Welcome to the website of Chris Collins and many thanks for your visit.
Find out what Chris is up to, what he's been up to and what he's going to be up to in the future!
Follow Chris on twitter @cmcollins_hortFollow Chris on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cmcollinshorticulture
Follow Chris at www.myseedlets.com
Or at http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/chris-collins/4a/167/523/
Or View VT's at http://www.youtube.com/feed/?feature=guide
It began in the summer of 1984, when Chris became an apprentice gardener with Brighton parks department, followed five years later by entry to the Royal Botanical gardens in Edinburgh. This initial eight years training provided him with the superb practical and scientific background that the immensely complex subject of horticulture requires.
Following this the adventures really did begin, as West Africa and Cameroon were next up, as Chris worked as an intern at the Limbe Botanic Garden, reconstructing these historical gardens (the oldest in Africa) and also carrying out rainforest inventory work on Mount Cameroon. Within weeks of returning from Africa in 1994 a chance to work in Japan materialised and for the next four years, Chris worked in both a practical and consultancy capacity, importing British horticultural goods, teaching British gardening methods and designing and building gardens. This was all based in the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo.
After more than five years abroad Chris decided to return to the UK where a period at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew came next, working in the South Aboretum department before moving on to be Head Gardener at Westminster Abbey, a unique job which Chris describes as ‘a unique experience’.
In 2002 Chris entered the world of television and media and secured his own television series on BBC 2 , called 'The Plantsman', since then he has appeared on a variety of TV programmes including The Chelsea Flower show , Hampton Court Flower show, Gardeners’ World, This Morning, Castle in the Country, Garden Invaders, BBC Breakfast, Digging for Victory, GMTV, ITV's ‘a garden for London’, Garden Rivals, Secret Gardens, Hard Sell, Garden Challenge, Turf Wars and even armed forces television, filming in Bosnia and Germany. More recently Chris presented his own BBC 4 documentary 'Wonder of Weeds' and also appeared as one of the judges on 'Young Gardener of the Year' and had a cameo on DIY SOS for Children in Need.
Since 2004 until the current day he has been the resident Blue Peter gardener working both on screen and with the presenters and keeping an eye on one of the country’s favourite garden. A part of which he re-located to Media City in Manchester due to the BBC relocation of its children's department.
He has also runs his own Design and soft landscape company 'CM Collins Horticulture' since October 2003.
In 2007 Chris was awarded the Duke of Edinburgh medal for his services to horticulture, he was also part of the team that won a silver medal at Chelsea in 2010 with 'the garden that kids really want'. This website sets out to involve you in all his work and to reflect on adventures of times gone by.
CONTACT US:
Chris Collins (CM Collins Horticulture) provides a variety of services , we provide specialist landscape services which concentrate on soft landscaping and planting schemes , for more info check out the horticultural services page .
As well as this Chris provides a school and community gardening visiting and lecture service , also after dinner speaking and of course services as a journalist , including writing , television broadcasting and radio. For more information on these services contact either of the these email addresses
showreel
