I first became interested in gardening when my grandmother encouraged me to work alongside her and started teaching me the names of the flowers, Anemone japonica was one of the first and sounded very important to a small child. This enjoyment of gardening continued into adult life.

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In the 1960s I worked in the laboratories of the Soil Science Department at Levington Research Station (then Fison's Fertilisers Ltd) in Suffolk. I studied for an HND in Landscape Design at Northampton University and with the RHS for their Master of Horticulture - RHS M.Hort.

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I am the lead gardener and maintain the garden, with gardening colleagues, of the Cowper and Newton Museum in Olney, all managed organically. The museum garden is planted with plants available prior to 1800 that would have been grown by the poet William Cowper, and is open to visitors to the museum and also under the National Gardens Scheme for a weekend in June each year and participates in the Gardeners’ World 2 for1 entry scheme.

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Since my involvement with Britain in Bloom I have met volunteers whose dedication and enthusiasm for improving their neighbourhood is inspiring. It is good to see so many of the schools participating in the RHS's Campaign for School Gardening, the increase in smaller groups entering their community projects for It's Your Neighbourhood, and the emphasis on the benefits to health and wellbeing from gardening.

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I live in Olney, have two daughters and one grandson. Travelling is something I enjoy and have been fortunate to see some of the world's famous gardens and have visited some of the creative and beautiful gardens in this country. When time allows I like walking, reading, looking after the 150 plus Mediterranean plants in my conservatory and, of course, gardening - just don't look at my garden!