The GENERATION Game

Nestling in the lee of the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire, this magical garden holds countless childhood memories for Helen Picton. ‘It was my playground – I remember it as this jungle with enormous daisies.’ She also recalls helping her mother in the potting shed. ‘I quite literally was brought up there.  Apparently my playpen used to be on the potting bench.’

Today, Helen and her husband, Ross Barbour, the former head gardener at Ragley Hall, have taken over the garden and nursery from her parents, Paul and Meriel. There is, she acknowledges, a certain sense of responsibility that comes with being the third generation to take over a cherished family garden. ‘I am very aware of how much the family has put into the garden, so my parents are involved in any