For anyone finding me for the first time, hello!
For those returning, welcome back.
With Gardeners’ World coming up, I wanted to take a moment to reintroduce myself.
My name is Andrea Connor. I’m a gardener, hairdresser, mum, and (some may say) a bit of a mad one from Peterborough.
Many of you know that I grew up in the care system, which comes with its own unique challenges. For most of my life, I struggled to understand why everyday things felt like such a battle when others seemed to manage just fine. It felt like constant, quiet chaos.
Turns out, there was a reason: I was diagnosed later in life with both dyslexia and ADHD.
Finding that out was bittersweet. It brought massive relief to finally have answers, but also grief as I mourned the person I’d spent decades trying to figure out.
Then, I found gardening.
Stepping outside gave me a sanctuary and a sense of purpose I’d never felt before. Before long, my kitchen table went from a dining space to a full-blown nursery, completely overrun with pots and seedlings.
I adored the colours that plants could bring year-round, and it quickly became a little tagline.
“A pop of colour here, a pop of colour there.”
You might’ve guessed, but that little tagline is incredibly accurate as I adore all things bright and colourful.
What started as a personal healing gardening project quickly snowballed into something much bigger.
I began working alongside PECT and running sessions at Cross Keys Homes’ well-being gardens to share that spark with others. People of all ages came out, got their hands dirty, and helped create vibrant green spaces throughout the seasons.
Naturally, I became a regular face at all the local garden centres (for better or for worse.)
Then my biggest community project found me. Inspired by the Gardeners’ World “One Metre Matters” challenge, I teamed up with Peterborough Positive to create thirty-seven one-metre planters across the city, bringing bursts of vibrant life to the grey spaces between buildings.
(Yes, it was supposed to be one metre and I built thirty-seven. Going overboard was worth it, even with the parking ticket I copped while unloading plants!)
If you watched my video back then, you might remember me joking, “Next stop, Gardeners’ World!” Turns out, sometimes the universe listens!
I’ll be sharing the full story of that gardening journey very soon, but I wanted to give you this little snapshot of me first.
Thank you so much for following along and being part of this ride with me.
Stay sparkling,