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Victory dig: Harold Childs, pictured in the flat cap shows off his cabbages to members of the Kingsway Allotment Committee who were judging a Dig for Victory competition in 1941. The judge, with the trilby hat, second left, is thought to be Percy Thrower

Percy proudly tends his fuchsias at Quarry Lodge, in Shrewsbury

A young Percy Thrower, Britain’s best loved gardener, in Derby during the 1930s

Percy Thrower, Britain’s first celebrity gardener, is still remembered with great fondness by the people of Derby who directly benefited from his gardening skills, which were invested in the city’s many parks during the 1930s and 40s and the wartime Dig for victory Campaign. Lynne Sterling takes a look at his life.

Despite the challenges and changeability of our summer climate, the British interest in gardening continues to flourish.

Every week there are numerous magazines, radio and TV programmes dedicated to delivering the knowledge required for propagating wonderful arrays of flowers and tasty fruit and vegetables.

It now offers an enjoyable hobby to many but there was a time when encouraging the nation’s gardening skills was more urgent.

During the Second World War, food was in short supply and the talented horticulturists of the time, including Derby-based gardener Percy Thrower, took up the challenge of educating the nation as quickly as possible.

During “Dig For Victory Week” in April 1942, a meeting, addressed by Freddie Grisewald of the BBC, was held at the Derby Arboretum bandstand to develop a programme of events

On June 2, it was announced that free advice on tomato-growing and cultivation would be given at the Arboretum’s Reginald Street greenhouses by Percy Thrower, a Derby Corporation parks department tomato expert.

More than 500 tomato-growers turned up to learn from his advice.

In fact, Percy became very involved in the Derby Dig for Victory and Dig for Plenty campaigns, carrying out educational visits to many of the local parks and even Derby sewerage works.

His sound knowledge, friendly manner and down-to-earth advice led to him being held in great affection by many Derby people and, in time, by the country at large.

Percy was the forerunner of today’s green-fingered celebrities, such as Alan Titchmarsh and Monty Don, being the first to make gardening skills a marketable subject for the mass media.

Born and raised in Buckinghamshire, Percy learned his skills early from his father, whom he worked under at Horwood House, near Aylesbury, for the first four years after leaving school.

It is said this is also where he also picked up his love for a pipe of tobacco and a pint of beer.

At 18, he then became a journeyman gardener at the Royal gardens in Windsor Castle, spending a further valuable five years there under the head gardener, CH Cook, who was subsequently to become his father-in-law.

It was while he was in his 20s, just before the Second World War broke out, that Percy moved to Derby, taking up the post of assistant superintendent in the renowned Arboretum Park on Osmaston Road.

He remained in the city for several years before taking up a position as parks superintendent at Shrewsbury in 1946, the year in which his daughter was born.

He also began a successful radio and TV career in the mid-1950s, which led to him becoming a household name throughout the country.

Percy is still fondly remembered by many Derby folk – and not just for his gardening skills.

During the war, he became a special policeman and, on one occasion, saved the life of one of his colleagues, throwing him clear of an exploding bomb which landed in the Arboretum gardens.

The day proved to be doubly eventful for Percy, who later returned home to find his house on Ellesmere Avenue, Wilmorton, had also been damaged in the raid.

Luckily, both his wife and his Dresden China tea set – a wedding gift from Queen Mary, whose gardens he had tended as a youth – were still intact.

During his time in Derby, Percy also worked in Darley Park, Allestree Park and Markeaton Park, maintaining them all to extremely high standards.

He was known as a hard but fair task master. Gardening tools were regularly inspected and discussions were held at the end of every day on how the wonderful displays of flowers and produce could be improved.

Percy was a very fit man and his hobbies included shooting in the Peak District, rugby, cricket, football and swimming. He regularly attended the Turkish Baths on Reginald Street.

Throughout his life, however, he was passionately dedicated to the joys of gardening.

While living in Shrewsbury, Godfrey Baseley, the presenter of a BBC radio programme called Beyond the Back Door, spotted his enthusiasm and talents and he was offered a slot on the programme.

Percy then went on to present the BBC’s Gardeners’ World from 1969 until 1976, as well as becoming the gardener on the children’s TV programme Blue Peter from 1974 until 1987. He was the longest-serving Blue Peter gardener to date.

One of his best remembered achievements was establishing the beautiful Blue Peter garden at TV Centre, persuading numerous celebrities to give up a few hours every week to work in it.

At one stage, the garden was damaged by hooligans but Percy quickly and quietly organised putting the site back to rights, keen to prevent any young viewers being upset by the vandalism.

Percy’s contribution to inspiring a new generation of young gardeners, among them Alan Titchmarsh, was rewarded with an MBE.

He received it in 1984, just four years before his death in March 1988, at the age of 75.

County:  Derbyshire

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