Weeds, peat-free soil and lawn stripes: Wimbledon’s head gardener answers your questions

You could walk through the grounds of the All English Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club without ever spotting Martyn Falconer, but you likely will have admired his horticultural handiwork. He’s the man who keeps the place looking lush and green. Falconer joined the team at Wimbledon in 1999 as a contractor. Now, over a quarter of a century later, he’s the head gardener, looking after everything from the ivy that climbs up the centre court walls to the hanging baskets in the viewing stands. I interviewed Falconer for our Readers Ask series, where members of the Telegraph Recommended Community put their questions to industry experts. From a day in the life of the Wimbledon gardening team to his opinions on peat-free composting, here are his answers. When did you start as head gardener and what’s your favourite moment so far? Fakhrul, West Midlands I’ve been head gardener since 2014. My favourite moment is the start of each championship, when the public comes through the gate at 10am and we’re ready for them. Every year, it’s worth waiting for. What’s the best thing about your job? Peter, London The people that we work with. Everyone at Wimbledon, from the gardeners to the offices to the catering staff, is amazing, all ready and waiting to reach the same goal. Everyone works as one.