The Chartered Institute of Horticulture’s Northern Branch Commendation for 2024 has been awarded to the broadcaster Marian Foster. Marian will be a familiar voice to many as the long-running host of BBC Radio Newcastle’s ‘Garden Mania’ programme. The Commendation was presented in recognition of Marian’s tireless promotion of community horticulture in the North of England.
The award was presented by Northern Branch Chairman Clive Parker CHort FCIHort on stage at the Northumbria in Bloom Awards Presentation, held at The Fed, Gateshead on Wednesday 18th September at which Marian was compere. Marian has been a champion of community horticulture through her work as judge/assessor with Northumbria in Bloom: encouraging local communities and volunteers to make lasting sustainable improvements to their local environments.
Marian’s career in broadcasting included a time presenting the BBC1 afternoon chat show Pebble Mill at One for fourteen years, from 1972 to 1986. She has also been a regular broadcaster from RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
For more than 20 years Marian has presented her weekly ‘Garden Mania’ programme on BBC Radio Newcastle, now also broadcast on BBC Radio Tees, alongside regular gardening experts including John Guy. Through this medium she has been a wonderful promoter of community horticulture, planet friendly gardening and environmental issues through participation in the Northumbria in Bloom and the Royal Horticultural Society’s ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ campaign, as well as the RHS Campaign for School Gardening.
Marian is a former President of the North of England Horticultural Society and a member of Garden Media Guild.
“I have had the privilege to work with Marion recently as the powerhouse behind the ‘Garden Mania’ programme on BBC Radio Newcastle on Sunday mornings, as a stand-in gardening expert I witnessed her masterly command of the broadcast: making sure I knew exactly what I was required to do! And I know that she takes every opportunity to promote gardening and community engagement whenever she can, making a positive difference to communities in our area” Clive Parker, Chairman Chartered Institute of Horticulture Northern Branch.