Janice Shipp is an experient Garden Writer , having work for 15 years as a Principal Researcher and Writer at Which ? garden powder magazine .
Janice sits on the Forum of the RHS Herbaceous Plant Committee , which oversees the Award of Garden Merit plant trials .
This includes time as an RHS Forum Member for Red Rose , Oregano and Marjoram trial run at RHS Wisley , Primrose trial run at RHS Bridgewater and Mahonia trial at the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens .
I spoke to Janice to see what we can acquire from her time in the garden .
When Did You First Start Gardening?
“ I had a small patch in my parents ’ garden to grow affair when I was very young , but then I lose interest in horticulture until I ’d had my child and we bought a house with a garden of our own , ” partake in Janice .
“ It ’s funny to calculate back and remember how little I knew at the clip , but I ’d never really done any gardening at that full stop , so I sympathise that feeling of cluelessness when you ’re just getting start for the first time .
“ There were very few plant in the garden and I pop out develop thing from seed to fill it with flowers without spending too much money .
Image provided by Mark Winwood
“ When I saw what could happen if you sowed a few seeds , I was completely hooked ! ”
What Led You To A Career In Horticulture & Garden Writing?
“ look back , it seems to have been a string of fortune and fortune , ” Janice jokes .
“ First , I started a basic RHS trend at Capel Manor College which made a vague approximation about work in horticulture seem more of a reality . I went on to do another course , then another and then I finally fill in the RHS MHort about ten years subsequently .
“ During that time , I accidentally got into garden maintenance and doing pocket-sized - scurf planting plans , then learn about an opening to hatch someone ’s maternity leave-taking at the Which ? Gardening magazine trial garden .
Image provided by Mark Winwood
“ I got that job , ab initio for three months , and was kept on after someone else left . A couple of years later , Which ? restructured the horticulture roles and I vex a new job writing articles as well as doing practical study on the works trials , which I went on to do for 12 year .
“ I belong free-lance a few years ago and have spell for other publications including The Garden , but much of my work is still for Which ? garden magazine . ”
What Is Your Favourite Time Of Year To Be In The Garden?
“ Like most gardeners , I love springtime when everything is wise and new and you have the whole gardening year to look forward to .
“ Of naturally , it ’s also the busiest clock time of year , but it ’s so full to be outside more after the dark Day of wintertime that I do n’t normally heed the study . ”
How Has Gardening Changed Your Outlook On Life?
“ Gardening has transform my life in many way and founder me a lot of opportunity to fulfill interesting people and go to beautiful topographic point , ” she says .
“ I love everything about it , there is always more to learn and I never get world-weary .
“ I have worked with the RHS as a meeting place member on their trials for some sentence and I late join the RHS Herbaceous Plant Committee .
“ Their knowledge and enthusiasm has been a bracing author of intake to keep search and cerebrate about plants – and to seek to remember more names because , unfortunately , I ’m very mindless !
“ horticulture has also pass me to a great taste of nature and wildlife , especially the birdie and the louse we divvy up our garden with . ”
What Would You Say To Those Thinking Of Giving Gardening A Go?
“ Just plunge in and get started by grow what you ’re interested in , then picture it out as you go along rather than render to translate too much advice and getting confused , ” Janice advise .
“ You will learn by nature as you go along and the more you essay , the more you ’ll learn .
“ Every year , some things will go well and some things will go wrong , as they do for everyone , so test to enjoy the successes and not be put off by the thing that do n’t influence .
“ Next year , they might be your biggest triumphs ! ”
What’s Next For You?
“ Next year , I ’m going to cut back on the amount of regular work I do so I can have more fourth dimension for other projects .
“ I would wish to write a Holy Writ , though I have to confess that at the moment I ’m not sure what it would be about .
“ I ’ve got a few theme but have n’t had time to run them up into something I could pitch to a publisher , so I ’m hoping to have prison term to do that . ”
