Colin Stafford-Johnson gardening event a wild success in Westport

BROADCASTER Colin Stafford-Johnson has shared his advice with people developing a wild garden: keep it simple.

Stafford-Johnson gave a heartfelt presentation on his wildlife garden to a packed house in Westport this week. It was all the more touching as earlier he’d had news of the passing of his old friend, Aditya Singh, who he worked with on the BBC’s Natural World: Queen of Tigers. Colin’s passion and emotion was palpable as he bravely continued to speak about his wild garden.

Colin Stafford-Johnson is an award-winning cameraman, director and broadcaster and is one of the best known faces on Irish television. Most recently he has been on our screens presenting The Wild Gardener on BBC Two and Wild Cuba: A Caribbean Journey, for which he won the prestigious Jackson Wild Best Presenter-Led award for a second time.

The Mayo Green Party organised the event in The Mariner Hotel, Westport.

Peter Nolan, Green Party local candidate for Westport, said: “We were delighted that so many people turned up to the event. Colin’s approach to a wild garden was inspiring and hopeful.

“His advice was profoundly simple… dig a pond, plant native hedgerows and wildflowers and transform even the smallest plot of land into a nature reserve.”

Colin was also very supportive of farmers, who, he said, must be supported through all the changes they are being asked to make in the coming years.

“We must celebrate and incentivise Ireland’s farmers to encourage more native hedgerows and trees across Ireland. Farmers are not to blame for the climate crisis, they have proven that they can quickly adopt new farming techniques. This time we have to make sure we ask them to do the right things,” said Nolan.

The Mayo Greens are very grateful to Colin for giving his time for this event and plan to organise more over the coming months.