During her eighties pop career Kim Wilde had no garden, let alone any gardening knowledge. Now she is know well known for her green fingers and contribution to UK garden design. She told iVillage.co.uk how she makes her garden grow

When did gardening become something more serious for you?

Kim Wilde: Gardening first started into something more serious when I married and had children. I wanted to make a dream a reality and inspire my children with a wonderful garden. I had a blank canvas.

At first I wanted it all to look great. I was bothered by the aesthetics of things. It took me a while to find the beauty in things that perhaps didn't look perfect. I then took a course a Capel Manor College in Enfield and followed by my City & Guilds qualification and then I started to get planning and grow my own.

I started off with no knowledge and no garden. Now, 10 years later I have knowledge and a garden, both of which I'm proud of. I take such joy from my garden. There's such pleasure when plants you've forgotten you've planted come up again. And, of course, anything you eat that you've grown yourself is fantastic.

What would you advise as a good all-round vegetable to grow?

Kim Wilde: My favourite vegetable to grow is beetroot. Its big seeds are easy to grow and it's a hardy vegetable. It's fantastic in soups, raw in salads and I also pickle it with garlic and horseradish. The leaves are fantastic in salads so I like the fact the whole thing gets used and enjoyed.

I grow a few vegetables. A moderate amount of the food we eat is from our garden and I only buy organic fruit and vegetables. My children enjoy planting things like radishes, salad leaves and pulling up the produce when it's ready to harvest.

If you want to start gardening, where should you begin?

Kim Wilde: There's nothing more inspiring that seeing a seed grow. Buy a small container, sow a seed and see what happens. I defy anyone not to be inspired to grow more. Herbs are also an easy thing to grow, with low commitment required! Shop-bought herbs are expensive so it can save you money, and the quality of home-grown herbs is much better.

When do you spend most time in your garden?

Kim Wilde: During spring I'm in my garden an inordinate amount of time. As soon as the clocks go forward I'm out clearing foliage, mulching borders and generally getting my hands dirty.

We have an outdoor dining space that's adjacent to the kitchen and also next to the vegetable patch so spring is when we can really start to enjoy that again. It brings the garden into the house.

My favourite time to garden is late summer evening before the light fails. At that time all the scents of the garden have collected and it just smells great.

Do you think gardening is now a more glamorous hobby?

Kim Wilde: Absolutely. A few years ago I remember it being called the new rock and roll. Young people are now talking about 'grow your own', it's become a trendy thing to do.

It's no longer such a niche thing, everyone can have a go. It's become cool. I'd imagine that it's a pretty cool chat-up line, 'growing your own'. It's a sexy subject these days!

Why are you encouraging people to Dig Their Dinner?

Kim Wilde: Because growing your own, even if it's just adding some freshly grown herbs to your dinner, really does make you feel fantastic. Add to that the importance of protecting endangered species to preserve variety and diversity of what we're eating and there's even more reason to get involved.

It's easy for people to get involved in the campaign by joining Garden Organics Heritage Seed Library to save 10 endangered seeds or on an everyday basis, by planting Heirloom seed varieties, which may become forgotten over time.

What top gardeners do you admire?

Kim Wilde: I admire anyone who gardens but particular favourites include Christopher Lloyd, a man of great character and a great gardener, Beth Chatto is always someone to learn from and Richard Lucas, who I designed the Chelsea courtyard garden with in 2005.

Richard is one of the most incredible and inspirational gardeners I've had the pleasure of working with. Last but not least, I have great admiration for Julie Toll, who was responsible for bringing the concept of wild flowers to Chelsea as flowers and shaking off their bad reputation as weeds.

What is your favourite month in the garden?

Kim Wilde: April time, when spring finally arrives and you can watch bulbs come up and herbaceous plants appear. I grew up in a predominantly evergreen garden and I get so excited now by my herbaceous plants and how they disappear and reappear each year.

Have you ever had any gardening disasters?

Kim Wilde: The worst has to be when my daughter skinned the bark of a beautiful Rhus tree. Within two days it had died. But of course you have to expect these things with children in the garden, like allium heads being given to you as a bouquet! Our garden is a family garden however, and it's used as a family garden should be, and for the most part is survives!

What do you prefer, gardening or singing?

Kim Wilde: I love singing and gardening with equal passion. I can't imagine a life without either of them and luckily no one is making me choose!

Kim Wilde supports the Dig Your Dinner campaign to help save 10 endangered 'Heirloom' vegetables which were grown in the past but are not produced in modern, large-scale farming. Seeds of Change's Dig Your Dinner campaign encourages the nation to grow their own dinner and to help preserve tasty, endangered British vegetables for the future. For further information please visit www.digyourdinner.co.uk