About Randy
My Story
Gardening isn't just a hobby for me—it's become a way of life. After spending years working in IT, I found myself craving something more tactile and rewarding. My garden became my escape, my meditation, and honestly, my obsession. These days, you'll find me out there before work checking on seedlings, and most weekends are spent knee-deep in compost or planning my next garden bed expansion.
I garden in the UK Midlands, which gives me a decent growing season but keeps me on my toes with unpredictable weather and the occasional late spring frost. My 800 square foot backyard has been transformed through raised beds, vertical gardening, and creative use of every sunny spot—something especially important given our often overcast British weather. I've made plenty of mistakes along the way—killed more plants than I'd like to admit—but that's how I've learned what really works in our unique climate.
What I love most is growing food. There's something incredibly satisfying about harvesting vegetables you've grown from seed, especially when battling our temperamental British weather. My specialty is tomatoes (I grow at least 8 different varieties each year, mostly in my greenhouse), but I also maintain a year-round herb garden, experiment with unusual vegetables, and keep a small berry patch. I'm constantly reading, researching, and trying new techniques—from companion planting to no-till methods—adapting them for UK conditions.
I started this blog because I wanted to share what I've learned through trial and error, success and failure, specifically for UK gardeners. Gardening advice from warmer climates doesn't always translate here, and when I was starting out, I wished I had more practical, honest advice from someone gardening in similar conditions. That's what I aim to provide.
What I Specialize In
- UK climate vegetable gardening
- Heirloom tomato varieties (greenhouse & outdoor)
- Year-round herb cultivation
- Raised bed gardening
- Companion planting
- Small-space gardening solutions
- Organic pest management
My Gardening Philosophy
I believe gardening should be accessible to everyone, regardless of space or experience. My approach focuses on practical, achievable techniques that work in real-world UK conditions—because gardens don't always follow the textbook rules, especially with our unpredictable weather.
Favorite Plants
If you've read a few of my articles, you'll know I have my favorites:
- Cherokee Purple tomatoes (greenhouse)
- Basil (especially Genovese)
- Zinnias for the pollinators
- Sugar snap peas
- British-bred runner beans
Connect With Me
Have a gardening question or want to share your own garden successes? I'd love to hear from you! Drop me a line at [email protected].