Interview with author Helen Babbs
Helen will read excerpts from her book in the Harvest Hangout and join conversations in Lindley Wood’s Foraging Forum. Helen’s first book was published this summer - My Garden, the City and Me: Rooftop Adventures in the Wilds of London. It’s the diary of a wide-eyed, novice rooftop gardener, and is about the glory of growing things and urban nature. Helen has a new window-box blog on The Guardian website and edits Wild London magazine. She also writes for the Ecologist, Time Out, BBC London and Kitchen Garden magazine.
Royal Horticultural Society: What sort of gardener are you?
Helen Babbs: I’m not an expert gardener – I’m self taught, experimental and still learning. There have been lots of deaths as well as successes! My favourite things to talk about are urban growing in odd places and urban ecology. I’m big fan of London and it’s wilder people and places.
RHS: Have you ever exhibited at an RHS Show?
Helen Babbs: It’s all new to me. I’m not exhibiting as such – I’m reading from my book at the show and inviting various people to perform in the Harvest Hangout space in Lindley Hall. There’s a lot to organise!
RHS: Can you give us a taster of what we can expect to see from you at the show?
Helen Babbs: I’ll be reading from my first book, which was published by Timber Press this summer, in the Harvest Hangout. The book’s called My Garden, the City and Me: Rooftop Adventures in the Wilds of London, and is the diary of a wide-eyed, novice rooftop gardener. It’s about the glory of growing things and urban nature. I’m going to try and sell some of my books (Editor's note: Helen will be signing copies sold at ther show), and will also be around and about on both days to chat to people.
RHS: What else will be happening?
Helen Babbs: I’ve been asked by the RHS to invite some other people to read and perform in the Harvest Hangout as well. I love organising spoken word and music events, so this is a joy. I’ve invited poets, writers and musicians who have an affinity with the autumn/harvest theme. We’ll be filling the area with words and song throughout the event.
RHS: How much planning goes into staging something like this?
Helen Babbs: I got involved quite late on and have been sending a flurry of emails every since.
RHS: What or who else are looking forward to seeing at the show?
Helen Babbs: I’m looking forward to goggling at enormous vegetables and exploring the indoor woodland. I’m also excited about mushrooms and apples. I imagine the halls are going to be a riot of colour and rich smelling.
RHS: Now’s a great time to be planting and harvesting - have you got any seasonal tips?
Helen Babbs: All my gardening is done in pots, up on a flat roof in a hectic bit of London. I like growing food and have just planted some winter crops, including Jalapeno peppers, winter lettuces, mustard leaves, land cress, spinach, spring onions, Mizuna 'Red Knight', endive and winter purslane. In the not too distant future, I’ll pop some supermarket-bought cloves of garlic in a deep pot and plant spring flowering bulbs like alium, daffodil and crocus. You can read more about my tiny rooftop garden at www.aerialediblegardening.co.uk