The garden is in an open sunny position surrounded by fields.

It is about an acre in total if you include a new orchard we have just planted and the chicken coop.

Its now in its third year and I probably send about 6 hours a week in it – its just outside my workshop. I garden with my friend Mark Pearce.

Oscar Neimeier and Roberto Burle Marx really got me into the aesthetics of gardening along with Piet Oudolf and Beth Chatto. Another great inspiration is my friend Jeremy Mc Burney. As for growing food, it was my dad and his allotment when I was a boy. I particularly remember him bringing home fresh coriander. Dad had a big garden with a greenhouse heated by an old paraffin heater. He’d spend hours in there fixing the glass – it’s a good memory.

Here, carrots, lettuces, onions and rocket grow really well but garlic isn’t too good – I haven’t figured that one out yet…

We keep chickens and rear young chicks. About 2 months ago we had 21 and now we are down to 13. We have eaten some and so have the foxes, one died through natural causes.

Weeding is a bit of a chore because of the size of the garden. I pull ‘em out, they grow back again so I pull ‘em out again. I won’t use any chemicals – never!

Summer is my favourite season because I can start eating the bloody stuff. I feel all the labour and time that has gone into it is worth it. That’s what spurs me on.  My favourite time of day is very early morning, especially in summer when its cooler and you can get stuff done. I also see more wildlife then. I love to watch the landscape, the way it just changes kind of creeps up on me – the colours, the foliage. I love every aspect of it.

The garden helps me to think, to meditate – its therapy.

My philosophy is to chuck it all in, mix it around and see what comes out.

I hope to have a harvest festival this year – if I get a good crop. Have some friends round and celebrate.

When plants get eaten or nibbled I think you have to take it on the chin – it comes with the territory.

My highest gardening moment so far is when my mum came down to see my garden. She walked straight into the plot and pulled out the biggest beetroot of the crop. She wouldn’t put it down and took it back to Nottingham with her!