Eco celeb style – Kim Wilde

After a successful pop career in the 80s Kim Wilde traded the music charts for the peace of a 16th century renovated barn in the Hertfordshire countryside. Gardening gave her a new direction in life. Having grown up in the countryside Kim Wilde was keen for her children to develop the same connection with nature. A garden would also help them growing organic fruit and vegetables so that they know where their food comes from. A gardening career has been going from strength to strength. She presented ‘Better Gardens’ on ITV in 99, appeared on BBC’s Garden Invaders as a designer, co-presented Chelsea Flower Show in 2001 and has been a gardening writer for Prima, the Guardian and Bella magazine. She won a gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show 2005 for her ‘Cumbrian Fellside Garden.’ She published ‘Gardening with Children’ in April 2005 where she offers numerous ideas on how to get (and keep) children interested in the outdoors while making gardens fun and safe. It includes creative ways to plant, such as rainbow and sensory gardens, to making scarecrows, wormeries and tile mosaics. For families with a small garden, or none at all, windowboxes and other activities are suggested. Indoor projects for rainy days are also included, as well as a plant directory identifying good plants for children, chosen for their speedy growth, smell, cost-effectiveness, ease of handling and other child-friendly characteristics. The book is available from most bookshops and her music fans will be glad to know that Kim Wilde has put her green fingers to work on a new album “Never say Never” due out in a few weeks.