We’re excited to announce the CoirProducts.co.uk Grower of the Month for May, Sarah (@sanderson_garden). As the grower of the month, Sarah shared with us her gardening journey. She fondly reflected on her early childhood years spent in the garden with her parents, and spoke about what gardening means to her. Having come to love gardening later on, Sarah drew up plans for her own garden with her husband. Now having her own front and back garden, complete with a wildlife pond and a zippy greenhouse, as well as an allotment patch for growing vegetables and 15 chickens, Sarah says, she feels like she is living the good life! Read on to learn all about Sarah’s gardening journey.
How and when did you start gardening/growing?
My first memory of anything gardening related would be rolling down a hill after it had been freshly mowed by my dad when I was possibly 3 or 4 years old?! My dad was a gardener for many people, and myself and my sister would often go with him. I’m not sure we were much help but we had fun!
I have fond memories of two places in particular. At Mr Greens, he had big Victorian style greenhouses, and I just remember the masses of grape vines growing in them and thinking WOW!!! Anytime I smell cut grass it always takes me back to his garage where dad would park the lawnmower. In fact, it was Mr Greens who had the hill we’d roll down! The gardens were vast and cottage-like with wispy plants and I always loved that garden. And then, at Mr Cockhills, he had this really cool hexagon shaped greenhouse and I remember always wanting one like that! He also had chickens, I wanted those too and I now co-own 15 of the latter with my dad! My dad has always been a keen gardener and our gardens at home were always perfect. He’d spend so much time lovingly tending to them.
My mum and dad now own and run a small nursery in Knutsford called T&S Riley and we’d all lend a helping hand where we could and still do! So really it’s something that’s always been there in the background for me. My mum and dad make a great team, and that’s something Paul and I try to be when it comes to planning our garden and growing spaces.
However, as much as I’ve always pottered and kept a nice garden, I didn’t really love it until 2017 when my mental health took a real turn for the worst, I needed a new focus that would help with my anxiety and I suddenly had a vision for the space we called a garden and got to work explaining to my husband Paul what I’d like to do. I drew everything and wrote it down, and luckily, he was fully on board. I became hooked overnight, to the point that, five years later, I now have a front and back garden I tend to be at home, complete with a wildlife pond and a zippy greenhouse! Also a greenhouse and allotment patch for growing vegetables and 15 chickens! I literally feel like I’m living the good life!
How has your garden changed since you first started growing?
The garden has changed massively! When we moved in, it was a mass of overgrown shrubs and a soggy, wet, muddy piece of grass in the middle! We love entertaining for family and friends, so that was always at the forefront of our minds in the design. We started by clearing the space to have a blank canvas. We built a garden bar which we call The Gin Shack. We always try to reduce, reuse, recycle wherever we can, so we built the base from pallets, Paul found some timber posts at work no longer needed and we rescued the tin roof off the old shed that was here when we moved in (hence ‘shack’). The only cost was the feathered edge boards we bought to make the outside of it look neat.
We have a raised manhole in the garden in the most awkward place! So, we decided to build a raised decking area over it (it’s still accessible!) So that was the next job! We built the frame and mounted the deck boards – this time all new products so we could be sure it’d last a long time.
In lockdown, we still wanted our four daughters to be able to catch up with friends in the garden, so we built another area we call the Snug; this is opposite the gin shack and one of my favourite areas to relax in the garden.
It was then time to think about where I’d like to plant! So, we built two raised beds. One was a pollinator-friendly border which our dog Monty took a shine to and would often be found lying in on top of the plants! So, it seemed fitting when he passed away suddenly that he would be buried there and we now call this Monty’s border. This is the border we make sure that heavily features wildlife, insects’ houses… the tree is full of bird feeders and lots of pollinator-friendly plants like monarda, aquilegia, alliums etc. The other border I filled with evergreen shrubs like euonymous and lots of perennials like astilbes, lavender, achillia, echinacea etc.
I’ve always got a project on the go in the garden. Last year, I decided to add in a wildlife pond at the end of Monty’s border. It has two resident frogs, but unfortunately no frogspawn this time – maybe next year! We have also added a third raised border new for this year and replaced an old dilapidated fence by using roof batons.
