Set For SUMMER

David Domoney Get Garden Set For Summer

He’s broken records with his busy green fingers, and garnered awards and accolades galore, including over 30 Royal Horticultural Society medals and an ‘Excellence in Horticulture’ Award from HRH Prince Edward.

Angela Sara West chats exclusively with TV gardening expert David Domoney re. reviving The Great British Rose, going potty for fruit, the power of alfresco water and how to bring the ‘wow’ to our green spaces this summer season.

Lifelong gardener David Domoney caught the gardening bug as a very young boy. “Growing up, getting outside was an incredibly important part of my childhood. I had many friends who I’d play with at the local parks, and we’d make dens in trees, collect conkers for conker fights and use our imaginations to run wild…” he tells me. But with the introduction of the tech takeover, those idyllic, imagination-fuelled salad days seem to, sadly, now be a thing of the past for many. “Back then, there wasn’t the technology of mobile ‘phones or tablets, so you made your own entertainment, with your own imagination and friends.”

GROWING A GARDEN BUSINESS

That outdoor play of childhood planted the seed for the budding gardener’s future vocation, who says finding
a career that kept him outside and engaged with nature was extremely important. “Having a job when you were a teenager was a status symbol – finding one was harder, plus unsociable hours and a heavy sack of papers…”

But cutting it big time it in the gardening stakes, stemming from his creative roots, this now-famous TV gardener came up with a great green-fingered plan… Germinating and propagating his profession, David began by cutting pensioners’ lawns and helping to keep their gardens tidy.

“I earned quite a bit of money doing it, and the people I was cutting and maintaining for would appreciate the work and also reward me with homemade cake, which was a bonus!”

His blooming small business flourished exponentially, seeing David successfully branch out in other areas of gardening, including retail and TV, where he has become Alan Titchmarsh’s much-loved sidekick and a household name.

CELEBRITY GARDEN MAKEOVERS & HORTICULTURAL HEROES

When it comes to weeding out his gardening icons, his mum and dad take the trophy. “I look for every opportunity and my father always taught me about hard work and achieving your dreams by determination and belief. So, I suppose my gardening heroes are my parents. They both encouraged me and gave me a space in the garden itself.”

“If I were to team up with anyone for a garden-related show it’d be my dad or my children, because I believe gardening is a great way of pulling families together in a shared hobby.”

MAKING THE CUT

Having acclimatised to fame, David’s Pinterest page now rakes in more visitors per month than that of the RHS, while his Facebook page boasts more than that of BBC’s ‘Gardeners’ World Live’!

How does it feel to clinch these coveted crowns? “I have a very good team in the office at Domoney Ltd, where we work together on a variety of different events, and we wish to give free information that’s easily accessible to everyone. I host regular Facebook Live shows and invest in time to share images and content to inspire people to connect with nature.”

Whatever’s earthed up, he’s able to immediately adapt and evolve. “I’m very fortunate, because the BBC has boardrooms and the RHS has committees, but I work very closely in a tight team. We can make a decision and make it happen in moments,” he reveals. “In this fast world of technology, that type of flexibility and spontaneity has put us ahead of the pack where we’re punching well above our weight in social media than big organisations like the BBC and the RHS.”

GIVING BACK TO GARDENING

Alongside his ambassadorial role for the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, this hard-working horticulturalist was a serving RHS Commercial Board Member.

“I’ve always believed that if you’re working within an industry that you’re passionate about, that you must give something back. I spent over a decade of my life volunteering and sitting on the RHS Commercial Board and promoting horticulture as a career through the Institute of Horticulture. I’ve also supported horticultural education through the London Colleges of Horticulture at Capel Manor and working with Birmingham Botanical Gardens.”

LOVING WEEKENDS WORKING WITH ALAN

The small-screen star enjoys working alongside national treasure Alan Titchmarsh on Britain’s most-watched gardening TV show ‘Love Your Garden’, as well as on ‘Love Your Weekend’.

