A passionate gardener, best-selling author and talented florist, we recently caught up with influencer Arthur Parkinson, to talk all things horticulture.
Revealing his favourite garden blooms and giving us an insight into his very own Cotswold garden, in this exclusive interview Arthur shares a series of his best tips and tricks for a flourishing and idyllic garden. An Instagram sensation, Arthur has become a renowned ‘henfluencer’, sharing content of his happy hens alongside glorious blooms and snippets from within the garden. Sharing where he first developed his passion for nature, love for chickens and more, join us as we sit down and catch up with Arthur Parkinson for 11 quick fire questions.
1. As an avid and talented gardener, where did you first develop your passion for horticulture?
Me and my brother were lucky enough to have our mum Jill who would walk us to school up the dirt tracks of local allotments and we would spend the weekends walking everywhere as my mum didn’t drive that didn’t stop us, as a little trio we went all over the place on the bus and train visiting lots of lovely places. We were allowed to have a goldfish bowl full of tadpoles in the spring on our bedroom windowsill. I think it was equally a young connection and a love of nature that formed my later passion for gardens, they go hand in hand after all and we shouldn’t forget that. Beatrix Potter books were a firm favourite too, I think her beautiful watercolours had a big influence on me.
We also had our dads mum Min, who was an especially avid gardener and took her vegetable beds very seriously. A visit to nan would usually involve a gardening job. I especially remember each spring when we would visit a stable yard and bring back the manure and all the worms wiggling about in it.
2. Late summer is a busy time of year in the garden. What garden tasks are currently on your horticultural to-do list?
I try and let the garden really billow now and not cut back anything if I can help it! This is easier said than done though as some areas of the garden need to be prepared for spring displays. It’s all about loving this last wonderful exotic party of Dahlias and seed heads, I love the chaos of autumn and the how the colours merge and look so beautiful in the sunlight, the air is like crystal. I get depressed much more in March actually than this time of year, I really love autumn when it’s sunny.
I have lovely neighbours who let me borrow their greenhouse which is a godsend. I’ve just sown a batch of sweet peas ‘Matucana’ so that they’ll get to be nice strong plants before it gets cold and the light levels dip. I’ll be harvesting seeds of cosmos and planting the Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’ before the ground gets too cold. I’m eager to establish more of this wonderful perennial this autumn for a big show of them in the garden from next May onwards.
3. For our beginner gardeners, do you have any nifty tips and tricks that you think are important to know when you are first venturing into gardening?
Plant climbers first in a new garden, think of this investment like you are wallpapering the bare walls of a room, dress all your fences! And I would say really figure out what colours you like and want, make mood boards, visit actual gardens as much as you can and don’t be intimidated by large gardens if yours is small and don’t be downhearted about a small garden either they can be like living jewellery boxes. Sit in a new garden work out where the sun comes in and what parts of properly warm and bathed in it, nurture the soil you can’t really mulch flower beds too much with organic manure and leaf mould, most things roses, dahlias perennials can’t get too much of its natural goodness.
4. We recently attended your insightful dahlia workshop at Worton Kitchen Garden. Alongside dahlias, what are your top garden blooms?
I love the scent of roses but I think to pick roses you really have to have a large garden because they aren’t really cut and come again, they take a few weeks to then grow a new flower and I don’t enjoy working with the thorny varieties. Cosmos are wonderful and thrive on being cut like Dahlias but they have a better vase life than dahlias do, I like Rubenza with a complexion of claret wine, the most. I love foliage panicum frosted explosion grass, amaranthus and hydrangeas too. Narcissus and honey suckle in the spring.
5. If you could only keep 5 varieties of dahlias, what would they be?
Totally Tangerine for pots and the bumblebees bees particularly like this one, it
flowers earlier than most, usually from the end of June with gusto. Tartan for impact and scale as a cut flower such a dramatic tart of a flower. Happy Single Date, a very tall single flowering bishop dahlia. Soulman, a pollen packed curious and beautiful mulberry sea urchin especially beautiful when it is showing it’s bright yellow pollen laden anthers. It has nice foliage too. Blue bayou, of magical purple that is very mystical when the sun hits it, the butterflies especially are drawn to this one.
6. What do you love most about gardening? Is there a particular time of year or season that you enjoy the most?
I love the miracle of giving life of nurturing, it’s what humans are supposed to be naturally doing we should all be gardeners and farmers really, the fact we aren’t is why the world is dying.
7. As a best-selling author, what was your favourite book to write and why?
I think looking back I am proud of my first book ‘The Pottery Gardener’ because I was so determined to get a book published. I had no agent, it was before this odd time of publishers often approaching people who have a bit of a following to do a book. I remember walking into this room having to pitch myself and the book. My books take time, I do my own photos this makes the want of them being beautiful very stressful, it takes a lot of passion and stress!
8. The Cotswolds are beautiful and living there must be a dream. Could you give us an insight into your own garden?
It’s becoming something, it’s taken a few years to find itself. We have figs now and clematis that help it feel established. A neighbours Holly tree is a haven for birds and we have a table always covered in pots where a bird bath sits that the garden birds use as a spa. We have a washing line that is in a lot of service all gardens need a washing line!
9. Living in The Cotswolds there must be so many fascinating places to visit. What are some of your favourite spots, shops and hidden gems? (these could be anything from favourite open gardens, restaurants, delis or anything/anywhere that you love).
I’m often straight on a train back to my roots that are the Midlands when I have free time. I love Derbyshire, my childhood haunt that is Chatsworth and the farmyard there.
10. You have an extremely large following on Instagram and have even been celebrated as a ‘henfluencer’. Where did your love for chickens come from and how many do you currently own?
Lifelong. I love the comfort I get from them, I like cleaning them out, making them happy, the eggs are incredible. I have about 30 hens at the time of writing. Gentle and bouffanted Buff Cochins, Burford Browns who’s eggs are divine and Cream Legbars who lay blue eggs, along with a few bantams who make very good broody hens.
11. If you could getaway anywhere in the world, where would you go and what would you do?
I don’t really need a getaway, I’d like more time to spend with my ‘Grandmar’ Sheila. A trip to the Scilly Isles would be nice, the beaches look fabulous!
With thanks to Arthur for his time and for providing all images.
Head over to his Instagram page, arthurparkinson_ to see more of his latest posts and reels.
