At what age did your interest in gardens develop?
Guy: It was from a very young age; I was only four years old.
Julia: I was also four, although having just moved to Kent from north London, my perspective was more from a place to play than a horticultural angle.
Can you share one of your most vivid childhood memories of flowers?
Guy: I remember trying to make perfume from rose petals for my mother for Mother’s Day.
Julia: One of my most vivid recollections is wondering at what seemed like fields of daffodils in our local park.
How has your personal love of gardens shaped how you look after the gardens within Hand Picked Hotels?
Guy: Now that I have retired from the world of finance, I can spend time, in partnership with Caroline Scaramanga and Hand Picked Hotels’ garden team, trying to create some magical gardens.
Julia: I have always considered the gardens of our hotels as integral to the beauty of each property and to the guest experience.
What have you learned about preserving wildlife and how does this impact horticulture across the Group?
Guy: I am keenly aware of the valuable habitat that the gardens can offer birds, small mammals, insects, and invertebrates. We are lucky that our hotels have many different environments to offer, including woodlands, water, and various plant canopies. We aim to increase this offering in our future vision of the gardens for Hand Picked.
Julia: Just as we respect the buildings and their history, we recognize the importance of honoring, maintaining, and improving, where possible, the setting of each property.
“My favourite flower is the orchid because it is both exquisite in its many varieties and requires minimal care.”
Julia Hands
How do you enjoy your gardens and what purpose do they have for you both?
Guy: I like walking in them and using all my senses. When I am absorbed in observing, smelling, hearing, and feeling the gardens, I can relax—this is a very rare occurrence for me.
Julia: I used to enjoy radical pruning of shrubs and bushes, filling up wheelbarrows, and maybe having a bonfire. These days, however, my interest is far more passive, with pleasure gained from relaxing outside with a newspaper or book.
What is your favourite flower, and why?
Guy: For me, it’s the clematis due to its enormous variety and because the world-famous grower Raymond Evison lives in Guernsey. We are fortunate to be able to visit his nursery, which is an extraordinary experience.
Julia: My favourite is the orchid because it is both exquisite in its many varieties and, unlike cut flowers, it arrives in a pot, survives beyond three days, and requires minimal care.
Which is your favourite season in the garden and why?
Guy: Spring, because the days are getting longer, and we are seeing daily rebirth—it is the most joyful season.
Julia: I like early spring, with daffodils, crocuses, and primroses, as well as the early green shoots and leaves on the trees and shrubs emerging. It always feels like a time of promise and hope.
What is your ideal spot to sit in the garden?
Guy: Somewhere very quiet where I can smell the garden.
Julia: I would choose a spot with a view because, although I really enjoy reading, it is wonderful to raise one’s eyes from the printed words and take in the surroundings.
“I plant for tomorrow and the future, as I see a garden as a 100-year or more project.”
Guy Hands
Do you enjoy sharing your garden with friends and family?
Guy: Yes, hugely, particularly if it inspires them to try something new in their garden or encourages them to suggest new ideas to me.
Julia: I love entertaining, and if the weather permits, having drinks or the entire meal outside is wonderful.
Do you consider planting an inheritance? In other words, do you plant for the future?
Guy: I plant for tomorrow and the future, as I see a garden as a 100-year or more project. I happily accept that I will never see the entire outcome of all that is planted today, but I enjoy the pleasure it will give many future generations.
Julia: I think that planting, especially trees, should be seen as a benefit for future generations. We have always tried to plant what is right for a particular place, not just what will look good next year.
Do you enjoy edible plants and flowers?
Guy: I love eating edible plants and flowers. I enjoy both the look and the taste of many varieties, such as nasturtiums, dahlia flowers, sweet williams, and violas, which decorate our salads. And, of course, I love all the different herbs we grow, as well as soft fruits and berries.
Julia: I like edible flowers as decoration, but I do think they are overrated as food.
You are both known for your philanthropy: are there any examples of your love of gardens supporting causes close to your heart?
Guy: Yes—climate and conservation are one of the principal pillars of The Hands Family Trust, and gardens are one of the areas where each one of us can make a real difference to our natural environment.
Julia: We have supported the Royal Horticultural Society for over ten years. Our biggest partnership with them has been the development of the National Centre for Horticultural Science and Learning, otherwise known as RHS Hilltop, at RHS Garden Wisley. Since its launch in 2021, it has become a centre of excellence, with living laboratories and research hubs to inspire the next generation of scientists and help shape our understanding of how to sustain and protect the beautiful gardens we are known for long into the future.
Our relationship with the RHS has also included active involvement in charity and nursery sponsorship at the Chelsea Flower Show, which is such a wonderful opportunity to spotlight charitable organizations and small businesses.