“The best thing about Alan and I working together is that we are both educated horticulturalists and experts in gardening, presenting with the same interest and passion,” he tells
me. “The whole garden team works together and there is a marvellous atmosphere… bear in mind that we’ve been working together for over 15 years…!”

GARDENING MOMENTS ON THIS MORNING

He also presents his own inspiring segment on ITV’s ‘This Morning’. What does David love most about being part of the much-admired ‘This Morning’ family?

“I suppose, for me, it’s the history of it, because I’ve been involved in the show for well over a decade and seen so many changes within the show. ‘This Morning’ has a tight family of regular presenting experts and hosts, and knowing that each and every one of us is an expert in our field is something I really like,” he explains. “When Phil Vickery’s doing the cooking, Gok Wan’s doing fashion and I’m doing the gardening, there’s that element of interaction. Live TV is a very intense environment, so there’s a high level of excitement there. Having worked on it for so long, that excitement is something that I still enjoy to this day.”

PLATINUM JUBILEE AT THE PALACE

In the run-up to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, he enjoyed the privilege of presenting live from the Palace.

“I felt greatly honoured to be invited to be part of the team for ‘This Morning’ to present live from Buckingham Palace,” David tells me. “I’ve been very fortunate to film at Buckingham Palace gardens on several occasions, and to be part of such a big celebration was a huge honour and a great deal of fun. It was marvellous beforehand, with us presenters in the green room before going on to create something very special, not in a studio, but in the grand setting of Buckingham Palace… It’s a memory that I will treasure!”

“I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Her Majesty The Queen on several occasions. Always a pleasure to speak to, with a dry wit and a phenomenal ability to listen… plus a real passion for gardening!”

CHELSEA IN BLOOM

Chelsea and other areas of the capital are currently in full bloom – ‘Chelsea in Bloom’ installations in aid of charity can still be spotted adorning shops and businesses around London, giving a nod to the world-famous flower show.

“I’ve been really enjoying them and, having spent some of my working life in garden retail, I have lots of experience with creating displays to create the perfect ambience for people’s shopping experience,” reveals David. “I’ve always loved how pubs and shops use hanging baskets and window boxes out the front for that association with nature, which helps to calm us in our day-to-day lives… I’d love to encourage more shops and restaurants to introduce plants to their interior and exterior designs, to bring nature closer to us when we’re out and about.”

MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR GARDENS…

Having created copious imaginative and ambitious gardens and plant designs himself over the years, including a giant birthday cake made with no fewer than 4000 plants to celebrate Ideal Home Show’s 10th anniversary at Olympia London, plus an underwater garden with live piranhas and the most expensive show garden seen at the Chelsea Flower Show – boasting a whopping £20m worth of diamonds – which have stood out most for this prodigious gardener?

“My favourite part is always the challenge of it. When bringing 20 piranhas and large motorbikes into the Chelsea Flower Show or releasing 100 doves with Carol Vorderman, these are often easier than the task of getting them authorised by the RHS in the first place! One of the biggest challenges in getting £20 million pounds-worth of diamonds into a garden was all the paperwork that went along with it!” David divulges.

“In some cases, coming up with the ideas is one of the most exciting parts of the process, and seeing it come to fruition is brilliant. I’ve always said, you don’t get to the promised land without going through the wilderness first. The challenges of persuading people that your ideas are worth doing is a contest on its own.”

A few of his fave ‘must-visit’ gardens around the UK? “There are many I enjoy visiting… not all of them are large, extravagant gardens. One of my favourites is
in Bedfordshire, the Swiss Cottage Garden, near the Shuttleworth collection, which is the aeronautical and automotive museum. I’ve always found the garden to be very tranquil, with the lakes and hidden cottages within it. Leave your ‘phone in the car and go to immerse yourself in nature as a place to relax and reset.”

#FRIENDSOVERTHEFENCE & CULTIVATION STREET

He also recently teamed up with Miracle-Gro for the #FriendsOverTheFence ‘community spirit’ campaign.

