It may be wet and windy outside at the moment, but we guarantee that the book ‘The Right Genes’ will warm the cockles of your heart!
Written by Nick Hamilton, son of the BBC Gardeners World presenter Geoff Hamilton, it tells the tale of of his life growing up as the son of a visionary of sustainable gardening. Geoff was a firm believer and pioneer in organic gardening and Barnsdale Gardens was his ‘great experiment’ in peat-free and chemical-free growing. This ethos continues there today.
The book has been launched to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the gardens. It was in 1983, that Geoff founded Barnsdale, developing the gardens from a pasture that he had ploughed. The BBC filmed there from the moment he moved in cementing Barnsdale as the new home of Gardeners’ World.
It was here that he continued to present the show, developing the individual garden designs, and experimenting with plants, themes and ideas to inspire the nation to get outside and have a go. And it was here that he earned the reputation of being the ‘People’s Gardener’. ‘The Right Genes’ is a witty, happy and joyful excursion into the weird and wonderful journey of the Hamilton family.
Nick Hamilton now continues his father’s legacy at the helm of Barnsdale, and has kept the sustainable ethos alive. In fact, for over 30 years the gardens have been kept peat and chemical free.
Photo credit Steve Hamilton
