Gardening heroine - Anna Pavord

One of our foremost gardening writers, Anna Pavord is extremely well respected for her horticultural knowledge and articulate, engaging writing style.

Born in 1940 in Abergavenny, both Anna’s headmaster father and teacher mother were excellent gardeners.  She grew up going on long family walks and picnics in the countryside and as she got older, roaming freely in the hills and mountains.  So it comes as no surprise that after doing an English degree and a stint in TV, Anna made her way back to the countryside she loves.  She married Trevor Ware in 1966 and the couple bought a rambling Victorian house ‘The Rectory,’ in rural west Dorset.  It had one and a half acres of land which they developed into a beautiful garden whilst bringing up their three children.  She has since created a second beautiful garden at her home Sunnyside Farm, also in Dorset

Gardening writing was Anna’s way of funding work on the house and garden.  It in turn provided trial beds and inspiration for her much-loved column for the Independent, which lasted for 30 years.  Nowadays you can find Anna’s wonderful words in national newspapers and magazines such as Gardens Illustrated, of which she is an Associate Editor.  Anna is also the author of highly praised gardening books including the best-selling The Tulip (1999) – which has been recently re-issued and is as interesting culturally as it is horticulturally.  Recently Anna was awarded the 2020 Garden Media Guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award.  Very well deserved.