Judge in Profile: Balcony Gardener Isabelle Palmer

Isabelle Palmer is the founder of The Balcony Gardener, a UK-based online shop specializing in small space gardening. She offers ready-planted containers and window boxes for patios, roof terraces, and balconies, as well as vintage and contemporary garden furniture, tools, and accessories.

Isabelle herself has two small balconies off her flat in north London; she began The Balcony Gardener when she wanted to create a garden of her own but couldn’t find anything on the market to help her get started. She is now the author of two books: The Balcony Gardener, published in 2012, and The House Gardener, published earlier this year. Isabelle comes from a family of gardeners; as a child she grew strawberries in her father’s kitchen garden.

For more, see Ask the Expert: 10 Tips to Transform a Tiny Balcony into an Instant Garden with Isabelle Palmer, and Coming to America: The Balcony Gardener.

Above: Isabelle Palmer is judging our Best Small Garden (Amateur) category.

5 Things to Know About Isabelle:

• Hardest-Learned Gardening Lesson: I don’t think there are any real mistakes in gardening, as there are no written rules. But one thing I would say is if you’re not using a traditional plant container, always drill some holes for drainage!
• Favorite Garden Anywhere: Asthall Manor and Gardens in Burford, Oxfordshire. The gardens are designed by Julian and Isabelle Bannerman.
• Favorite Gardening Tip: Water accurately, not too much or too little.
• Favorite Public Park: Hampstead Heath in London.
• On My Wish List for My Garden: More space!

For more, visit The Balcony Gardener and follow Isabelle on Twitter and Facebook.