Tanya Visser is probably best known as the presenter of the Home Channel’s popular show, The Gardener. But she is also the editor of The Gardener and Die Tuinier magazines and the author of gardening books.
Planting, tending and cultivating is obviously a core part of Tanya’s work, but it is also a core part of her being. This abundantly positive and bubbly woman has a passion for life and embraces opportunities to share her enthusiasm. She finds time to give talks on behalf of Hospice and the Sunflower Fund and is Child Welfare South Africa’s Green Champion. Tanya no longer has time to man the phone as a Childline counsellor but, as she says, “My need to make sure plants have the right conditions to grow well, even after a setback, must have played a role in my commitment to help children get the right conditions to move on from a trauma. I always bring kids into my talks because children don’t know – unless you tear them away from video games and show them – the joy of gardening.”
“Gardening is a wonderful way to keep centred and connected with all that is good in the universe. Everyone has trouble in their lives and if I can take them out of their situation for an hour – that’s the biggest win. At the same time I love it ‘cos the energy I get back from people is like being plugged directly into the core of the Universe – like the characters in Avatar plugging in their tails.”
Tanya’s passion for gardening rooted itself at a young age on the family plot in Umzinto. Her grandparents and her father were very keen gardeners. “Many of my earliest memories are of gardening with my mom and dad: picking tomatoes, digging up the rich earth to harvest our home grown peanuts, cutting anthurium blooms for the vase and watching as they cared for their potted orchids.”
Tanya built on the knowledge she acquired during those early days by studying horticulture at the then Natal Technikon. Once qualified she began her career at Dunrobin Garden Centre at Botha’s Hill, learning the tricks of the trade and expanding her plant and business knowledge. After a respectable nine years or so in the green industry she moved on to join the world of publishing.
She has just finished a new book, co-authored by Anna Celliers, titled What Can I Plant?
“We’ve taken our top 189 plants, from old fashioned to modern hybrids, and explain why you should plant them, how to look after them and what others in that family you should consider. It’s there to help people make choices in a very easy-to-read, simple format.”
Tanya has never considered another path in life. “Gardening is my passion, my life and everything that I am – in fact I’m pretty sure my blood is green! ”
A dream is to bring the Chelsea Flower Show to local television audiences. “That is my next mission – Chelsea is the gardening Olympics.”
Tanya is comfortable with her obsession for weed free, carefully edged gardens, but in her limited spare time things are more relaxed. “My life is controlled enough by deadlines. I like nothing better than to “kuier” (visit) at home with a few close friends – in the garden of course – with a beer and no time frame for lunch or dinner.”
Tanya, who was an U21 South African hockey player, still manages to trot out for Pinetown Hockey Club’s “Past-Its”. - Sunday Tribune