Digging Deeper: The Top New Gardening Pioneers

Although seasoned garden connoisseurs might prefer to stick to their time-honoured source of gardening wisdom, whether from books or television, it’s undeniable that the internet age is changing the landscape, giving rise to a new crop of gardening pioneers. Many of these are now already established on the mainstream gardening scene and have graduated to television and publishing success, but others have carved out their own brands and online presence through YouTube and social media.

In many cases, these names appeal to a younger generation of gardeners – especially ones who perhaps feel out of touch with gardening culture, but sense a strong pull to get their hands dirty and start growing their own produce or connect more with nature. With their more informal and often experimental approach, these new gardening influencers have been successful in encouraging the next generation to dig in, also buoyed by the increased amount of time people have spent at home during the pandemic. Whether creating an herb garden on a windowsill, transforming their own backyard or renting an allotment, more people than ever seem to be busy planting and growing.

We highlight six of the best new gardening pioneers below, with each appealing to a different audience, growing conditions or gardening ethos.

Organic Gardening with Lovely Greens

The rapidly growing Lovely Greens channel is the creation of organic gardener Tanya Anderson based on the Isle of Man. Her sympathetic weekly videos show the progress of her own home garden as well as her allotment. Anyone looking for practical gardening tips on a budget while prioritising the environment will find an endless source of inspiration here, with regular DIY and craft projects worked into her content. If you enjoy Anderson’s videos, then look out for her recently published book, A Woman’s Garden.

Living the Allotment Life with Jessie at Plot 37

Any small-scale gardeners trying to get the most out of a miniature veggie patch or a humble allotment will find endless inspiration here. Launched in April 2020 at the start of the Covid-19 lockdown, the engaging channel host Jessie brings her audience along with her thanks to her natural, down-to-earth (pun intended!) style – complete with planting experiments and the various trials, triumphs and tribulations of allotment life. The charm of the Plot 37 videos, aside from Jessie’s relentless enthusiasm, comes from the cast of supporting characters, ranging from her mother (an equally enthusiastic gardener) through to occasional appearances from her sister and hens. True aficionados of the channel will also appreciate its potential as a drinking game, raising a glass whenever Jessie or her mother pours a tipple to celebrate their growing achievements.

Interpreting the Trends with Huw Richards

No longer an insider secret, Huw Richards has emerged over recent years as a bonafide gardening phenomenon with the growth of his YouTube channel, bestselling books and numerous TV appearances. This has earned the young Welshman endless plaudits – even being named as “the future of gardening” by The Guardian. Richards still seems grounded nonetheless, and his gentle manner and common-sense gardening wisdom should see his popularity continue to grow. His true gift, however, is his seemingly innate ability to interpret gardening trends for a mass audience, whether growing on a budget, creating raised beds, incorporating the principles of permaculture, experimenting with ‘no-dig’ techniques or explaining how people can support sustainability and soil regeneration.

Holistic Farming with Pete Kanaris Green DreamsTV

Pete Kanaris has built an influential online presence around his belief in planting with a purpose. Based in Florida, his videos explore the methods and strategies required to escape the tyranny of the suburban lawn and instead to grow food free from toxins, while restoring soil health and local ecosystems. As well as focusing on his own holistic farm, Kanaris regularly highlights other locations across Florida and beyond. His videos underline his status as a visionary while inspiring viewers with his infectious enthusiasm that leaves followers waiting for the next instalment – while wishing they had a neighbour like him to help them out with their own garden plans.

Community Building with Flock Finger Lakes

Flock Finger Lakes is the result of a group of friends working to establish a new community in upstate New York focused on homesteading, gardening, wildlife conservation and more. One of those friends is Summer Rayne Oakes, who has already generated attention over recent years as a plant and gardening influencer. Rayne Oakes is at the fore of the Flock Finger Lakes video content as they gradually develop their community, while also making numerous field trips to learn and take inspiration from a myriad of other lauded projects.

Growing Independence with Self Sufficient Me

For anyone who wants to up their veggie game in order to grow a greater amount of the produce they consume, then Self Sufficient Me is a must-watch. Founded by Australian Mark Valencia, the channel features regular updates from his suburban garden in Bellmere, to the north of Brisbane in Queensland. Despite the name of the channel, Valencia does not avow total self-sufficiency as a goal, instead encouraging viewers to simply acquire the skills and know-how to plant and grow more of the food they eat. With a relentless ‘can-do’ attitude and an easy Aussie charm, he inspires people to take the first steps towards growing and gardening as a lifestyle – one that will nourish not just their diet, but equally their mind, body and soul. Despite Valencia’s relaxed good humour and willingness to laugh at his not-always-successful gardening experiments, this is a channel with depth and heart.