Urban gardner
In October 2003 Cleve wrote his first weekly column, Urban Gardener, for the Independent Magazine. For the next five years he enjoyed the freedom to write about anything that intrigued, troubled or delighted him.
Urban Gardener (revived) takes up the baton offering a thoughtful window into the craft of his garden design work, the rhythms of his allotment, and his evolving voice as an advocate for animals.
Moving between micro-observations and broader reflections, he shares his experiences and insights as a veganic gardener balancing beauty with ecological sensitivity and the triumphs and conflicts along the way.
Increasingly, his writing also turns to the urgent question of how we relate to animals, arguing for a necessary shift away from intensive animal farming toward more sustainable, plant-focused systems.
With clarity, care and a soupçon of humour this blog aims to connect the personal with the planetary, inviting readers to reconsider how gardens – and the choices we make within them – can contribute to a bountiful future and a kinder world.
Remembering Geoff Hamilton
It’s hard to believe that Geoff Hamilton died 30 years ago this month. The memory is particularly poignant, not just because he was an inspiration
Allotment update July 2026
After the embarrassment of getting a warning letter from the council in 2024 we’ve made more time this year to ‘knock it into shape’. Exactly
Allotment update June 2026
It’s our 26th season at Bushy Park Allotments and I am reminded, mostly by the stifled grunts and groans from plots 5 & 6, of
Show Gardens – Good or bad?
Another Chelsea Flower Show done and dusted. I hope that the contractors, who had to dismantle the show during the record May temperatures, are now
The Power of Veganic Gardeners
Part Three One person going vegan will not, on their own, save the world but collectively we can make a difference. The laws of supply
Why Gardening Conversations Dodge Animal Agriculture
Part Two Given everything covered in part one, surely it’s reasonable to ask: why is animal agriculture almost never mentioned in gardening magazines, talks or
Gardening for wildlife…but
Part One Gardening for wildlife is great, hugely rewarding and satisfying. I’m confident that most of us can agree on that. Like many others, both
Can Gardens Save the Planet?
Ok, time to fess up. I wrote this article a while back but without a means of publishing it. It was too long for Instagram
Words fail me
“Words fail me.” That was my initial anxiety when Victoria Summerly asked me to write a weekly gardening column for The Independent magazine 23 years