Famous Dorset watercress farmer branching out with new venture (From Dorset Echo)

Famous Dorset watercress farmer branching out with new venture

2:00pm Wednesday 27th February 2013 in News By Harry Hogger

A DORSET watercress farmer from famous stock is branching out with a new venture.

With spring fast approaching, green-fingered Tim Jesty is offering his experience and services to help others as he looks to share the ‘art’ of gardening.

The 55-year-old from Moreton has been heavily involved in watercress growing in the county for several decades.

His exploits with The Watercress Company at Waddock Cross have seen him feature on our television screens on several occasions, including appearances on the BBC’s Countryfile and ITV show Hungry Sailors.

Tim has been growing things since a young age and his family has been farming watercress in Dorset for four generations.

He also comes from a famous background with his ancestor Benjamin Jesty, a farmer from Yetminster, the first to discover the use of cowpox as a vaccine to prevent smallpox some 20 years before the man popularly credited with the discovery, Edward Jenner.

Tim is hoping to be able to put his vast experience to a new use with the launch of Jesty Country Gardens as he looks to fully develop his passion for gardens and water gardening.

Tim says he has always believed in taking away the mystery of gardening problems by applying simple solutions.

He said: “There really is no hard and fast right or wrong way of doing things in the garden.

“However, there are always better ways of approaching things and that’s what I’m interested in.”

Tim added: “Gardening really is an art rather than a science.

“That applies even to mowing.

“I love to see garden maintenance really well done.

“I take a personal pride in cutting a lawn so that it looks nurtured and loved.

“Basic maintenance, like mowing, pruning and hedging, really makes a garden.

“It gives me a lot of pleasure and satisfaction of a job well done.”

Anyone with horticultural head-aches that they need help with can contact Tim on 07584 194702.

Enquiries can also be emailed to jestycountrygardens@gmail.com.