In our From the Plot series, we catch up with real gardeners to explore their personal journeys. This month, Emily from @emilysgreendiary shares how a handful of free promotional supermarket seeds snowballed into a full-blown kitchen-garden obsession, and reveals the surprising crop she’s managed to harvest on British soil…
It all started with a free pack of veg seeds
Image courtesy of Emily Cupit
My gardening journey actually started during lockdown, completely by chance! I’d received some free seeds from a supermarket and, with not much else to do, decided to give growing my own vegetables a go. I had no idea how much I’d end up loving it, but I was quickly hooked.
What started with a few free packets of seeds has grown into a huge passion for growing my own food, experimenting with different varieties and sharing everything I’ve learnt along the way.
Growing organic vegetables is important to me
Image courtesy of Emily Cupit
I’d describe my gardening style as productive, natural and a little bit informal! I love growing a mixture of vegetables, fruits and flowers, creating a space that’s not only productive but also full of colour and wildlife.
Growing organically is really important to me. One of the things I love most about growing my own food is knowing exactly what’s gone into it, from the soil it’s grown in, to how it’s been cared for.
It’s actually one of the things that keeps me motivated during those particularly difficult growing seasons. Even when the weather is against me or the slugs seem to be eating more than I am, I remind myself why I started.
I’d like to become more self-sufficient
Images courtesy of Emily Cupit
My biggest inspiration has always been the idea of growing my own food and being a little more self-sufficient. I love knowing where my vegetables have come from and being able to walk outside and pick something fresh for dinner.
I’m also inspired by traditional kitchen gardens, where vegetables, herbs and flowers grow alongside one another. I love the idea of a growing space that’s just as beautiful as it is productive, with plenty of room for wildlife and pollinators.
For me, it’s never been about having a perfectly manicured garden. It’s about working with nature, experimenting, learning and enjoying the whole process, even when things don’t quite go to plan!
I can’t resist sweetcorn
Image courtesy of Emily Cupit
My absolute favourite thing to grow has to be sweetcorn. There’s something so satisfying about watching it grow from a tiny seed into these enormous plants, and harvesting your own cobs at the end of summer is such a lovely feeling. Plus, freshly picked sweetcorn tastes absolutely incredible.
I also really enjoy experimenting with crops that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to grow successfully in the UK. I love the challenge of trying something a little different and seeing what I can achieve with our unpredictable British weather!
I’m proud of what I’ve grown
Image courtesy of Emily Cupit
One of my proudest gardening achievements has to be successfully growing watermelons here in the UK! With our unpredictable weather, they’re definitely not the easiest crop to grow, so being able to harvest my own beautiful watermelons was such a proud moment.
I love pushing the boundaries of what I can grow and trying varieties that might seem a little ambitious for our climate. It’s those little successes that make all the hard work worthwhile.
I’m also really proud of the community I’ve built through Emily’s Green Diary. When I first started sharing my gardening journey, I never imagined that thousands of people would want to follow along. Being able to inspire other people, particularly younger generations, to give gardening a go is something I’m incredibly grateful for.
Always grow what you enjoy eating
Image courtesy of Emily Cupit
My biggest tip would be to grow what you actually enjoy eating.
It’s so easy to get carried away buying every packet of seeds you see, but I think you’re much more likely to enjoy gardening if you’re growing things you genuinely love.
And don’t worry about knowing everything before you start. I certainly didn’t! I started with a few free packets of seeds and absolutely no idea what I was doing. You’ll learn as you go, and honestly, some of the best lessons come from the things that don’t quite work out.
Every growing season is different, and even experienced gardeners are constantly learning. Just give it a go.
I’m excited to experiment with more unusual varieties
Image courtesy of Emily Cupit
I’m always looking ahead to the next growing season and thinking about what I can try next! I’d love to continue experimenting with more unusual fruit and vegetable varieties, particularly crops that aren’t typically associated with the British climate.
I’m also keen to keep improving my growing space, making it as productive and wildlife-friendly as possible, while continuing to explore more sustainable and organic gardening methods.
And of course, I’ll be sharing all the successes, failures and everything in between over on Emily’s Green Diary.
I’d love to encourage more people to start gardening
Image courtesy of Emily Cupit
I think one of the biggest misconceptions about gardening is that you need lots of experience, a huge garden or expensive equipment to get started.
My entire gardening journey started with a few free packets of supermarket seeds, which just goes to show that you really don’t need much to discover a love for growing.
I’d also love to encourage more young people to get involved in gardening. It’s such a rewarding hobby, and there’s something really special about being able to grow your own food, spend time outdoors and appreciate the seasons.
For me, gardening has become so much more than just growing vegetables. It’s a way to slow down, connect with nature and enjoy the little things. And there’s still nothing quite like eating something you’ve grown yourself!
Grow like Emily
Image: ‘Sweetcorn ‘Moonshine’ F1 – Seeds from Suttons
If you want to grow like Emily, here are just a few of her favourites:
Follow Emily at @emilysgreendiary for ideas and tips on growing colourful, edible crops. To discover more inspirational growers, explore our ‘From the Plot’ series.
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