“I’m constantly banging the drum that gardening is good for your physical and mental wellbeing… There’s loads of information on my website and on cultivationstreet.com about the endless benefits of connecting with nature, from how to de-stress with gardening to burning calories in the garden.”

Of course, you don’t even need a garden at all to enjoy the positive power of plants. “My book highlights all the aspects of indoor growing and how to make the most of houseplants, with practical tips to care for and nurture them.”

He also created Cultivation Street, a big community campaign, now in its 10th year, which continues to spread the joy of gardening together in schools and communities, and helps people who are experiencing loneliness in the UK. “Over the past few years with the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, many people are working from home and spending more time indoors, which has led to increased figures of loneliness within society. With people being separated from friends and family, we found that gardening is a great way to bring people and communities together.”

THE POWER OF PLANTS

Gardening is not only good for the soul and lowering stress levels, but can also make for a great workout, with the Great Outdoors great for both our physical and mental health.

David greatly believes in the power of plants for improving our wellbeing, and developed the ‘Recommended Daily Allowance’ for gardening in partnership with Argos, and penned his popular book ‘My Houseplant Changed My Life’, published by DK Books, which looks at the positive impacts of indoor gardening.

THRIVE! GARDEN FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR HEALTH

Another of David’s ambassadorial roles is with the national horticultural health charity Thrive, while he’s also a Garden Champion for the mental health charity SANE.

“I’m very fortunate to work with around 15 different charities, all of which have a single common thread, and that is that engaging with plants and nature is good for your mental and physical wellbeing. I’m very honoured to be Patron of Greenfingers charity, who create gardens for children’s hospices across the UK. Likewise, the charities SANE and Thrive promote activities that uplift your heart and nourish the soul.”

GET YOUR GARDEN SUMMER READY!

Potty for planting? Now halfway through the year, what should we be planting right now?

“The secret is to go to the garden centre at least once a month and buy a perennial plant that’s in flower in the garden centre,” says the star gardener. “If you do that monthly,
you’ll end up with 12 months of colour because you know which plants will be in flower at the same time following year. Also, planting roses, trees and shrubs, providing they’re in containers and watering them on a regular basis to help them establish, is one to add to the list.”

His fave summer flowers? “Among my holiday time favourites are geraniums and fuchsias, reminiscent of Greek and Spanish streets… I plant lots of containers outside my front door and they always put a smile on my face when I come home in the evening. A very good foliage plant is Lippia citriodora (lemon-scented verbena) which smells like fizzy lemon sherbet. Although it may not look as visually striking as some other plants, the scent is something special to enjoy.”

THE POWER OF PLANTS

Gardening is not only good for the soul and lowering stress levels, but can also make for a great workout, with the Great Outdoors great for both our physical and mental health.

THRIVE! GARDEN FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR HEALTH

Another of David’s ambassadorial roles is with the national horticultural health charity Thrive, while he’s also a Garden Champion for the mental health charity SANE.

GET YOUR GARDEN SUMMER READY!

Potty for planting? Now halfway through the year, what should we be planting right now?

DAVID’S STAR GARDEN

David and his family recently moved house, with their idyllic new abode boasting a 3-4 acre garden which is fast becoming ever-more beautiful…

“At this position in my life, I’m focusing all my efforts into landscaping my own garden, which we’re transforming into different room sets, many of which are used in a range of different TV shows,” he explains.

“‘This Morning’ is televised live from one of the garden room sets, which is aptly named the ‘This Morning Garden’. Then, we’ve got the grow-your-own area, a stream, an orchard, and many other segments. With constant progress and changes, these areas are all used as sets for recording videos that are uploaded onto my YouTube channel and Instagram @daviddomoney.

GROW WILD! AND HAVE A HEDGEHOG HIGHWAY

‘No Mow May’ saw many put mowing on hold to help insects, and proud beekeeper David also encourages us to help save our sadly-declining bee population…

As a supporter of the natural world that visits the garden, he encourages everybody to leave a small section of the garden to grow wild. “Whether it’s behind the shed or underneath hedges and bushes, leaving natural plants and weeds like dandelions will appeal greatly to wildlife like pollinators,” he explains.

