Through a staff member, Plant Heritage Surrey Group was lucky enough to receive money from the charity arm of The Times to train 10 of our members on propagation courses with nurserywoman, author, botanist and lecturer Marina Christopher of Phoenix Plants .

On arrival coffee and delicious apple and walnut cake courtesy of Jo, Marina’s assistant.

Marina introduced herself as a scientist rather than a horticulturalist, so her modus operandi is to ‘Look, Observe and Experiment’, rather than do what she was taught at college.  From the many different ways of doing things she finds out what works and sticks with it resulting in some interesting concepts.

But the heart of the nursery is the grit Marina uses in her composts.  1-3mm grit is used in different proportions for different purposes.  Around each piece of grit is a surface layer of moisture, so the medium is well drained and…