Renowned garden and landscape designer, writer and television presenter, the multi-talented James Alexander-Sinclair joins GROW London’s fabulous list of expert speakers. At the fair this coming June, James will be introducing new gardeners to the best plants to begin with.

We caught up with him to find out how he runs his own Northamptonshire garden, Blackpitts.

Describe your garden/gardening style
Disciplined anarchy: I like the plants to be able to stretch their limbs and do their own thing, but there comes a point when I have to step in and say ‘No’ in a very loud voice.

Favourite London garden/outside space?
I like the 9/11 memorial garden in Grosvenor Square very much.

Guilty gardening pleasure?
Sometimes I just say ‘sod it’ and lie on the grass when I should be doing something horticulturally useful.

Which tool couldn’t you be without?
My Felco secateurs. They have been with me for more years than I care to remember. They are one of the very few things that I have failed to lose. I also carry a scar where they cut deeply into my hand when I was taking them out of the packaging so we have a blood bond, my secateurs and I.

Who or what makes you laugh?
My wife, my children, Joe Swift & Cleve West, PG Wodehouse, the Turnham Green joke and random internet videos about cats.

Most unusual thing you’ve found in your garden?
A pair of baby hedgehogs was probably the cutest.

Biggest gardening disaster?
So many, but the skill is in either turning them to your advantage, or successfully hiding them so nobody finds out!

Life motto?
Never let your braces dangle.

When you’re in your garden, what do you spend most of your time doing?
Oddly I really like weeding. I listen to strange historical podcasts on my iPod and can sit there for hours happily digging, pulling and fossicking. I also love pruning roses.

See James speaking at GROW London this June, 20 – 22. Details will be confirmed soon, so do check back to see what will be on at the fair.