a gardening inspiration
Jim was a presenter who won the Royal Television Award for Presenter of the Year, as well as the Scottish Horticultural Medal, an MBE, the Garden Media Guild Lifetime Achievement Award, and the RHS Victoria Medal of Honour for his services and devotion to horticulture and gardening.
We have shared a few snippets below of Jim’s chat with M.T. O’Donnell from his time on the Scotland Grows Show, followed by some fond tributes to the ‘Grandfather of Scottish Gardening’ from those who worked with, and knew him well.
“I started gardening when I was about five with my granddad. On my father's side of the family, there was a farmer, a nurseryman, a forester, and my dad was a gardener all his days. My grandfather on my mother's side was an engine driver, but he had an allotment so there was time spent with grandfather Hamilton. What I never had the guts to say to father, was the reason I liked going to the allotment was that the guy in the next allotment kept pigeons, and as a wee boy I used to be able to go in and see the pigeons. I also sowed my first seeds out there.”
“Yes, this was basically the use of waste energy to heat glasshouses, a big acre block of glass. At its height, that project was delivering 200 tons of tomatoes heated by waste energy. And of course, because they were local, they were a good marketing project as well as they did not come from Guernsey or Jersey or wherever”.
“Yes, indeed. We did a big display at the Glasgow Garden Festival and in fact, the distillery company built a model of the distillery which attracted a lot of attention. We were also in the British Pavilion in America at the World Fair there. It must have been good because the directors right to the top of the tree happily backed the thing all the way along the line because it was so novel. It was great to be part of it - it taught me more about whiskey than I knew about tomatoes.
"Always say yes to opportunities, you just do not know what will come of it.”
“I think it is easy for me to say so, of course, but I think the combination of George and myself - I had been in teaching, I had been in commercial work, George had been in the private garden, estate garden - it worked. He was an absolute gem.”
"Listen to other people. Have a look over the dyke and see what the guy next door does, you know what I mean? Get to know, and listen, to what they are saying. Every day is a school day!”
“Do not be afraid to travel from your own doorstep because there is so much out there. And what is encouraging, in fact, is a number of very talented young people are attracted to the industry, and doing super jobs. That is quite encouraging, I think the profession is in safe hands.”
Listen to the full chat with Jim McColl HERE.
“I was deeply saddened to hear of Jim McColl's passing, he was a true horticultural legend and a man to which many of us looked up.
“I am also full of gratitude for the time I got to spend with him, particularly last year when I went to Aberdeenshire to chat with him for the Scotland Grows Show.
“When I initially asked him if he would like to be on the podcast to talk about his career in horticulture and gardening in Scotland, he said he had no idea what a podcast was, but that he would be delighted to be on it if I just told him what to do, which reminds me of years ago when I tried to explain to him what a selfie was!
“We met to chat for the podcast over a cuppa in Parkhill Garden Centre in Dyce which was his choice as one of the local garden centres he liked to frequent. There is so much of our chat that did not make the episode but I will treasure those off mic conversations. After our podcast recording we wandered round the garden centre together for a wee bit talking about plants.
“I will forever be grateful for Jim's time, patience, and kindness towards me: a true gentleman and one of our gardening greats.”
"To be in Jim's company was one of the joys of life. He was so willing to share his knowledge and ideas and the pair of us would often sit and chat between filming duties at the ‘Beechgrove Garden’, putting the gardening world to rights.
“A true gentleman, he was always keen to help those who were just starting on their horticultural or gardening journey.
“He was a model for others wishing to make their way in broadcasting: his enormous depth and breadth of knowledge meant he was able to grasp technical language and information and present it in a way that viewers could easily understand - a rare skill. He made gardening an eminently watchable television subject through his outstanding presentation skills.
“Jim had a great sense of humour and was never afraid to tell a joke or story against himself. I learnt so so much from him. A great friend.”
“Such sad news to hear of Jim McColl’s passing. We all got to know a bit of him through his 40 years on ‘Beechgrove Garden’, inspiring millions of us to get out into our own gardens, sharing his knowledge and wisdom in such a way you felt like his friend from over the hedge. What a giggle he had!
“It should never be underestimated just what he has done for Scottish horticulture.
“Personally, it was such a privilege to get to work with Jim on his programme, but moreso, to sit and listen to his garden stories over a cup of tea in the Beechgrove bothy. Planting tatties with Jim in Beechgrove Garden will genuinely always be one of my professional highlights.
“Thanks Jim.”
“We’re very saddened by the passing of Jim McColl, star of the horticulture world in Scotland and a wonderful patron and ambassador for Trellis, who inspired us and supported us unstintingly.
