A bit about Clive

“Just 5 more minutes!”

A common cry that could be heard from the Harris-houshold garden when I was growing up. Whether it was picking blackcurrents, hunting for snails, or growing sweetpeas, I just loved being outside in my garden.

30 years later, not much has changed! Actually, maybe that’s not quite accurate. Some things have changed. Their names are Zack, Noah and Talia! And watching them explore the great outdoors, I see the same fascination with nature that I had as a child.

I think that’s where my seed of an idea for DIY Garden began to sprout. I wanted to teach my kids everything that my mum taught me.

My wife and I had just moved in to our first little house with a tiny, grey-paved patio. It was barely big enough for two cars, but my mind ran wild with eloborate design ideas. I imagined lush greenery, vibrant grass and obscure flowers. I pictured summer BBQ’s on the decking, and sipping red wine on luxury rattan sun loungers. To most, it resembled a car park, but to me it was a blank canvas.

I started to research online, collecting pictures of gardens I liked, and sketching layouts that might work in our modest space. In a few short months, we transformed our concrete jungle into our own little piece of paradise. This is when I knew, I didn’t just want this to be a one-off project, I wanted this to be my life! So, I started to educate myself and get qualified as a professional landscape gardening consultant.

We in Britain don’t have the climate to effortlessly grow exotic plants or enjoy garden living 365 days a year. So it’s my purpose to provide inspiration and alternatives. Maybe it’s a sheltered play-area your kids can enjoy when it’s raining, or a detailed guide to greenhouse growing. Whatever help you need, I want DIY Garden to be your go-to resource for expert advice.

As such, as well as thoroughly educating myself over the years, I’ve consistently looked to work with the top garden folk in the industry. Details on the rest of our experienced team can be found on the About Us page.

As our team has grown, so has the way we do things at DIY Garden. Our mission is to provide fair, honest and unbiased product recommendations – to do the hard work and testing, so you don’t have to waste money on sub-standard products. As such, we’ve now tested well-over 100 products, giving detailed feedback and reviews of each.

Thank you for taking the time to learn a little more about myself and the inspiration behind DIY Garden. It means a lot to me that you’ve visited the site and I hope it’s helped you. I always welcome feedback and content suggestions. If you wish to get in touch with me, please visit the Contact Us page.

Clive's Published Articles Around The Web

Feel free to read some of my published work on Gardening, Garden Design and Environmental Issues from top webites and established brands. I’m also a member of the Garden Media Guild.