Jekka McVicar

Jekka McVicar has cultivated herbs since 1985. She has achieved international recognition and been awarded the Victoria Medal of Honour in Horticulture, the VMH, by the Royal Horticultural Society and the Life Time Achievement Award by the Gardeners Media Guild. Keen to share the knowledge and her passion for herbs she has been awarded 62 RHS Gold Medals for her floral displays, appears frequently on national radio and advises governments, chefs and members of the public on the use of herbs. At Jekka’s Herb Farm, in South Gloucestershire, she displays her collection of over 400 culinary and medicinal herbs in Jekka’s Herbetum and Jekka’s Herb Garden.

To date, Jekka has published eight books including her bestselling herb book, Jekka’s Complete Herb Book that reached 1 million sales in 2014. Jekka’s books comprise: A Pocketful of Herbs: An A-Z (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2019); Jekka’s Herb Cook Book (Ebury Press, 2010); Jekka’s Complete Herb Book: In association with the RHS (Kyle Cathie, 2007); Jekka McVicar New Book of Herbs (Dorling Kindersley, 2002); Seeds: The Ultimate Guide to Growing Successfully from Seed (Kyle Cathie, 2001); Good Enough to Eat (Kyle Cathie, 1997); and Jekka’s Complete Herb Book (Kyle Cathie, 1994). Jekka has appeared in many television programs including: ITV: Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh, BBC: Marcus Wareing’s tales from a kitchen garden, Channel 4: Sunday Brunch, BBC: Escape to the country, BBC: Countryfile, BBC: Mary Berry Cooks and BBC: The Great British Garden Revival. Jekka contributes to a number of national publications, including: BBC Gardener’s World Magazine; BBC Good Food; Gardens Illustrated; and the Guardian Newspaper and is often featured in the Telegraph.

She regularly broadcasts on BBC Radio 4 including for The Food Programme, Woman’s Hour and a series on BBC Radio 4 called Herbs Pure and Simple as well as Farming Today. She is regularly on BBC Radio Bristol and she has a weekly slot on BBC Radio Ulster. Her roles include: Vice President of the RHS (2016 – present); President of the Friends of Bristol Botanic Garden (2014 – present); President of the West of England Herb Group (2006 – present); Vice President of the Herb Society (2015 – present); RHS Ambassador (2016 – present); a founder member of the RHS Herb advisory group (2011 – present). She was an RHS Judge (1999–2018), chairing the judging of the Great Pavilion at the Chelsea Flower Show (2012–15, 2018); President of the Herb Society (2013–2014); the RHS Nominations Appointments and Governance Committee (2009–2014); and the RHS Fruit, Vegetable and Herb Committee (1998–2014).