“What’s more, dandelions have recently been reported as one of the sweetest-tasting flowers for bees, so leaving them intact in the garden for pollinators is ideal. As patron of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, I encourage all with a garden to have a little hedgehog hole in the bottom of the fence (about the size of a side plate) to create a network and enable these marvellous little creatures to travel safely to hunt for food.”

BEE KIND… HOW TO BEE- HIVE!

As a keen beekeeper and member of the British Beekeepers Association, he’s also all about helping our bees…

“I find the fascination of these little creatures a great comfort to me as I garden. Of course, you don’t need to have hives… Instead, you can make little bee hotels using bamboo canes. You can get plenty of information on how to create your own on my website daviddomoney.com.”

THE POWER OF WATER

David is also an advocate of adding water to gardens, and has created his own wildlife pond with OASE, leading water garden specialists. Not only do water features help wildlife, but also assist our own health.

What is the power of water in gardens? “As a brand ambassador for OASE, part of our campaigning is to encourage people to see water gardening as an essential part of their normal garden duties,” he reveals.

“During lockdown, many gardeners wanted ways to enhance their existing gardens, and water gardens became an attractive option. Not only do they look great, but they have psychological benefits too as the movement of water can have tranquil and calming effects on us as humans. Seeing the fluid movement of water glisten in the sunlight and the sound of cascading water can help enormously to reduce anxiety and stress.”

And the benefits don’t end there. “It’s also incredibly useful for wildlife in the area, such as bees, amphibians, and other beneficial insects.”

What water features are currently in fashion? “The on-trend water features are versatile water ponds. These have proper pump and filtration systems to keep the water clean and are large enough to stock fish and plenty of plants. The plants that live in and around the water and the fish coexist to create perfect harmony.”

BRING THE ‘WOW’ TO YOUR GARDEN

How can we achieve the ‘wow’ factor in our green spaces, whatever our budget? “The best thing to do is look at your borders,” advises David. “Things like fencing can give instant impact with a new stain or lick of paint, just like the effect when you put up new wallpaper indoors. It doesn’t just have to be blue, brown, or green – there are a huge range of colours to choose from to suit your unique needs and to give your garden the character you desire.”

LIGHTEN UP!

From the perfect patio, to that alluring tall tree down the end, strategically-placed lighting can also enhance a garden exponentially. “The secret when it comes to placing lighting is to photograph your garden, print it off and then sit down from your house and pinpoint where you think you need the light,” says the green-fingered star. “It’s not just beams on plants, but also uplighters that can illuminate the stems of trees, and downlighters too. Mood lighting is great for socialising and relaxing on the patio,
and pathway lighting can also have a practical and purposeful purpose as well.”

OUTDOOR COOKING WITH JAMES MARTIN

David has also been the gardening expert on ‘James Martin’s Saturday Morning’ show filmed at the celebrity chef’s home, which boasts a fabulous outdoor kitchen.

“James Martin is an outstanding chef and it’s a pleasure to work with him. In many cases, the combination of gardening and cooking are very much entwined. James is very passionate about growing your own and I’m a very keen amateur cook.”

With outside dining now big news in the UK (despite our unpredictable weather!) what’s David’s advice for creating/ zoning dedicated outdoor living areas for summer socials, play, growing vegetables and herbs and more?

“I think creating an outdoor kitchen is a bonus… not just for barbecues, but for preparing salads, summer drinks with added botanicals, like strawberries in Champagne,
a gardener’s Bloody Mary, or even your own horticultural ingredients to add to your jug of Pimm’s!”

“In many cases, the combination of gardening and cooking are very much entwined. James is very passionate about growing your own and I’m a very keen amateur cook.”

GARDEN COMFORTS

As for the latest ‘must-have’ summer garden products etc. what’s currently cutting it in the style stakes?

