Hello, I’m Joe Vary. A horticulturist and gardener, originally from County Durham but settled in Wickhambreaux near Canterbury.

I began studying horticulture back in 2007 at Newcastle College where I achieved my Level 3. I’d always been and outdoorsy person, and now I’d found a way to live and work outside.

Horticulture instantly became my passion!

While studying horticulture in Newcastle, I was also working in the Chelsea Gold Medal winning, Harperly Hall Farm Nursery. We specialised in growing alpine plants, and this became my first specialism. In fact, I went on to study the Specialist Certificate in Rock and Alpine Gardening at RHS Garden Wisley. I was living and working in one of the world’s best gardens and was surrounded by likeminded horticulturists. I sat in on RHS committee meetings with some of the most highly renowned alpine botanists and growers, and worked at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show.

I graduated with distinction and was honoured to be accepted on the Wisley Diploma in Practical Horticulture. During this role, I spent time working in all areas of RHS Wisley. Learning from world renowned expert gardeners was truly a special experience.

Following my graduation in 2012, I went on to work for the Royal Household in Buckingham Palace where I was responsible for the fine lawns throughout the garden. Ensuring they were in top condition was quite a challenge. But the Head Gardener told me that they hadn’t looked as good in the 33 years that he’d worked there. This filled me with pride for what I had achieved.

The thing that I loved most about Buckingham Palace was the blend of formal and wild areas. Pristine lawns and herbaceous borders would blend seamlessly into long grass meadows and cow parsley covered woodland.

I’d always loved wildlife but thought that gardening was in competition with it. My time at Buckingham Palace had made me reconsider this view. Over the last decade, I’ve been exploring the integration of wild areas into home and public gardens. Something that I still practice to this day.

In 2014, I broke my knee and spent time recovering at my parents house in Broadstairs. During my recuperation, I discovered the importance of good food and diet on our health and wellbeing. But I also began to learn of the harmful impact the food we eat has on our planet.

I wanted to explore whether home gardeners could make a difference by growing some of their own food.

Over the last 10 years, I’ve grown food in many public and home gardens. I also spent 4 years producing commercial F1 cauliflower seed for Vilmorin-Mikado. More recently, I’ve produced and foraged food for a local Green Michelin Star restaurant.

My experience has taught me that home and local food production can re-connect us with nature and our ancestors. This benefits our health and wellbeing even more than the delicious food that we’re growing.

I want to bring this re-connection to you and your garden. Whether you want to grow your own food, entice wildlife into your garden, or simply get your garden looking beautiful; I think I can help you.

I’m a friendly, kind, trustworthy, and down to earth gardener. So I hope you choose me to be your gardener and garden mentor.

All the best. Joe.