Author of four books, TV producer, artist, nature lover, gardening enthusiast, generous giver, consultant, good neighbour and friend are some of the labels given to Jane Griffiths.
A long-standing resident of Auckland Park, Griffiths is the best-selling author of Jane’s Delicious Garden and three other books, the latest being Jane’s Delicious Urban Gardening.
Her first experience with seeds and a shovel was in 1995 when she dug up the lawn in the corner of her garden to plant chillies. Now, 21 years down the line her entire backyard is the home of a variety of fruit, vegetables and herbs. “I fell in love with the whole process of growing things from the earth. But back then there was no Google and no South African based books so I had to adapt the information I found to South African conditions. This is why I believe anybody can grow green-fingers,” said Griffiths.
Her first book was inspired by a phone call from a friend, who asked for gardening advice. Griffiths decided to share her knowledge by making a DVD but soon ended up with a 20 000 word script. Soon Griffiths published a book, which landed Griffiths on the best seller’s list within two weeks. “It has been incredibly rewarding to know that so many people are now growing vegetables because of me,” Griffiths expressed.
When she is not writing books on organic gardening, Griffiths works with her husband, Keith Knowlton, as a TV producer for anything from commercials to short films and documentaries. However, her passion is in her garden, which she calls her oasis.
To further give back to the gardening world, Griffiths will host a talk at the Melville Wellness Centre in Westdene, on 7 May from 2pm to 4pm. The talk, which includes lunch, goodie bags and prizes, costs R200 per person. Bookings are essential and can be made to 061 398 7192 or shaydeannaidoo@gmail.com
Additionally, Griffiths is giving away two annual subscriptions to Jane’s Delicious Garden Planner, easy to use software that gives you growing information, a garden layout guide and a growth tracker among other useful tools. Email your name and contact details to nmt@caxton.co.za, to stand a chance to win one of these subscriptions, valued at R380.
