I’ve been around long enough now to realise that once in a lifetime someone very special and unique comes into our lives.
As a Scottish gardener, I feel very fortunate to have been here at the same time as one such of those persons in Jim McColl.
Although he had not been on our screens for a few years, due to the effect he had on us during the 41 years he led The Beechgrove Garden television programme, it was still very saddening to hear the news that he had passed away.
One of the things that made him so special was the effortless way he communicated with us the immense passion he had for gardening.
He may have been on the other side of a television screen.
But when he spoke to us, he somehow managed to make us feel as if we were having a conversation with him as our next door neighbour on the other side of the hedge.
Why did gardeners trust every word Jim McColl said?
As someone who attempts to carry on his good work, that’s no easy task and simply demonstrates the natural warmth of the man.
It was this quality that made us have so much affection for him but more importantly, trust every word that he said.
If Jim told us it was time to do a specific job in the garden then that’s exactly what we would do that very weekend.
What I loved about Jim was that he was a down to earth gardener, giving us the straight-forward and practical advice we needed to keep our gardens in check and in a language we understood.
None of your fancy chat or technical terms. Just the solid words that gave us the confidence to get out into our gardens and have a go ourselves.
And that also included showing us his failures in the garden too which the gardening public soon came to realise that us so called ‘professionals’ aren’t immune from either.
What impact did Jim McColl have on the gardening world?
Jim was wise and clearly recognised that by sharing these with the viewer would make us feel better and not be put off or give up with our own failures.
It should never be underestimated just what effect Jim McColl has had on the horticultural industry in our country.
He selflessly found the time to help and support all aspects of the horticultural colleges, our plant growers, community gardening groups, and he was patron of the therapeutic gardening charity Trellis Scotland.
He is up there with all my horticultural heroes like J.C. Loudon the Scottish landscape gardener who’s work shaping the grounds at Scone Palace in the early 1800s is still evident today.
David Douglas and indeed all Scottish plant hunters who risked their lives travelling the world in search of plants for medicine or construction and that fill our gardens.
Over 200 years later we still talk about and celebrate their work and I know in the future they will be doing exactly the same about Jim and his influence on Scottish gardening 200-years from now.
What was it like working with Jim McColl on Beechgrove Garden?
Personally, what a privilege I’ve had to work with Jim in his Beechgrove Garden.
No matter what happens in the rest of my career no-one can ever take away from me that I got to plant tatties with Jim McColl!
Not going to lie though, the first time I went up to the garden for a planning meeting I was absolutely terrified.
How on earth could I share a table in the bothy with Jim?
He’s forgotten more than I’ll ever know!
In the end I left that meeting feeling 10ft tall.
I’ll never forget the words of support and encouragement he gave me in private as we walked around the garden.
I hope I never let him down.
I loved those early days in my time with the Beechgrove Garden, also with Carole and George.
I felt like an apprentice again sitting listening to the three of them chatting about gardening, just taking it all in.
But especially Jim. That was a massive honour. I know I’m a lucky, lucky boy.
What is Jim McColl’s legacy?
He was also a regular writer of gardening advice only giving up the pen a few years ago.
His final sentence highlights just how much he was still at the top of his game and the undisputed leader of Scottish gardening.
He was more than aware of the current issues that will affect how we garden in the coming years.
It read:“Our biggest challenge in the coming years will be climate change with Mother Nature playing all sorts of tricks. I wish you all the best”.
Accurate and straight to the point again.
With extreme weather conditions of periods of drought then periods of wet, storm force winds with warmer winters and grey springs like we had this year, he once again was keeping us alert to the challenges ahead.
Forever grateful to Jim McColl
I wish Jim could’ve stayed around just a wee bit longer to help us adapt.
We must remember there’s no-one more important than his family just now who must be terribly upset.
We are grateful to you for sharing your husband and dad with us.
Finally, thanks to you Jim.
There’s not a gardener or garden in the country you’ve not had an influence on, doing so in a way that made us smile. We’ll always be grateful.
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