Growing up in England, I had a go at most of the time-honored sports: soccer, cricket, tennis, bicycle racing and even ice hockey.

Starting in my late teens, I played clarinet in a New Orleans style jazz band, performing in clubs while working full-time in an art studio and later an ad agency.

After a few years living in British Columbia, I headed south to the States to further my career in advertising. In the ensuing years, in San Francisco, I became a partner in three award-winning agencies. Somewhere along the way I started to develop a curious obsession with gardening. Contrary to common belief, all English natives are not born with Felco pruning shears in their cradles.

Finally I quit the advertising biz to start the Larkspur Company, which went on to produce a series of award-winning garden videos.

My former pint-sized garden was awarded Garden Design magazine’s Golden Trowel Award.

I now garden in Sonoma where I live with my wife Suzie, and family cat, Pyewacket.

P.S. Like Kingston, I do the London Times cryptic crosswords. Once in a while I’ll finish one without cheating.