evan, Dusty Ape
After all that plant chat we had one more visit to make – to the bar, manned by Evan from coffee specialists Dusty Ape.
What’s the best thing about the garden during summer?
Fresh strawberries and warm sun.
Have you seen anything from the festival you fancy taking home?
Some furniture made out of oak wine barrels.
What’s your favourite garden drink?
Our special festival drink, Buckland Fizz – Grand Imperial Brut with a dash of wild strawberry liqueur.
Clockwise from top left: Stalls in front of Bowood House; Carnivorous plants; The lake at Bowood; Primula vialii
