Hampton is delighted to announce that it has been working with Diarmuid Gavin, renowned garden designer, television personality and author, on the launch of its new luxury greenhouses.
While the order of the day has been filming and photoshoots, we grabbed a coffee with Diarmuid to ask him about the new range of timber greenhouses from his perspective, and to pick up some horticultural tips and tricks.
How did you get involved with Hampton Greenhouses?
I’ve known the Hampton name for years through their elegant orangeries and conservatories – structures I’ve encountered across these islands and further afield. They were a familiar presence during my Chelsea Flower Show years, and I’ve always admired their creativity and craftsmanship.
Over time, I’ve had various conversations with the team and was consistently impressed by their commitment to quality and their instinct for innovation. So when the opportunity came to be part of the launch of their greenhouse range, I jumped at it. It was too good to miss.
Hampton do things properly, and we’ve been working together behind the scenes for about 18 months now. I’m thrilled to finally be part of this launch.
In your opinion, what makes Hampton Greenhouses so special?
It’s the blend of craftsmanship and innovation that sets Hampton Greenhouses apart. These are timber structures made to last a lifetime, built with exquisite attention to detail and a clever system of design features – from durable paints to intelligent drainage solutions. Most impressively, they’ve developed a way of channelling away condensation so the interior remains dry and well-balanced.
The result is a greenhouse that’s timeless in appearance, solid in construction, low in maintenance, and simply beautiful. It will look at home in almost any garden, offering both heritage charm and modern performance.
Was it important to work with a company that puts the environment and sustainability at the heart of what it does?
Absolutely – it’s non-negotiable. Sustainability has to be at the centre of every serious conversation about gardening and garden design. Hampton’s timber greenhouses are naturally carbon-storing, in stark contrast to aluminium alternatives, which have a far greater environmental footprint. I’ve seen how the company operates too – ethically, responsibly, and with long-term impact in mind. Their approach is genuinely green, not just in marketing but in practice. I applaud that and am proud to stand behind it.
Do you have a greenhouse yourself?
Not yet – but I’m counting the days. I’ve dreamt of this for years. So much so, I prepared the site five years ago: laid a beautiful tiled base with built-in drainage and made sure it was large enough to accommodate everything I wanted to grow.
The greenhouse will sit in a space I designed specifically for it, at the heart of my garden, where I can see it from the house. It’ll be a working space, a growing space, a retreat. I can already picture myself in there – growing fruit, vegetables, seedlings, and maybe just sitting with a cup of tea, surrounded by the garden I’ve been building for years.
Will Bowie [Diarmuid’s Cavachon, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Bichon Frise cross] be allowed into your greenhouse?
Bowie keeps me company everywhere in the garden. He’s never far from my side, and I’ve no doubt he’ll consider the greenhouse his personal sun lounge. He’s always searching out the warmest spot to stretch out in – and from now on, I imagine that’ll be inside my Hampton greenhouse. He’ll be part of the daily rhythm there, just as he is in the rest of the garden.
When did your love of gardening first start?
Strangely enough, it all began with a greenhouse.
I remember watching Percy Thrower on Blue Peter in the 1970s, creating a garden and growing plants under glass. I was captivated. There was something magical about the idea that you could build a world of growth and beauty inside a structure like that. I loved the sense of possibility, of nurturing life. And I was especially taken by the Italian sunken garden he created. That moment stayed with me – it was the start of everything.
You’ve done so much on screen and as an author and journalist. What do you feel is your biggest achievement?
I’ve been fortunate to enjoy a wonderfully varied career in gardening and design. I’ve travelled widely, met remarkable people, and created gardens in all sorts of places.
I think the greatest privilege has been sharing an alternative way of thinking about gardens – how we live in them, how they can reflect who we are – through television.
I had dreams of making gardens that would surprise and delight, that might feel different and speak to people of all ages. Being given the opportunity to do that, week in week out, and to see the response from viewers, has been hugely rewarding. That connection with an audience, and the freedom to explore ideas in public, has been the highlight of my career – and I’m so grateful it continues with the same energy as when I first started.
What gives you the most satisfaction in your own garden?
Watching the garden evolve. We’ve lived in our home for about 17 years, and once the need for trampolines and swings was gone, I was able to properly take over and start planting the things I love.
I’ve brought the garden right up to the house – added doors, opened views, built a veranda – and filled it with climbers like wisteria, holboellia, clematis and passionflower.
