Expert presenter for new gardening show

A new show for the city’s gardeners – Growth Matters – launches on shmuFM at 1pm on Tuesday 15th October, with Cruickshank Botanic Garden Curator Mark Paterson at the helm.

 

shmuFM Radio Development Worker, Lesley Ross said, "We are incredibly excited – and very fortunate – to have someone like Mark putting together and presenting our brand new gardening show on shmuFM.  The sheer range of Mark’s knowledge, experience and expertise in horticulture would be hard to replicate, but what’s just as important is that he has such an engaging and entertaining manner – I think the show will be a big hit with our listeners.”

 

Leading horticulturalist Mark was a key figure at the highly acclaimed Eden Project in Cornwall and joined the University of Aberdeen to take up the post of Curator of the Cruickshank Botanic Garden in January 2012. 

 

Before moving to Aberdeen, Mark managed the tertiary education programme at Eden and prior to that headed up its 35-strong team of guides. Mark’s horticultural career has also included spells in Canada, Australia and the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London as well as Threave Gardens in Castle Douglas.

 

“The Cruickshank Botanic Garden is the most northerly botanic garden in Britain and it is very special,” said Mark, who is originally from Canada. “It has been magical being back in Scotland where my family have a home. Aberdeen is a great city – it has some fabulous public parks like the Duthie Park and its Winter Gardens. And the Cruickshank Botanic Garden, neighbouring Seaton Park and the nearby mouth of the River Don are all conservation areas, which is tremendous."

 

Mark continued, “For a city that has such a rich history of gardening expertise and green space, it’s enormously exciting that shmuFM will now be offering a weekly gardening programme – I can’t wait to get started!"

 

Growth Matters will broadcast at 1pm on Tuesdays, and be repeated at 9am on Fridays, on 99.8FM.