‘When I’m not in the garden, I pull buses and lift rocks’

TV producer, director, podcaster and Instagram sensation Martha Swales on her ambition to get everyone growing something

- Martha Swales

What’s your book about?

It’s my friendly beginner’s guide to gardening that is all about giving people the confidence to start their gardening journey. If you’ve never tried gardening before, you can pick it up and hopefully feel inspired and excited to begin, rather than fearful. And if you’ve gardened before, it’s still full of new ideas and projects try your hand at, whatever outdoor space you have.

What one piece of advice from it would you like to share? That becoming or being a gardener is just about starting. You don’t need to have loads of space, loads of kit or loads of knowledge already. Starting is by far the most important thing, because if you don’t plant it, it won’t grow.

What first sparked your interest in gardening? One of my favourite places is Kew Gardens, and about 13 years ago I found myself in the shop there after a visit. There was a whole wall of seeds, full of amazing food that I could grow, so I bought some packets and took them home. I love to learn by doing, so once I began, I was completely obsessed and I have been ever since.