Interview with Andy Sturgeon

Andy's gardening experiences

Find out how the designer of our garden got into gardening and what his top gardening tips are.

How many times, and when, have you exhibited at Chelsea Flower Show?

Four times. I won Silver gilt in 2001 and I won gold in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

How did you get into horticulture?

I fell into horticulture when I left school thanks to a passion for being outdoors, nature and creativity. I now spend most of my time sitting at a desk. Where did it all go wrong?!

What does Chelsea Flower Show mean to you?

Chelsea was a dream as soon as I first visited. I was 18 and my brother was working on a garden there with his college, Merrist Wood. I still can't believe I’ve become part of the whole circus – it's a fantastic privilege to be there.

What is your top environmentally responsible gardening tip?

Use drought-tolerant planting rather than irrigation.

What do you think will be the 'next big thing' in gardening?

It sounds boring but rain water recycling tanks are at the top of client wish lists.

What is the 'must-have' plant for 2008?

The must-have plant was Euphorbia last year and the year before and always will be as far as I'm concerned.

How you are preparing for Chelsea Flower Show?

By lying awake at night worrying about every little detail.

What will be your biggest challenge in creating the Cancer Research UK garden at this year's Chelsea Flower Show?

The water features are a bit of a gamble and installing 30 extremely fragile tree ferns is madness! Getting the whole thing finished is always the biggest challenge though.

Come and visit our garden

Find out more about the design and the plants in our garden this year.