Jekka McVicar

Biography

Born Jessica Stanley Clarke, she was brought up in Chew Magna, Somerset, and learned about the use of herbs from her grandmother, the writer Ruth Lowinsky, and her mother. At the age of 17, after leaving Cranborne Chase School in Wiltshire, she joined the progressive rock band Marsupilami as a singer and flautist. The band released two albums, appeared at the Isle of Wight Festival and the first Glastonbury Festival, and toured in Europe.

After working for a time at the drama department of the BBC, she began working at a herb nursery in Somerset. She married Ian "Mac" McVicar in 1976, and in 1987 they established a herb farm - now known as Jekka's Herb Farm - at Alveston near Bristol. They have the largest collection of culinary herbs in the UK, with more than 500 different varieties. She has been awarded 62 Royal Horticultural Society Gold Medals for her organic herb displays, including 14 at the Chelsea Flower Show, and Best Floral Exhibit at Hampton Court in 2007 and 2008. She was awarded the RHS Lawrence Medal (2009), for the best exhibit shown at any RHS show during that year.

McVicar has published several successful books, notably Jekka’s Complete Herb Book and Seeds, which have been reprinted in association with the Royal Horticultural Society. She also regularly contributes to a number of national publications including BBC Gardener’s World Magazine, BBC Good Food, Gardens Illustrated and the Guardian newspaper, and has appeared on many television programmes, including Great British Garden Revival (December 2013) and Mary Berry Cooks (spring 2014). Her first major cookbook, Jekka's Herb Cookbook, was published by Ebury Press in June 2010.

McVicar is a Vice President of the RHS Council, the governing body of the RHS responsible for its strategic direction, and sits on a number of RHS committees. She is also President of the Herb Society (2013-); President of the West of England Herb Group (2006-) and was a Member of RHS Council (2005-2016); the RHS Nominations, Appointments and Governance Committee (2009-2016); the RHS Fruit, Vegetable and Herb Committee (1998-), the RHS Horticultural Board (2010-); the joint Chairman of the RHS Three Counties Agricultural Society Joint Committee (2011-); and is a founder member of the RHS Herb advisory group (2011-); RHS Judge (1999-) and chaired the judging of the Great Pavilion at the Chelsea Flower Show (2012 and 2013).

McVicar was awarded the Garden Media Guild, Lifetime Achievement Award; ‘for services to horticulture, design, education and communication and excellence in the field of organic herb growing’ in December 2012. She was awarded the VMH (Victoria Medal of Honour) for her services to horticulture in 2017.