What is your typical day like, when it comes to tending to your garden?
My typical day at the moment is tending to seedlings. I grow fruit, veg and flowers so it’s a busy time of year! I’m currently germinating and propagating on windowsills at home then moving them out to my greenhouse or zippy. The greenhouse has more vegetables as that’s situated at my vegetable plot, the zippy has flowers as they’ll mostly stay at home. Then, lots of potting on once the roots fill the cell so they have more space to grow. Prepping borders by mulching and we’ve just finished giving the decking, gin shack and fences a licker of paint to freshen it up a bit.
I’ve also made my own sweet pea wigwams this year so I’m intrigued to see how they hold up! Paul also managed to get me some old pallet collars from where he works so I’ve given them a paint too. I also have chickens to clean out, and watering and feeding the plants is a priority. I’m hoping to make a start on planting up some hanging baskets myself in the coming weeks ready for summer too.
What do you enjoy most about growing/gardening?
The thing I enjoy most about gardening is the satisfaction of seeing something you’ve nurtured from seed grow into a beautiful plant/flower. It also calms me and my thoughts, brings out the creative flare I wish I used more and allows my family a space to relax and entertain in.
What are some of the benefits of growing your own?
So many benefits for growing your own, lessening carbon footprints is one. The feeling of satisfaction when you get to harvest and eat something you’ve grown yourself! It always tastes better! Reducing our carbon footprint – if everyone did just one small thing to help it would make a massive difference to the environment.
Have you used any coir-based products?
I’ve used coir blocks to germinate seeds in and it’s brilliant!!! The germination rate was amazing and it doesn’t dry out too quickly either, which I did wonder about since you add water to gain volume with the coir blocks. I’ve also bought perennials in coir pots, it’s amazing to be able to plant the whole thing into the ground and know it’s going to make a perfectly healthy plant without the plastic pot waste.
What are your thoughts on becoming a sustainable grower?
Sustainability is always something at the forefront of my mind, as like I’ve said, I have four daughters who are rapidly growing up in the world and if I can do something to help conserve the environment and prevent pollution, then I’m going to try my best to. These changes don’t need to be huge or to feel daunting, if everybody just made a few small changes it would make a huge difference. If I buy plants in plastic pots I’ll reuse them. I have a water butt that collects rainwater from my greenhouse that I intend to water my vegetables with at my plot. I’ve made home for wildlife in my garden by making a wildlife pond, putting up bird boxes and insect houses. Lots of other things too – but my point is, small changes made by many make big changes in the world.
What tips would you offer to other gardeners/growers? / what tips would you offer for getting children involved in gardening?
Tips to fellow gardeners and growers, I’d say slow it down, strip it back and take your time to enjoy what you’re doing. I’m extremely guilty of doing something like potting on for example and rushing it as I know I need to be somewhere! I’m always telling myself to do this when you have time to enjoy it, Sarah! So that’s now what I try to do. I have four daughters aged 19/16/14/10 who have all grown up with green fingers in one way or another. Thanks to my parents’ nursery, we’ve always encouraged them to help and look after the garden.
I also work with children and vulnerable young adults and I think the best way to interest children is to work towards a goal and what better goal than something amazingly beautiful you can nurture and care for until it blooms or better still eat! When I was childminding, we would germinate beans in a plastic wallet to create a greenhouse and tape them to the window to watch the root system grow. We’d also use potato grow bags with a viewing window. Sunflowers are another great plant to grow with children as they love to get a little competitive on whose will grow tallest! We’ve always encouraged our girls to grow strawberries and cherry tomatoes in hanging baskets in the garden, although it’s a race to see who gets them first, the girls or the birds!
Anything else you would like to share?
The smallest spaces can be used to create a garden or a vegetable plot! It could be a balcony or yard that you could have containers to grow in, the corner of a shared space! Give it ago, you’d be amazed at what can be achieved if you use your imagination.
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In today’s world, gardening is much more than a pastime; it’s a mindful choice to support biodiversity, boost sustainability, and cultivate well-being. At CoirProducts of
