A journalist and writer has gone back to college to follow her passion for plants.
Jenny Taylor, 69 from Felixstowe, started a course at Suffolk Rural in September 2024.
Having been described as ‘groundbreaking’ by author and historian Tom Holland, Jenny is now breaking ground in a different way as she is studying on a landscaping and gardening course.
After spending 40 years in London, Jenny has gone back to her roots.
And the return to education to follow a different path is something she has always wanted to do since growing up in Suffolk as a child.
Jenny explains: “I was born in Newbourne. My family had a smallholding and the farming side of Suffolk is in my blood. My earliest memory is hoeing lettuces outdoors when I was three.
“I’m now living in Felixstowe and it’s the first time I haven’t had a garden. I’ve just got a terrace – so I wanted a connection with the land.
“So, I started a garden design course. It’s so inspiring and different for me and I seem to be reinventing myself.”
In terms of being outdoors Jenny continued: “I’m just loving the landscape and clouds. It gives me a joy like nothing else. Nature is incredibly generous – all you have to do is just take it all in. It’s such a privilege.”
Growing up, the career choices for Jenny came to a crossroads. She said: “After university, I was the PA to the landscape director at Notcutts – it was my first job. I had my own office overlooking the gardens. My boss at the time was going to train me in landscape work. It was a huge decision as to whether to stay at Notcutts and do what my heart wanted to do (horticulture) or do what my head wanted to do and go into journalism. I went for journalism. Now I’ve come back and I’m trying the other path.”
Jenny’s prestigious career as a journalist began with Yorkshire Post Newspapers, before a stint with Westminster Press in Swindon where she became a race relations reporter.
She went on to work for several newspapers and magazines before setting up her own news agency.
An acclaimed writer, her new book called Saving Journalism: The Rise, Demise and Survival of the News is set to be published in March 2025.
Whilst her new passion is for plants, she celebrates her career as a writer and journalist.
She said: “Journalism is an incredible job that speaks up for truth.”
But are there any parallels between writing and gardening?
“Well, editing helps you to clarify the truth and that is a bit like hoeing – and both professions are fruitful and creative.”
As part of her course, like all students in her class, Jenny submitted a design that would potentially be chosen as part of a show garden that will be created by the college at the 2025 Suffolk Show.
Jenny said: “My garden wasn’t chosen – but I will be supporting the garden that we create.”
Jenny is also a student member of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and she will be heading to the Chelsea Flower Show later this year for the first time. She is enjoying reusing Latin that she learnt at school whilst finding out about plant names and has had requests from friends to help out with their gardens – but she is not sure what the future holds.
“This course will set me up for who knows what – I just think it’s really exciting.”
In terms of why others should consider horticulture Jenny said: “Getting back to the basics in order to regroup and discover who we really are is very appealing – and the fulfilment of being outside is what has drawn me to this subject. We live in a fast-paced confusing world where everything is coming at us, and we get lost in it. So, I think there is something very true and very honest about working with the soil.”
And in terms of the college Jenny had a final word: “It’s just lovely to be with people of all ages from all sorts of backgrounds and walks of lives and discover such kindness. Everyone is on your side – there is no fear – you are accepted, embraced and I feel so lucky to study here.
“I might even come back and do the RHS course next year,” she added……