Nice to Meet Yeo: Lynsey

With six-and-a-half acres to care for, the Yeo Valley Organic Garden is a hive of activity, and Lynsey is at the heart of it all. From ensuring our veggies and seasonal blooms thrive to sharing expert tips with visitors and planning future planting schedules, there’s never a dull moment in Lynsey’s day.

Read on to discover how Lynsey’s role takes her from the greenhouse to the camera lens - and everywhere in between.

1. What do you do at Yeo Valley Organic?

I’m a gardener in the Yeo Valley Organic Garden.

2. How did you get into gardening?

It all started with a little Juliette balcony overlooking a grotty Bristol street. I bought planters that hung over the railing and started growing flowers and vegetables in narrow troughs. I loved it and spent my days at work longing to be outside, so I decided to retrain as a gardener.

3. And what led you to Yeo?

I visited the Yeo Valley Organic Garden before I even became a gardener and fell in love with it! The garden’s design and sense of humour really stood out to me. It was exactly the kind of place I dreamed of working, so I was absolutely thrilled when I landed the job.

4. What is your top gardening tip?

Just give it a go! Gardening can seem full of rules about when and how to plant, but the best way to learn is to try - and then watch how your plants respond.

5. What’s your favourite part of the Yeo Valley Organic Garden?

The birch grove. It feels almost ethereal. Even though it’s right in the middle of the garden, it’s tucked away - you stumble upon it by accident.

6. How do you like to start your day?

I always stretch in the morning - it helps wake my body up before I get to work.

7. What’s surprised you most about your role at Yeo?

How incredibly varied it is! One day we’re weeding, and the next, we’re starring in photoshoots for Which? magazine. If you’d told me that before I joined, I wouldn’t have believed you!

8. Go on, tell us your 15 minutes of fame.

I starred in the latest Yeo Valley Organic soup campaign! It was such a blast. I got my hair and makeup done and spent a morning pulling carrots in front of the camera. Every day truly is different here at Yeo!

9. What’s your favourite season and why?

I love spring - I think most gardeners do! Plants start to wake up, and there’s a wonderful sense of hope for the season ahead. It’s also one of our busiest times, with so many seeds to sow and so little time!

10. What’s a work-related accomplishment you’re proud of?

This might sound boring, but I’m really proud of organising over 25,000 bulbs to be planted in the right areas of the garden. It took two of us and a rather large spreadsheet, but we got it done!

11. What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?

I could tell you, but then it wouldn’t be a secret anymore...

12. What did you have for breakfast?

Banana, cereal, and a delicious dollop of Greek Recipe yogurt. It keeps me going all morning!

13. What’s the weirdest fact you know?

Snails have a ‘love dart.’ That’s all I’ll say - some things can’t be unlearned.

14. If you could eat one Yeo Valley product for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Ooh, tough one! Probably the black cherry yogurt. It’s just chef’s kiss!