First published Mslexia Spring 2014
We are a nation of gardeners. We love watching garden shows and read magazines, books and newspaper columns on everything from disease control to sustainable vegetable growing. And, not only do we visit the grand gardens of stately homes in huge numbers, but 3,700 of us open our own gardens to the public through the National Garden Scheme every year. Gardening is big money: the Horticultural Trader Association says the UK garden retail market is worth £4.5bn, 10 per cent higher than it was in 2008.
Government statistics back up these figures: according to the Office of National Statistics, half the nation counts it among their hobbies. But, ditch any prejudices you may have: the green-fingered are not all over 60. Far from it: gardening is the new rock and roll for a significant number of young people: almost a fifth of 16 to 24 year olds garden; among 25 to 34 year olds, 36 per cent name it as a hobby; and over half 35 to 44 year olds spend time getting their hands dirty. Of course, for those over 65, gardening remains hugely popular – 62 per cent count it as a leisure activity.
As with any pastime that needs specialist knowledge and involves fashions, books remain a primary source of information, and publishers actively seek new voices to fulfil demand. ‘There seems to be a focus on guides to growing your own produce, allotments and foraging, at the moment,’ says Lorraine Jerram, managing editor of Simon & Schuster Illustrated. ‘It is probably in response to the recent food scares and the prevailing mood of austerity.’ Other trends cited by publishers are wildlife friendly gardening, small and container gardening (including growing vegetables) and meadow or wildflower gardening.
But a potting shed and PC will only get you so far with publishers. Editors demand writers who have a magical combination of specialist knowledge, unique voice and an existing platform for their work, which is why celebrity gardeners like Alan Titchmarsh and Monty Don dominate.
‘Launching a new author into this crowded market is extremely difficult, especially without a TV series,’ Lorraine Jerram says. She published Helen Yemm’s delightful Gardening in Pyjamas. ‘What Helen has is a ready-made loyal audience thanks to her Thorny Problems column in the Daily Telegraph.’
Yemm has a distinctive voice. Garden writers divide broadly into two fields: horticulturalists, such as the late D G Hessayan, whose Garden Expert guides range from growing vegetables to dealing with pests; and general writers, such as Yemm and Anna Pavord, whose The Curious Gardener was a collection of her columns organised around the months of the year. Rebecca O’Malley of specialist independent Timber Press says: ‘The key with our books is expertise. It’s the knowledge that is paramount for our list – from the latest technology in green roofs to a particular plant genus.’
A unique voice is also essential. Tricky to describe, the best way to understand voice is read what is out there: Sarah Raven writes with confidence and colour; Beth Chatto is warm and inclusive; and Helen Yemm is down-to-earth and humorous.
Both Yemm and Chatto were spotted through their newspaper columns, but such opportunities are rare for aspiring writers. Luckily, blogs remain a popular source of talent for publishers. One writer who has emerged this way is Louise Curley, whose debut The Cut Flower Patch is published this month (March) by Frances Lincoln. Curley is the writer behind the Wellywoman blog, which was started because she was forced indoors by winter weather. ‘I though I might go stir-crazy, so my husband suggested I start a blog. Gardening was just the natural subject for me to write about.’
An online presence can create a virtuous circle, as Curley shows: the blog gave her confidence to pitch ideas to print outlets, including the Guardian. It also provided a quick reference to send to magazine editors, who commissioned her, making her confident enough to submit an idea for a book. Again, the blog provided inspiration, she says: ‘People were saying they would like to try a cut flower patch like mine or that they had given it a go but it hadn’t worked. That’s when I thought maybe I could write a book about my own experience.’
Unlike fiction, non-fiction tends to be pitched as a proposal rather than a finished manuscript. This involves a synopsis and chapter by chapter outline, as well as information on illustrations and, if not the author’s own, copyright permissions. Says Marta McDowell, author of Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life: ‘By the time you’ve finished a proposal like that, you’re well on the way to having the book written. ‘
A blog can also help the pitch and proposal, says poet Sarah Salway, whose Writer in the Garden blog came from her Canterbury Laureateship in 2012. Cultured Llama has signed her for a book based on the blog, Digging Up Paradise: People, potatoes and poetry in the the Garden of England. It features write ups of garden visits and poetry they inspired.
It’s a strange turn of events: originally intended as a book, the blog came about as a means of managing her research. ‘It was really nice to be able to visit a garden and then publish something that afternoon and get immediate feedback, rather than file it away,’ Salway says. It also meant a basic first draft was already done and writing the book has involved editing existing material rather than starting from scratch. ‘Over the two years I’ve written it, the more I have learned, the more I can feed back into the writing of the book,’ she adds.
Like newspaper and magazine columns, successful blogs provide an important publicity tool for garden writers. However, writers also need to engage directly with their audience, says Helen Yemm. ‘I give lots of talks around the country at events and to gardening clubs because I need to see, know and hear the people I’m writing for.’ Not only does this mean Yemm knows what is fashionable in the shires, but she is able to sell books, essential when writers are competing against celebrities who take up the majority of shop space. ‘Last year I flogged myself to death motoring up to Gloucestershire or taking the train to Scotland,’ adds the Kent-based writer. As a warning that applies to gardening as well as writing, she says garden writing is not for the recluse: ‘You have to put your back into it if you want to do well, and you have to deliver on what you promise. That is essential.’
The Reading List
Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life by Marta McDowell (Timber Press, £15.07)
Delightful combination of biography, history and horticulture from the New Zealand author that frames the creator of Peter Rabbit and friends in the context of the garden that inspired her. The book draws heavily on Potter’s work and is heavily illustrated, which meant McDowell had to consider copyright and trademark issues and approach the Potter estate for permission to use this material.
Gardening in Pyjamas by Helen Yemm (Simon & Schuster, £12.99)
Yemm’s distinctive voice, full of warmth and humour, makes this guide for gardeners immensely enjoyable. She is also a refreshing antidote to all the books that assume all gardeners have country estates instead of a yard at the back of their townhouse. She also manages a dexterous maneuver: appealing to newcomers who feel overwhelmed and inadequate; and to garden obsessives unable to resist nipping out to do the weeding in their nighties.
The Cut Flower Patch by Louise Curley (Frances Lincoln, £20)
The popular blogger offers practical advice in s beautifully illustrated book for anyone who desires a little outdoor living indoors. Curley’s knowledge is wide ranging and deep: from what makes a good cut flower and soil types to tools and pruning for sustainable flower production. It also features tips on flower arranging. As well as handling the horticulture, Curley’s book is bang on trend in addressing issues of sustainability and garden size.
British Gardens in Time by Katie Campbell (Francis Lincoln, £20)
Tied into a four-part television series, Campbell taps into a number of British obsessions: nature, gardening and history. Exploring some of the country’s most iconic gardens, including Great Dixter and Nymans, the book is essentially a history of our obsession with the cultivated landscape. Campbell’s background is ideal: a journalist and novelist, she is also a specialist in garden history.
The Wildlife Gardener by Kate Bradbury (Kyle Books, £14.99)
Scares over bee and butterfly populations and a growing interest in sustainability have fuelled a massive upsurge in demand for books about wildlife gardening. This book is in two parts: the first half tells readers how to create garden habitats that include shelter, food and water; the second is a mini field guide that can be used for b parents trying to inspire children to become nature lovers.
