The Three Growbags
In an era where gardening content can often take a somewhat serious tone, it’s a joy to find three self-described ‘getting on a bit’ sisters who have carved out their own niche with a unique entertaining approach to horticulture. Their name alone is inspired, and what started as a simple WordPress blog has slowly morphed into a thriving enterprise, complete with books, speaking engagements, and an online shop.
The sisters, Elaine Fraser Gausden, Laura Warren, and Caroline Rham, grew up in West Sussex, where their parents' love of gardening planted the seeds for their future green-fingered passion. Though their paths to professional horticulture took different routes, their shared love of horticultural has become what they call "a never-ending source of joy," fuelled by the occasional glass of wine and healthy dose of sibling rivalry.
Eldest sister Elaine, a retired classics teacher, splits her time between a small garden in Eastbourne, East Sussex, and a wonderful garden transformed from a field at her Normandy farmhouse, purchased with husband Nigel in 2006. As the group's chief writer and hands-on gardener, she brings the practical expertise to their weekly gardening tips.
Middle sister Laura, has a Cambridge science degree that her sisters teasingly refer to as ‘the source of her intellectual snobbery,’. She lives in West Sussex where, alongside her farming husband Tim, she tends an eccentrically English garden that accommodates numerous dogs, including a Clumber spaniel puppy. She also spends a great deal of time on the west coast of Islay in the Inner Hebrides, on the family farm.
Caroline, the youngest, followed an unconventional path to the Scottish Highlands after leaving school, embracing what she calls ‘the University of Life’ before entering the ‘dodgy profession of journalism and communications'. Now settled north of Inverness, she's gradually creating a garden for her new home while serving as the group's self-proclaimed 'nasty editor,’ ensuring their content maintains professional standards.
Their blog, reaching 3,500 subscribers, delivers weekly newsletters packed with practical gardening tips, plant recommendations, and plenty of sisterly banter. “In these woke days”, Elaine tells us, “you can't be rude about anybody, but we can be rude about each other. Hopefully, nobody can complain about that."
This mix of horticultural expertise and humour has led to self-published books and regular speaking engagements. The sisters maintain their success through constant communication, exchanging upwards of 100 WhatsApp messages daily, especially on Fridays when finalising their Saturday newsletter. They've also expanded their team to include Louise Sims, a talented plantswoman and photographer, who contribues detailed plant profiles to the newsletter.
The sisters can be found online at www.the3growbags.com
Their book BEGINNER’S VEG - easier to grow than you think is available on their website along with Louise Sims’ book A PLANT FOR EACH WEEK OF THE YEAR.
