2003 Interview

Andrew Galloway is blooming with success after beating off tough competition with people that have decades more experience to win a special gardening award. Eleven-year-old Andrew Galloway from North Tyneside puts his green fingers down to the influence of a certain television gardener who's become his idol. Now Andrew’s hard work in his own garden has made him the competition's youngest ever winner.

It's taken Andrew Galloway years to create his prize-winning garden at his home in Longbenton, and although it's only six feet square it's packed full of features. This year it helped the 11-year-old to become the youngest person to ever win the Longbenton green fingers gardening competition organised by North Tyneside Council.

How do you feel about winning the competition?

I feel great, stepping back and looking at my creation.

What made you decide to enter it?

Well, I just wanted to enter my garden and see what happened

Andrew’s dad had an accident.

The problem is that Andrew is up against some experienced gardeners that have 30 to 40 and more years’ experience. Andrew was a little apprehensive but this year he said I'm going to go for it and just see what happens. Before Andrew, the garden was horrible. It was like a dumping ground for rubbish with long grass. After moving in we cut everything down and he started doing the garden.

Ironically the youngster whose main influences comes from TV

gardener Alan Titchmarsh has become a bit of a local celebrity himself however despite all the attention Andrew is keeping his feet firmly on the

ground and doesn't mind helping his dad who’s recovering from an operation to do the whole garden.

We're both very proud of him, especially just over the last few months when Andrew’s been able to cut the lawns, weed the gardens and trimming the hedging. Andrew’s been straight in there and he's just done a wonderful job.

So, what does Andrew think of his creation?

I love it, just sitting down and looking at it looking - saying I done that nobody else.

Andrew has no intention of resting on his laurels, though he's already planning to enter the competition again next year. Lesley McNish northeast tonight Longbenton.

2008 Interview

This week we're visiting the garden of a young man who's only 16. Andrew Galloway has already won numerous awards for his gardening and he's created the garden around his house in just six years. It's gone from this to this - and I think we might find him in his greenhouse.

We have a lot of grapes, mmm smell beautiful. So, you've got what colour?

I've got both of them, I have red and white.

How old is this one?

This one is currently four-years-old and it has produced quite a lot of grapes.

Well, they're sweet.

Yeah, very sweet.

Now why have you got French marigolds in here?

French Marigolds are here for companionship planting, which basically means this plant protects this one from the flies. So, this gets rid of the Flies and in turn they attract bees which pollinate the grapes.

It's absolutely fabulous Andrew, and everything's so neat, tidy and clean.

I do clean it every season just to prevent pests and diseases. I also need to clear up soil from planting up seeds from the previous seeds.

Now what's out here?

Well, we have an arch which has some sweet peas which have a powerful aroma. They have a beautiful smell and it's like a jungle. Really everything's growing amongst each other.

It's a magnificent area, full of an abundance of colour. It must take you a very long time.

It actually really doesn’t. You have to prune the plants, plant the seeds and harvest the fruit and vegetables from those seeds.

This is a good tip. Where did you get this idea from? I got this idea from Alnwick Gardens.

The CDs basically reflect the light so the birds can see it and then get scared. The same with the flags which just flap there scaring the birds away.

You've got a nice present from your work experience, didn't you?

Yes, I got an Alnwick Garden Rose. Well, I had two weeks work experience in 2007 and at the end they presented me with the Alnwick Garden Rose.

Now this is quite a contrast here Andrew. Are these herbs?

Yeah, these are herbs and aromatherapy plants.

I can smell them already. What have you got then here?

I got an apple mint here which smells like an apple.

Hmm it does. Oh, that's beautiful, and what is that one?

Black peppermint which is a really strong peppermint.

Mmmm that is, it's just like extra strong mint, and it's very sweet. And you have a beautiful eucalyptus?

Actually, I grew it by seed. Only one survived, this was a couple of years ago.

You do have a green finger, that's really beautiful. Andrew, what you've created here is just so wonderful but it's unusual for someone so young to like gardening, why are you so passionate about it?

Well, it basically started from my grandfather, he was so passionate about his garden and encouraged me to get involved, and it grew from

there really.

And where’s your bee hotel?

Just down there in the hedge and they pollinate the plants as well so it's good to encourage them into the garden.

Absolutely, well Andrew thank you so much for showing us around your garden. Now the judges have already been around haven't they for what's the competition?

The North Tyneside in Bloom Competition.

Well, good luck with that. When will you find out?

I’ll find out in September.

Are you going to make a career out of this?

Oh, I'd love to so watch out Alan Titchmarsh.