From there, I look out over a grove of tree ferns. The garden is loosely divided into thirds: the first shaded, the second sunnier – where the greenhouse will sit – and the last a little wilder. What I enjoy most is getting lost in the garden. Whether I’m planting, propagating, dreaming or just improving the soil, it’s that full immersion in the moment that brings the greatest joy.
For someone who has perhaps never owned a greenhouse before, what tips can you give them?
Start simple. Choose things you know you’ll eat if you’re growing fruit or veg – tomatoes, salad leaves, herbs, peppers. A greenhouse extends your growing season and creates a stable microclimate, which means you can ripen heat-loving crops like chillies or aubergines, but also raise more delicate plants and overwinter tender perennials. It gives you protection, control and space to experiment.
Keep it manageable at the start, and focus on learning how the light, warmth and moisture behave in your structure. And don’t forget: a greenhouse isn’t just functional – it’s a place to dream.
What would be the first three things you’d grow in a new greenhouse?
First up, a grapevine – trained in from outside, so the roots stay cool but the canopy grows under glass. Then definitely tomatoes – I’m excited to try different heritage varieties.
And I think I’ll try melons. There’s something magical about growing your own, and I’d love the challenge of getting them to ripen beautifully in our climate.
For a more experienced gardener, how can a greenhouse take your garden to the next level?
A greenhouse opens the door to specialisation. You can focus on a plant group – orchids, citrus, alpines, succulents – and curate a collection. Or you can grow crops that demand real attention: train a vine and learn the art of thinning the fruit clusters and managing the canopy to allow for airflow and sun.
It’s a place where you can refine techniques, experiment with propagation, and even start your garden months earlier than usual. It becomes a living workshop where you can push boundaries and pursue your passions more deeply.
No matter how beautiful a new greenhouse is, many homeowners will want to soften the addition to their garden with planting. What do you suggest for landscaping the outside?
That’s such an important question – because the greenhouse should feel like part of the garden, not an object dropped into it. Think about melting it into its environment. A greenhouse will usually sit in a sunny spot, so it’s perfect for Mediterranean herbs like lavender, thyme or rosemary, or drought-tolerant perennials like salvias and nepeta.
I always love using Mexican fleabane – that tough little daisy that spills and flowers for months. You could also go more formal with terracotta pots or a pair of topiary bays flanking the door. Whatever the style, surround it with planting that feels intentional and welcoming.
What is your favourite month in the garden or greenhouse?
It has to be May into June – that heady window when everything is bursting into life. The garden is lush, the greenhouse is thriving, and there’s a sense of energy and promise everywhere you look. It’s irresistible.
It’s summer, Wimbledon is about to kick-off, so if we want to ‘serve’ up the best strawberries, what would you recommend?
There’s nothing quite like the flavour of a home-grown strawberry—warm from the sun and perfectly ripe. I love growing the variety ‘Mara des Bois’ for its exceptional fragrance and taste – it has that old-fashioned, wild strawberry flavour with a really long fruiting season.
For a reliable, heavy cropper, ‘Cambridge Favourite’ is a classic choice. And I always make space for a few alpine strawberries, like ‘Baron Solemacher’, which are tiny but intensely sweet. They’re great for edging paths or planting near the greenhouse, where you can pick as you potter.
Which plants have the biggest differential when grown in a greenhouse versus outside?
Tomatoes are top of the list – they love the heat and shelter of a greenhouse and you’ll get more consistent ripening and fewer problems with blight.
Chillies and peppers also benefit enormously from the extended season under glass, producing stronger plants and heavier crops. You can grow aubergines, cucumbers and even melons in a greenhouse much more successfully than outdoors in our climate.
And it’s not just edibles – tender ornamentals like pelargoniums, fuchsias, and citrus really thrive with that extra protection. With a greenhouse, your garden doesn’t stop at the last frost – it opens up a whole new world of possibilities.
Gardening and being outdoors is closely linked to maintaining positive mental health. Do you get that benefit yourself – and would you encourage others to do the same?
Absolutely. Even though gardening is my job, it’s also my greatest therapy. I can head outside with a head full of deadlines and distractions, and within minutes, I’m grounded by the task in front of me.
Whether it’s shifting compost, reclaiming a tangled patch or planning a new scheme, I become fully absorbed. It demands attention and offers reward. And every job – no matter how mundane, leads to dreaming. Dreaming of what you might grow next, of what’s possible. It’s endlessly hopeful and deeply healing.
I’d encourage anyone to start gardening – it doesn’t matter where or how. It will do you good.
