91Èȱ¬

Here are the different gardeners who are here to help our Suffolk gardens bloom!

Andrew Tokely

Andrew has been gardening since a lad, following in his father’s footsteps and started working at a local nursery and garden centre growing bedding plants, seed crops under glass as well as offering customers gardening advice 25 years ago.

Andrew joined Ipswich-based seed company Thompson & Morgan 14 years ago, where he is now Horticultural Manager.

Andrew loves gardening so much his hobby is growing and showing prize-winning vegetables, with a passion for leeks and onions.

As well as growing vegetables, Andrew grows over 3,500 bedding plants each year from a 12' x 8' and 8' x 6' greenhouse to fill his own garden with summer colour.

Karen Kenny

Karen Kenny

"I seem to have been talking about all sorts on 91Èȱ¬ Radio Suffolk for years - reviewing newspapers, talking gardening in the Potting Shed, as well as working with Lesley over the years on Garden Answers as a panel member.ÌýÌý

I’ve also been Chairman, judging Garden of the Year with Lesley Dophin, Rachel Sloane and Rob Dunger including taking the pictures and writing the articles for The East Anglian Magazine.Ìý Currently, of course, I’m on the panel of experts on the Gardening Programme with Lesley Dolphin on Saturdays.ÌýÌý

I also manage to fit in being a Granny, and I’m an ARI (Allotment Regeneration Initiative) mentor for all six of the Eastern Counties.Ìý I also do a bit of writing and a lot of talking on gardening matters to all sorts of groups.

Working with the gang at 91Èȱ¬ Radio Suffolk is great fun and since I love people and am not great at being serious, it’s perfect. Apart from that I thank God for hair dye and fully intend to continue to grow old disgracefully!"

Ric Staines

Ric Staines, H.N.D., Cert.Ed., has been a professional horticulturalist all his working life.Ìý This has included time at leading tree and shrub nurseries, his own holding and has spent a number of years passing on his skills, knowledge and enthusiasm to students of all ages. During this time he developed courses in Commercial Organic Production and Holistic Horticulture.

Most recently he worked as a consultant helping the 91Èȱ¬ set up local community-based gardening groups.Ìý He is currently running his own consultancy business – Gardening Solutions.

He has written a book on Market Gardening, a regular gardening column and since May 1990 has been a regular gardening expert on 91Èȱ¬ Radio Suffolk.Ìý He has appeared on Gardeners World with Chris Beardshaw, regional TV, 91Èȱ¬ Radio 4 and worked with Monty Don and Jo Swift.

He is President of Wenhaston Gardening Club and regularly gives talks to gardening clubs and other organisations.Ìý His other interests, when he is not working on his own 2-acre garden, include sailing and driving kit cars.

Graeme Proctor

Graeme’s passion for plants started at an early age.Ìý He had his own allotment and greenhouse at the tender age of seven years old.Ìý

Graeme Proctor

On leaving school he attended Hadlow, Merrist Wood and Capel Manor colleges before starting work with Redbridge Parks Department, where he learnt many tricks of the trade from real old professionals.Ìý Keen to combine his practical knowledge and design skills, he started a successful landscaping company which he ran until 1993 when, with his wife and sister in law, he took over what is now Crown Nursery in Ufford.Ìý

Graeme’s passion for plants is contagious.Ìý He's never happier than when sharing his knowledge with others.Ìý He's also a dedicated rugby supporter, loves good food, theatre, travel and music.

Matthew Tanton Brown

Matthew Tanton Brown trained at the RHS Gardens at Wisley, andÌýwent on to study both at Merrist Wood and Hadlow Colleges.Ìý Trained in Amenity and Commercial Horticulture his qualifications include the prestigious Wisley Certificate, National Diploma in Commercial Horticulture and RHS Diploma Part One of the Master of Horticulture.

Matthew Tanton Brown

Matthew’s working career has included working in intensive production nurseries growing pot plants and cut flowers, and running the Glasshouse Unit and Grounds at Otley College, where he also taught for several years, both Horticultural and Floristry students.

Currently Matthew is the manager at The Place for Plants, a specialist plantsman’s nursery at East Bergholt, Suffolk. He is married with two small children, and a new allotment to keep him busy.

Claire Horne

Claire started her gardening career as a school leaver with local nursery Notcutts. She was the first female to complete their three year apprenticeship scheme, having gained qualifications in commercial horticulture from both Otley and Hadlow colleges.

Claire Horne

Following a three year spell as a planteria assistant at Notcutts Garden centre in Woodbridge, she moved on to work for Wyevale Garden centre, the relative newcomers in the town.

After a brief spell at a small nursery specialising in unusual herbaceous plants, Claire joined Thompson & Morgan as their Quality Control Manager looking after the seed testing laboratory and trial grounds.

A chance opportunity to work for Gardening Which? then arose, first as a researcher and writer, then as Senior Horticultural Advisor. This latter post involved answering many thousands of letters and emails each year from readers who had gardening problems or required advice.Ìý

After seven years of commuting, Claire now works as a freelance writer and gardening consultant, training and advising people in their own gardens.ÌýShe also gives talks to gardening clubs and other organisations.