We're excited to announce our partnership with renowned UK and to answer all your gardening questions each month in our "Ask Chris" segment of our blog. 

Chris Collins began life as a gardener with a traditional style apprentice on Brighton Parks back in the mid-eighties. Going on to do his degree at the Royal Botanic garden, Edinburgh. Time working abroad both in Cameroon, at the Limbe Botanic garden and a five year stint in Japan, were followed by a period at Kew Botanic garden and then three years as head gardener at Westminster Abbey. 

Chris’s television career began with the BBC 2 series the Plantsman. Which was followed on my regular appearances on This Morning, BBC breakfast and UK style television. Series included Garden Rivals and Digging for Victory.

However, the main bulk of his work in the last nine years has been as the Blue Peter gardener which has led him to work closely with schools and children. He has been active in the Royal Horticultural Society’s Campaign for school gardening and the Horticultural Trades Association Plant for life campaign, as well as working with charities such as School Food Matters and Trees for Cities. Chris was awarded the Prince Phillip City and guild medal for contribution to Horticulture in 2008. He has recently been appointed as ambassador for National children’s gardening week.

In recent years Chris presented the science documentary on BBC4 ‘The wonder of Weeds’ and BBC 3’s young gardener of the year. He is a regular on Radio 5’s Phil Williams show and works with Garden Organic as the head of Horticulture.

Head over to http://www.chriscollins.org.uk/ for more information on Chris!