Christine's Garden Episode 5

Christine's Garden Episode 5

In this episode of Christine's Garden we meet Christine Walkden  at her home in Harlow Essex, who introduces us to the programme by saying "I love gardening - I do not like it - I eat it, sleep it, drink it, dream it".

Christine has been a gardener for over 35 years and her life is fantastic and she never wants to do anything but gardening and horticulture.

She says she lucky to earn a living doing this.

Rekha Mistry

 Rekha Mistry

Rekha Mistry is a Gardener, Blogger, Writer and a presenter on Gardeners' World.

Rekha who grew up in Zambia where she enjoyed helping out in the garden and growing produce with her Mother.

The family moved to the UK when she was 19 years old.


Rekha decided on a new path from running a bathroom Showroom for her business to going back to study horticulture with The Royal Horticultural Society gaining an RHS Diploma in Horticulture .


From little acorns

Rekha first TV programme as a budding gardener was on the second series of The Big Allotment Challenge in 2015 which was shown on BBC2.

The Big Allotment Challenge

She joined 8 other contestants and unfortunately was the 4th Gardener to be eliminated with Rob Smith a Cabin Crew Member from Sheffield winning the show.


Rekha Mistry who had previously appeared on Gardeners' World made her debut on Gardeners' World 2022 as a Presenter on 18 March 2022 from her allotment.

Her large plot is like a supermarket for vegetables she loves to grow to cook, and they are all grown organically.


Rekha is a writer for a abundance of magazines including Gardeners' World Magazine, Grow Your Own and Kitchen Garden Magazine.

Rekha Mistry won the Garden Media Guild Award in 2023 for Individual Social Media Influencer of the Year.

Rekha Mistry moved in 2023 from Harrow and her beloved allotment plot. Rekha plus husband and their 3 children have moved to start a new life in the Peak District.


Rekha Mistry Television Programme

2015 
The Big Allotment Challenge


2022 - Present
Gardeners' World





Rekha Mistry Book

2023
Rekha's Kitchen Garden: Seasonal Produce and Home-Grown Wisdom from One Gardener's Allotment Year


All photographs are copyright of BBC.com


Gardeners' World 2022

Gardeners' World 2022

Monty Don is back for the first programme of Gardeners' World for the 2022 growing season on Friday 11 March 2022.

Monty welcomes us to Gardeners' World 2022 and the new season by planting a tree for the Queens Jubilee as part of the The Queen's Green Canopy.

This year they have kept with the same format of Monty in his garden, presenters visiting other gardens and collections, viewers videos, Jobs for the weekend and Monty's dogs taking centre stage.

A new presenter for 2022 is Rekha Mistry who grew up in Zambia is an Allotmenteer from Harrow, London who grows to cook and her plot is like a supermarket for food she enjoys.

Grow Your Own Drugs Series 1 Fruit

Grow Your Own Drugs Series 1 Fruit

James Wong introduces himself as a Scientist and Gardener and In Grow Your Own Drugs he wants to make us all think differently about plants and the natural remedies that he makes from them.

The Ethnobotanist trained at Kew Gardens and is no flower power hippie but after studying the use of plants he wants to share his recipes to help treat minor ailments, cheaply at home with what is growing in your back garden.

Traditional recipes and beauty treatments for coughs, colds and acne are growing around us and can be used to take control of our own health treatments.

James is not against conventional medicine but its empowering, as well as fun, but not too geeky to make your own remedies! 


Grow Your Own Drugs

Grow Your Own Drugs

Grow Your Own Drugs was first shown on the BBC 02 March 2009. The programme was then shown again when it moved to a more popular BBC1 slot.

The programme presenter is Ethnobotanist, Scientist and Gardener James Wong and ran for 2 Series along with a Christmas Special.

James was just 27 years old when he presented this very popular show which saw him growing, foraging and buying natural ingredients to make his own remedies for everyday ailments.

James Wong

James Wong

James Wong the Ethnobotanist, Scientist and Gardener was born in London on 26 May 1981, his father is from Malaya and his Mother is from Wales.

He was brought up in Singapore, Malaysia, Borneo and other parts of South East Asia where his Grandmother taught him about traditional medicines.