“One of the things to take a look at in gardens is outdoor sofas. The thought of sitting on plastic stackable chairs is long gone because outdoor furniture comes in fantastic, exciting shapes and sizes. Not only hammocks and dining sets,
but outdoor relaxation beds, soft sofas and cushions that can be left outdoors whatever the weather. There are many types available… Take a look at www.hartmanuk.com for inspiration.”

David’s live ‘Summer Living in Your Garden’ show, in which he shares his tips on how to make the most from outdoor living, is supported by Hartman. “In today’s world, full of the pressures of work and family life, escaping to the garden is the antidote we need to keep our minds and our bodies healthy,” he says. “Whether you’re planting gorgeous blooms, growing your own crops or relaxing in your own personal oasis.”

The top gardener’s gorgeous furniture range has been specially designed to help us unwind in our own outdoor space.

GET A GARDEN ROOM

Since the lockdowns began, sales of garden rooms have gone through the roof. Fantastically flexible, I personally use ours as a versatile multi-purpose space, housing not only my office, but a kids’ craft/games area, a dedicated chill-out space and, best of all, a bar!

“Garden rooms are increasingly playing a part in outdoor living,” David confirms. “Taking a break from screentime is important, and there’s been a surge in houseplants, growing on windowsills, gazebos, conservatories and outdoor rooms. It’s all about the opportunity to bring the outside in, to keep us calm and help up to appreciate nature in our ever-developing technological world.”

GET THE KIDS GARDENING

David’s young children appear to be following in his hardy horticulturalist footsteps, and he promotes youth and community gardening and founded the national campaign Cultivation Street to promote school and community gardening with an associated competition.

“I think every young person should consider horticulture as a career, whether that’s in horticultural journalism, retail, amenities, garden design or floristry… it’s a massive industry with many fantastic jobs. Part of my role is to encourage people to see horticulture as an exciting career path. In today’s climate where sustainability is such an important part of life for many young people, working with the earth in their hands is a good incentive for a happy and rewarding career.”

AUTUMN, WINTER…? CARRY ON GARDENING!

David advocates continuing to garden and using our green spaces once summer is over… How can we keep our gardens looking glorious and continue to reap its rewards throughout the autumn and winter months?

“Gardening during the autumn is great – it’s nature’s time for planting! It gives
the plants time to put out roots and establish, ready for the next growing season. With spectacular autumn colour from berries, and the host of crops that can be harvested at this time from fruit trees, it’s great to put in the work in the garden all year round.”

He has top tips aplenty for keeping the whole family gardening and engaging with nature by growing your own, getting kids excited about garden life cycles, harvesting and eating fresh and nutritious food, watching wildlife, feeding the birds and other activities through the autumn and winter months, too.

“There are many colourful bedding plants that will flower between November and March, and having a good balance of flowering plants in the garden is also great for beneficial insects and pollinators to have access to nectar and pollen for a longer period of time.

He’s also a fan of fertilising for getting your garden looking great, and launched ‘Compost Week’ two years ago to raise awareness of the benefits of composting to leave your blooms looking their best.

FUTURE FILMING & FLOWERING!

Up next for David Domoney? “We’re currently finishing another series of ‘Love Your Garden’ – I’ve got several other garden makeovers to do with Alan Titchmarsh and the team. I’m also appearing on ‘This Morning’. But the big garden project in the works is creating garden rooms in my own garden for filming. Follow the journey on my YouTube channel and Instagram to keep up-to-date with the process!”

He’ll also be making appearances at many flower shows this year. “I really enjoy talking about plants and sharing many hints and tips on engaging with gardening and making it a fun pastime. Sharing tips on how to get the most of your garden, whatever your space, is something that I particularly enjoy doing.”

Want to meet this top gardener in person?

“I’ll be appearing at Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival on 8th July, Belvoir Castle on 16th-17th July, Tatton Park Flower Show on 24th July, and Shrewsbury on 12th-13th August.”

FOLLOW DAVID

YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGaEjRu5rz4 Instagram: @daviddomoney
David’s website: www.daviddomoney.com

David Domoney

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