Guerrilla Gardener Karen Liebreich’s Practical Advice For Aspiring Horticulturists
Contributions From KAREN LIEBREICH MBE
Karen Liebreich is a Gardener, Historian and Author whose works include ‘The Family Kitchen Garden’. She is the Director of Abundance London, a voluntary project aiming to reconnect people with nature - and also runs the Chiswick Flower Market. Karen was awarded an MBE in 2013 for services to horticulture and education.
Karen Liebreich is the Director of the voluntary project Abundance London and Co-Founder of the Chiswick Flower Market – work for which she was awarded an MBE for services to Horticulture in 2013.
Her book, ‘The Family Kitchen Garden’, was highly commended following its release in 2009, offering actionable inspiration for edible plants to feed the whole family.
I spoke to Karen about these projects and how her love for horticulture began.
Please note that the imagery shown in this article is provided courtesy of Anna Kunst.
Where Did Your Passion For Horticulture Come From?
“When we were children, there was a semi-wild public garden on the corner of our road where we used to play,” explains Karen. “One day, the neighbour moved his fence forward and claimed it as part of his own garden.
“My father removed the fence and then my brother and I began to look after the area. We planted spare plants and looked after the garden.
“Fifteen years ago, when the 17th-century walled gardens at Chiswick House were going to be developed into a retail outlet, we formed a local group to save them.
“Before I really knew it, I was running a 2-acre kitchen garden, welcoming hundreds of school children and other volunteers. The experience pushed my interest in gardening to an obsessional level!”
How Has Gardening Changed Your Outlook On Life?
“For me, gardening is about trying to create beauty and space for nature,” she says.
“If there’s a day when I can’t get outdoors I feel wrong. Gardening for me is all about small acts of defiant beauty.”
What Led You To A Career In Horticulture?
“I’m not sure you can call it a career, since nearly everything I do in horticulture is unpaid!
“In my ‘real life’ I have a PhD in history, I’ve written several non-fiction books (only one of which, so far, is on gardening), I’ve made TV films and I’ve created and sold a publishing company.
“The career in horticulture has been driven by seeing pockets of degradation and litter that should, by right, be small gardens of biodiversity and flowers.”
Can You Tell Us More About Abundance London?
“Abundance London is a small organisation with charitable aims that started off harvesting gluts of fruit in west London,” Karen shares.
“From there, we began to create school orchards and vegetable gardens, then we began guerrilla gardening and creating community art projects which partner beautifully with gardening.
“We now look after 15 pocket gardens and advise other would-be guerrilla gardeners.
“Three years ago, with a team of other local residents, we set up the Chiswick Flower Market, a very successful monthly Sunday market that attracts thousands of people to the best of horticulture, with a special focus on sustainability and locally-grown flowers.”
Do You Have Any Memorable Moments From Your Work In The Horticultural Industry?
“When I now look at the beautiful and productive Kitchen Gardens at Chiswick House (for which I received an MBE), I am very proud we managed to save it,” she says. “Not many environmental battles end in such a satisfying victory!
“More recently, a couple of us created a wild garden on a few cracked tarmac corners that used to be a dumping ground for old washing machines and mattresses. Now it’s a lush beautiful garden humming with insects; we only weed it twice a year and it is stunning.
“The day we held the first Chiswick Flower Market, just at the end of the lockdown, and thousands of people came and queued down the road was also memorable. Everyone had a fantastic day.
“The traders made the most money they had ever made, the visitors went home laden with plants and we went to the pub to watch ourselves on the ten o’clock TV news!”
What Are You Currently Working On?
“I’m working on a book to inspire others to start greening their environment and start planting into the cracks.
We also have a project to ‘green’ the car park where we hold the flower market which will involve planting rain gardens and trees – and installing benches so our high road can become beautiful, green and prosperous.”
Do You Have Any Advice For Aspiring Horticulturists?
“You are unlikely to make a fortune, but at least you will know why you are bothering,” says Karen.
“Creating beauty while providing spaces for biodiversity and nature is what we should all be doing.”
