Millie is currently a garden designer at Tom Stuart-Smith Studio and also head gardener of the Plant Library at the Serge Hill Project in Hertfordshire
PORTRAIT ANDREW MONTGOMERY
Earliest gardening memory Harvesting fresh Charlotte new potatoes with my sister in my grandmother’s coastal garden in Scotland.
First plant love Laburnum anagyroides. We had one outside our kitchen window growing up. I always remember the warm yellow flowers appearing in late spring. And Ornithogalum nutans, which grew in wild abundance in the long grass.
Favourite ‘weed’ The ribwort plantain, Plantago lanceolata.
Inspiring mentorsI would say a mix of painters and gardeners. Painters for how they observe and feel nature. Pierre Bonnard in particular. And Tom Stuart-Smith for his depth of understanding of plants and landscape, and how he harnesses that knowledge and experience in his gardens.
Horticultural heroesTom, of course, and Piet Oudolf and James Hitchmough, all for their strength in plant knowledge and landscape and appreciation for plants and nature on a scale beyond just gardens and gardening.
Favourite garden and landscapeSerge Hill and Hummelo for their planting, and Rousham for its sense of peace and calm. A landscape that has influenced me is the coastal landscape in Scotland where I’m from.
Three most worthwhile tipsEnjoy it. Don’t fret too much about making mistakes; it’s all part of the process, and plants can be very forgiving. Use good-quality tools and look after them. Mulch, if you are growing plants that require high-nutrient value – and be generous.
Most valuable trainingMy fine art degree, my year at Inchb
