b'E V E R Y O N E I S T A L K I N G A B O U T . . .THE NEWT!CPD or Continuing Practice Development in myprevious life would have involved me sitting in alaw library - but now it involves trips to gardensincluding the fabulous Newt in Somerset(thenewtinsomerset.com), as guests of somelovely clients. Formerly home to the legendary gardendesigner Penelope Hobhouse and then Sandraand Nori Pope, the estate was bought in 2013 bya South African businessman who has spent asignificant fortune on transforming The Newtinto a modern working day working estate, withover 250 different apple varieties and employing F R E S H V E G & C U T F L O W E R Sbetween 300 and 400 people.LIFE AFTERA refreshing contrast to so many of ourinstitutional classic gardens, the estate is farfrom wrapped in aspic. A visit is most certainly HONG KONGrecommended and indeed if you would likeSophie and I to give you a tour, do get in touch!Imagine having lived in a family apartment inHong Kong - a place where most fresh produce isgrown in China or flown in from New Zealand -where gardens and garden centres are simplyunheard of. Life then takes you to England and a house with2.5 acres complete with greenhouse! Who else tocall but Rob and his team, with their sharedpassion for growing your own. Soon the wholefamily were introduced to sowing seeds,propagating, picking and eating. Of course mostteenagers like a bit of screen time but nurturingan interest in pop up veg gardening, with cutflowers being delivered to the house rather thanflown in from Kenya has got to be a good thing,for both the soul and the planet. Rarely does a month go by without us being askedto design or at least incorporate a cut flower orfruit and veg garden into a project. So let thepassion grow.'