About Us
Growing in the Border began with a garden - and a desire to share it.
Set within the private Blackbrook Estate in Monmouthshire, this is a space shaped over 30 years of careful planting, observation, and creativity.
Meet the Team
Boo Vaughan
Owner
Boo Vaughan has been gardening for over 30 years, beginning her journey after moving to Blackbrook. Her early inspiration came from her childhood in Sussex, where she watched her parents carefully tend their garden, developing a deep appreciation for plants, seasonal change, and the rewards of hands-on growing.
Although largely self-taught, Boo has built her knowledge through decades of practical experience, experimentation, and learning from both successes and failures. This has given her a down-to-earth, accessible approach to gardening that focuses on real results rather than theory.
Over the years, she has developed a particular interest in sharing simple, effective techniques that help others gain confidence in their own gardens, making gardening enjoyable, creative, and achievable for all skill levels.
Kathryn Owen
Head Gardener
Passionate about design, nature and with a love of the outdoors it might seem inevitable that Kathryn would take up a career in gardening, but it took studies in architecture and voluntary work at Peckover House, Cambridgeshire to turn that into reality.
She has a firm belief that good design and results come from a depth of knowledge, experience and practical skill.
Seeing ourselves as an integral part of nature she regards gardening as a dialogue between us and other natural elements, smoothly drawing out the best of the space around us.
Training as an apprentice gardener with the National Trust taught her the value of ‘learning by doing’, and this has been further reflected in seeing students on the garden courses gain and develop skills.