The Garden Expert downs tools aged 85: Dr David G Hessayon blames Google for withering book sales

  • Dr David Gerald Hessayon, 85, has sold more than 50million books
  • Has blamed the internet for the decline of his DIY gardening titles

By David Wilkes

PUBLISHED: 21:00 EST, 29 November 2013 | UPDATED: 21:02 EST, 29 November 2013

Retiring: Dr David Hessayon is retiring from writing after selling more than 50million books

Retiring: Dr David Hessayon is retiring from writing after selling more than 50million books

The world’s favourite gardening author is retiring from writing after selling more than 50million books.

Generations of gardeners have learnt their skills with the help of Dr David Hessayon’s Expert series on how to make things grow.

But at the age of 85, he has announced he won’t commit another word to paper – and warned young authors they are unlikely ever to repeat his success because of the internet.

The multi-millionaire known as Doc made his surprise announcement at the Garden Media Guild Awards in London this week, and received a standing ovation from a star-studded audience including TV gardeners Alan Titchmarsh, Diarmuid Gavin, Joe Swift and Carol Klein.

‘In the future I’ll offer people gardening advice but I won’t write any more,’ said Dr Hessayon, who is the best-selling non-fiction writer in the world.

‘At 85, I’m entitled to stop. I won’t write my autobiography though because I’m bored of hearing about myself so God knows what everyone else feels.’ 

Lamenting the decline of DIY guides, he said: ‘They’ve been quite badly hit in the last few years. Five years ago, all the best-selling gardening books were how to do it books.

 

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'Now it’s look at my garden or look at other people’s gardens. To write a bestseller now you need to choose something you can’t look up on Google.’

Half of all British homes are said to have at least one of his series of DIY gardening books, which started in 1958 with Be Your Own Gardening Expert.

easy care
bulb expert

Popular: Half of all British homes are said to own at least one of his DIY gardening books, including The Easy-Care Gardening Expert and The Bulb Expert

Warning: Dr Hessayon has warned young authors they are unlikely ever to repeat his success because of the internet

Warning: Dr Hessayon has warned young authors they are unlikely to repeat his success due to the internet

They are known for their formula of down-to-earth writing with pictures, charts and photographs.

Looking back on his career, Dr Hessayon said: ‘There was a great era when people wanted information from books.

'My The Bedding Plant Expert was in the top ten of all non-fiction books, but that won’t happen again.

‘The garden reference book market has declined because of the internet. If you have a problem you go on the internet. I pity anyone new coming into writing.’

Dr Hessayon studied botany and chemistry at Leeds University, before being awarded a PhD in soil science from Manchester University.

Announcement: The multi-millionaire made his surprise announcement at the Garden Media Guild Awards in London this week

Speech: The author made his surprise announcement at the Garden Media Guild Awards in London this week

He later became managing director of Pan Britannica Industries, the makers of Baby Bio plant food. 

He lives in a 25-room Georgian mansion in Essex with 27 acres of gardens, containing every one of the 10,000 plants he has written about. 

But five years ago he admitted that tending his own roses and shrubs no longer gave him pleasure, because he knows too much for it to be therapeutic and ‘can see problems about to happen’.

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Just think of all the professional gardeners who never were because we all bought this man's books and didn't need to consult anyone in person.

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Google's Kindle has saved many Thousands if not Millions of trees.

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How do you work that one out? Would you be suggesting the trees are going to pulp to produce paper? How many go to producing fuel, heating for electrical goods to be produced? How many more go to providing them with power to continue to work?

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I don't believe it is google, more like todays people fall for the TV programmes and think everything can be bought in. Those of us in the know who raise from seeds or cuttings generally share our knowledge and books with others who are willing to put in the effort. I have a Percy Thrower book somewhere from the 50s, that too is used for reference. Anyway Dr.D.G.Hessayon is one man I would dearly like to meet, shake his hand.

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The Internet is useful if you have a specific question to which you need an answer, however gardening books are great for inspiration and ideas. I have several of his books, all of which I've had for many years, and I often look through them.

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His veg growing book is a must if you have an allotment or plot to grow veg on. I'm an old hand at it but I always recommend this book to newbies.

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Love these books and have bought several as presents for new gardeners

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I have several of them and use them often. They're all excellent books and so very down to earth and practical, even for we gardeners down here at the bottom of the earth.

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Ah - so that's why he was always plugging Baby Bio. He once wrote: If you must have a tree.. and there he is, with a garden full of trees, the hypocrite! But, great books, yes.

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I'd never heard of him but funnily enough I want to buy one of his books now.

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Oh dear! I have to confess I look on the net! But there is so much contradictory advice that I inevitably return to my treasured Hessayons.....and many other gardening books, some quite old! Bit like old friends, you never tire of them! G Bartholomew East Sussex

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