I’ve been Chairman of Bath in Bloom for the last four years and have been on the committee for 12. I entered my garden in the local Bath in Bloom competition for a couple of years and in 2012 was invited to the awards ceremony. I asked Christine (who I had just met at our local gardening club) along as my guest. This was our first date, so I hoped it would go well.
At the ceremony, I won Gold for my garden (a good start), and then later that evening, to my complete surprise, I was named Overall Bath in Bloom Champion for 2012 and was presented with a very large trophy. Christine and I had decided to go for dinner afterwards, but, not expecting to win a trophy, I had nothing to carry it in, so walked through the streets of Bath carrying it openly, as if it was quite normal! It also looked a little strange sitting on the restaurant table and got a few odd glances from the other diners. It was a good talking point, nevertheless. I hoped Christine was impressed. Three years later we were married, and this year celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary.
Following this success, I was invited to join the Bath in Bloom committee and Christine and I were also asked to join the committee of our gardening club. This is when my horticultural volunteering work began. Christine had been doing some for several years at a local church and care home. A few years ago, Christine also became a Bath in Bloom committee member.
Christine is an excellent plantswoman and is good at propagation, planting, and enjoys weeding, whereas I hate weeding, but enjoy planting, design, and the ‘bigger’ jobs.
