Digging The Dirt
Digging the Dirt: Diarmuid Gavin

Digging the Dirt: Diarmuid Gavin

These days, not only is he a much-admired garden designer but Dublin boy Diarmuid Gavin has fast become one of television's favourite personalities, not least after his scene-stealing performances on Strictly Come Dancing. We recently grabbed the star of Home Front In The Garden and Art Of The Garden at the launch of UKTV Gardens to put our 10 Digging the Dirt questions to him.

UKTV Gardens: What's your favourite style of garden / garden design?
Diarmuid: "Fifties Californian garden design is my favourite. Small spaces, great use of plant and hard landscaping materials, lovely proportions and a good understanding of outdoor living. People like Thomas Church."

UKTV Gardens: What is the coolest plant in the world? And why?
Diarmuid: "The oak tree. It's stately, very old, native and seasonal - it goes through so many brilliant changes in a year."

UKTV Gardens: What has been your biggest gardening cock-up?
Diarmuid: "There are probably loads. What really springs to mind is just going through a mad period of too much gravel and pebble-spreading in the Eighties."

UKTV Gardens: Is the changeable British weather a gardener's friend or foe?
Diarmuid: "Absolute friend. It allows you to plant a fantastically diverse range of plants."

UKTV Gardens: Who is your gardening hero? And why?
Diarmuid: "I suppose Roberto Burle Marx - a Brazilian garden designer/artist/plantsman. He used the native plants of Brazil in a very graphic and dramatic way."

UKTV Gardens: John Steinbeck once said: "There is nothing pleasanter than spading when the ground is soft and damp." Would you agree?
Diarmuid: "Well digging is my favourite thing so I wouldn't disagree. I don't like it too damp or wet though."

UKTV Gardens: What would you be doing if you weren't doing this for a living?
Diarmuid: "I'd be a chef. Or a potter."

UKTV Gardens: Which famous people's gardens have you worked in?
Diarmuid: "We're actually doing Lawrence Dallaglio's at the moment but we've been out to see Jodie Kidd and Sophie Ellis Bextor recently."

UKTV Gardens: Alan Titchmarsh once joked his obituary would read "The Man Who Planked Britain". What will yours read?
Diarmuid: "Good at laying tarmac."

UKTV Gardens: Is decking chav?
Diarmuid: "Not really, like every material, it's a good practical option for certain parts of the garden. Interesting idea, though - Burberry decking! I'm sure it would sell very well in Chingford."
 
 
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