About Me

I have been growing Sweet Peas since the mid 90's. I had been growing Dahlias for a few years and really enjoyed the show season. However, the Dahlia show season ran from late August through September and that left the rest of the year without any shows to go to!

My Dad, a Chrysanthemum grower, had already began growing Sweet Peas a few years earlier and had was doing pretty well on the showbench . I used to go to all the Autumn shows with my parents but never competing against my Dad so I thought it would be nice to join them at the Summer shows, but this time adding a little rivalry!

I started growing a few on my allotment for a year or two before I moved to Strood in Medway, Kent. There I had room to grow around a hundred and twenty plants in my back garden. It was around this time that I became involved with the Kent Federation of Horticultural Association and began to exhibit at the Kent County Show. My Dad has taught me almost all I know about gardening over the years and has been my inspiration when it comes to showing flowers. Fun and enjoyment is the aim, with winning the cherry on top of an already wonderful cake!

My aim was to beat my Dad in at least one class during the season. I didn't have the time or the knowledge to begin with to consistantly compete against him so I tried to focus on a particular show where I might have my best chance. Over the years though I have increased the amount of plants that grow, have more time to spend on them and now the tables have turned and it's now my Dad that is pleased as punch when he beats his Son! Where as I used to get a buzz from beating my Dad I now find myself getting more of a buzz for my Dad when he beats me!

I started doing Sweet Pea displays in 2014 at the Kent County Show and won six consequetive Gold Awards including two Premier Awards for best trade display until the Covid pandemic began and the show was cancelled in its previous form.

2020 was a difficult year with Covid restrictions across the country so the only shows that went ahead were done on line or the one I put up in my front garden!

2021 was a wash out with most of my plants rotting in the ground after very wet weather in early June. I even lost all my seedlings that I had high hopes for.

2022 was a mixed bag. My indoor plants thrived and my practice run for a future Chelsea appearance was a huge success. My seed beds providing a fantastic harvest. However, my cordon grown plants were a disaster, a mixture of late frost, late planting conditions due to wet/cold ground and then two rabbits and wood pidgeons nibbling through what they could find. Although many recovered it was too late to be of any use. So onwards and upwards to 2023!