| Having always held a keen interest in gardening, Kris | | | | being honoured with the title of Daily Mail Plantsman |
| Stowe is delighted to have finally fulfilled his ambition | | | | of the Year, Kris was diagnosed with advanced HIV. |
| of establishing his own business within the horticultural | | | | Though initially he attempted to continue his job as |
| domain. With the help of his partner Alex, Kris has | | | | manager of a Gloucestershire garden centre, sheer |
| created an online haven for green-fingered | | | | exhaustion triggered by his illness forced Kris to |
| enthusiasts worldwide. It is a gardening website that | | | | resign from his much-loved profession. It was at this |
| provides horticultural lovers with a variety of | | | | time that Kris began to ponder numerous |
| services, including the opportunity to pool advice and | | | | entrepreneurial strategies which would allow him to |
| information through an interactive forum, compose | | | | combine his horticultural passion and expertise, whilst |
| articles for publication on the website and research | | | | simultaneously providing necessary income and not |
| local gardening services and facilities. The site also | | | | causing any adverse effects to his illness. Over |
| provides a database of gardening centers across the | | | | several months of recuperation Kris eventually |
| UK, hosts weekly and monthly competitions and | | | | decided upon establishing an online gardeners' website |
| allows visitors to purchase a wide range of products | | | | where people could share their horticultural |
| including gift sets, garden ornaments and, of course, | | | | experiences and knowledge: Gardening Unplugged had |
| flower bulbs and gardening tools. | | | | been born. |
| The seeds of Kris' horticultural passion were first | | | | The original intention of the site was to create a |
| sown when, as a child, he was allocated a small area | | | | horticultural haven where gardeners could share their |
| of his grandparents' garden to tend. His enthusiasm | | | | information and advice by the use of a forum and |
| for gardening continued to blossom throughout his | | | | chat room, whilst also offering users the opportunity |
| adult life, and Kris' horticultural abilities have since been | | | | to write their own articles to be published on the site. |
| rewarded with numerous prestigious gardening | | | | The website brings together some of the key |
| awards, including first prize in the regional Cheltenham | | | | elements of horticulture, and includes practical |
| In Bloom Competition in the summer of 2002. The | | | | information displaying services offered to gardeners |
| Royal Horticultural Society has also recognised Kris' | | | | by local councils and organizations, and a database of |
| gardening potential, and in 2005 bestowed his garden | | | | garden centers across the UK. Since its founding in |
| with coveted NGS status as part of its annual | | | | 2006 the site has evolved dramatically, with weekly |
| National Garden Scheme. | | | | quizzes, monthly competitions, a gardens- to-visit |
| Kris' horticultural dreams were finally beginning to | | | | database, shopping section, book reviews and much |
| come true. However, in February 2007, shortly after | | | | more. |