Jane Owen loves, writes, talks and designs gardens.
Her books, TV presenting work, lectures and journalism focus on gardens. She lives in central Oxford where she has a small, pig-themed garden. Her former two-acre garden at Shill House near Burford appeared on BBC TV and in various magazines.
Jane, and TV garden designer Ann-Marie Powell, won gold for a rainforest garden at the Chelsea Flower Show 2010 with the help of Jeanne Noua, Mathilde Zang and Margerite Akom from the indigenous Baka and Bagyeli communities in the Cameroon rainforest. The indigenous women will use the garden to raise awareness about threats to the rainforest and to their traditional way of life.
For more details click here
Design Jane makes beautiful gardens.
Books include 100 Ways to a Beautiful Garden; Gardens Through Time and Eccentric Gardens. If you’d like to buy one please
get in touch.
Talks include The Erotic Garden; A Romp Through Garden
History, How to make a Beautiful Garden and Iconic Gardens. Jane has
given talks at the V&A.
Chelsea Flower Show Jane, and James Alexander-Sinclair, chair the Chelsea Flower Show’s gardening matters talk forum. Jane
also chairs garden debates such as the Oxford Literary Festival’s ‘The
Garden as an Art Form’.
TV Jane’s presentation skills inspired The Guardian to describe her as,
“..that straight-talking, sexy posh lady”. Her TV work includes co-presenting BBC2’s prime time Gardens
Through Time series with Diarmuid Gavin; Time Team’s live dig from
Buckingham Palace and Channel 5’s The Buildings That Shaped Britain.
DVDs include the official Royal Horticultural Society’s
Chelsea Flower Show; Rosemary Verey’s garden with Sir Roy Strong.
Garden Tours Jane arranges and leads garden tours of the
UK and Italy. Please contact for more details.
Jane’s blog is a click away.
Enthusiasms composting (she is a Master Composter) and
building, and the West African Rainforest.
Campaigns Grow Good Food campaign with Heligan gardens which helped
schools as well as individuals grow vegetables whatever the size of
their gardens.
Women of the Year Jane is a member of the nominating council.