“Jim instinctively understood the good that gardening could do for people and spent a good deal of his time trying to share its countless benefits with as many people as he could. In the words of one of our founding directors, John Davidson, who first met Jim over 40 years ago at the Highland Show, he was, ‘A gentleman of huge horticultural knowledge, a heart as big as Scotland. He will be missed by many for his compassion and gentle manner.’
“Long before we set up Trellis, Jim was already giving support to individual therapeutic gardening projects across Scotland in different roles whether on the board, giving horticultural advice, or promoting the cause to politicians, in the media, and to the public, both in conversation, or on our screens. The projects he supported included the oldest continually operational one in our network, Todhill Country Centre in Ayrshire, as well as others in Tayside, Perth, and his home turf in Aberdeenshire.
“When we invited Jim to be Patron of Trellis he embraced the role wholeheartedly and was a perfect advocate for the therapeutic power of gardening, whether via videos, at events, or in newspaper columns. With incredible energy he also championed the cause in keynote addresses and masterclasses for our Conference delegates, and by simply embodying the good that gardening can do for people.
“Later in 2017, we invited Jim to come to a prison, HMP Polmont, to bring a little stardust to the ‘Cultivating Futures’ pallet garden exhibition we organised with Scottish Prison Service. He made prisoners, officers, and the CEO of SPS alike feel both quite at ease and a little bit special with the attention and sincere praise he gave to their gardening endeavours.
“One area of work in which Jim had a special interest was our Calyx ‘Gardening in Every Care Home' programme, towards which he and fellow trustees directed residual funds from Scotland’s Garden Trust. As I told him in a message this September, we are finally close to being able to start the pilot for this ambitious work, and we look forward to bringing the project to life in his memory early in 2025. We hope it will do justice as a tribute to him and his lifetime’s work.”
“Jim was Honorary President of The Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society for four years from 2010 to 2014 during which time he was vocal in urging The Caley to raise its profile across Scotland and his time as Honorary President undoubtedly helped.
“Jim’s support for horticultural therapy has never been in doubt and he was a strong supporter of The Caley’s ‘Grow and Learn’ Award programme which focuses on young people with complex learning needs outwith the scope of mainstream learning. Over the years Jim presented many ‘Grow and Learn’ Awards to youngsters, encouraging them to grow and succeed.”
“I knew and worked with Jim off and on for 44 years. He was my introduction to horticulture and over the years he became my good friend and mentor.
“From the early 1980s when I worked behind the scenes at the ‘Beechgrove Garden’, Jim kept me right. He was a man who always helped and encouraged those around him - what a special apprenticeship I had!
“Our paths crossed many times over the next four decades as he continuously contributed to initiatives to promote gardening in Scotland while cementing our friendship.
“Oft mentioned as the ‘Grandfather of Scottish Gardening’, he was a one off: such a wealth of knowledge, and so generous with his time and enthusiasm in spreading the joy of gardening.
“My lasting personal memories are of him as a gardener but also him as a friend, of an evening relaxing after recording with the odd dram and a good old-fashioned pub sing-a-long accompanied by Jim and his accordion. Those wellies will be impossible to fill.
"I will sign off the way he always did…Yours Aye.”
"Even though he was a frequent customer himself, he always made the time to speak to other customers.”
“Jim leaves a huge legacy in horticulture. He was not only a local garden hero in the North East but a national one. Jim's informative but good natured and humorous approach on ‘Beechgrove Garden’ proved a smash hit.
“In addition to the show, he wrote for the Press & Journal newspaper, a best seller in the North and Highlands of Scotland for over two decades. It was a true privilege to take on the weekly garden writing role he left behind when he retired back in 2022. It was even more of a privilege to be a head gardener and a fellow presenter on ‘Beechgrove Garden’ with which he undoubtedly will always be associated.
“You will be missed”.
“Jim McColl was Honorary President of Scottish Gardeners’ Forum for many years until his decision to resign in 2022.
“During his tenure, Jim was an invaluable source of encouragement, advice, and ideas to the Forum. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the ‘Pallet and Planter Challenge’ donating funds to enable the awarding of a special prize at Gardening Scotland.
“Some of us knew Jim better than others, but so many of us have fond memories whether we met in person or on screen, on radio or in the press.
"Jim’s legacy will be the legions of amateur gardeners who benefitted from his clear instructions to improve our own gardening experience.
“When a great tree falls, the seedlings grown in its shade will flourish. Thank you Jim, we will miss you.”
