Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2018 | Page 50

Interview
“There’s not a single
part of the Garden I
haven’t changed in the
past 18 years. I suppose
that makes it feel
almost like my own”.
in a memory of being surrounded by
JCBs,
and woodchippers all
Villa ploughs
Ottolenghi
contributing to a cacophany of activity.
One of his favourite recollections is of
putting the first of the Garden’s famously
popular giant waterlilies into place in
2000. Over the years more species have
been added and there are now over
20,000, making it one of the biggest
collections in the UK.
Other tropical plants that are on the
verge of extinction were also brought into
the Gar dens, where they now thrive in its
unique sheltered microclimate. These
include one Sophora toromiro that can
only be found growing in six gardens in
the world.
“There’s not a single part of the Garden I
haven’t changed in the past 18 years” says
Chris. “I suppose that makes it feel almost
like my own”.
All change
There were more big changes in 2011,
when Isle of Wight Council decided to
stop funding the Garden and things went
into a period of uncertainty as the Council
looked into ways of disposing of the site.
Redundancies ensued, Simon left the
Curator’s job and Chris found himself with
three jobs rolled into one under the title
of Garden Manager.
“It was a tough time and it was hard not
to feel protective towards the Garden after
putting so much into it” he says.
The 18 applications of interest in the
Garden included 16 that proposed to
build on it – but with its international
reputation, that – happily – was never
going to be accepted.
That left two bodies in the running,
including the Community Interest
Company run by John Curtis that
ultimately won the bid.
Now, with its portfolio of income
streams from gate sales and rentals to
catering, and retail gifts and products,
Ventnor is the only Botanic Garden in
Britain or Europe that is
funded entirely by the
money it generates itself.
Chris, who five years
ago finally realised his
long-time dream of
becoming Curator, says:
“There’s no garden in
the UK that could be
funded solely by ticket
sales – if that was all we
did, we’d have to close
tomorrow”.
He’s rightly proud
of VBG’s contribution
to education and
conservation and
asserts: “It’s a totally
unique garden and one
of the great gardens
of Britain – although
to my mind, it is not
given the recognition it
deserves.
“In terms of
collections, it has no equal. We’ve created
synthetic eco-systems mirroring diverse
floral landscapes from around the world,
that show plants from the wild as you
would see them growing naturally.
“It’s quite a leap away from traditional
horticulture, with its trees on lawns and
plants in pots” he adds
And quite a leap, too, for Chris Kidd -
from the manicured parks of Portsmouth
to his own tropical paradise on the
Undercliff.
Chris with Simon Goodenough
50
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