In the garden at Bottengoms, on an early spring morning, biographer and art curator Ian Collins chats about the 100-year-life of Ronnie Blythe.

We talk about how Ronnie was hyper-local to the landscapes of south Suffolk and north Essex, yet wrote in a way that told of the whole world. His life was hard. He lived in the shadow of the workhouse, and yet he found great contentment. Visitors were always charmed by the magic of his home and garden. Ronnie published most of his book aged over 60, some of the best at over 80. His was a fine life of example. Like most, though, he needed support, and this came from Christine Nash. Says Ian, “She was the sort of person who pushed you off.”

Ian recommends Ronnie’s final book, Next To Nature; and talks of his biography of Ronnie called Blythe Spirit, winner of the New Angle Prize in 2025.

His recommended action: try not to feel overwhelmed; savour the moment; bring joy.

For a film short of Ian Collins talking to me at Bottengoms, see https://youtu.be/TYErZWYaCd8.

For more on the Essex Wildlife Trust and Bottengoms, see https://www.essexwt.org.uk/bottengoms

My new book will be supporting this podcast, and will be published in March 2027 by Unbreaking/5m. It’s called "Bamboo and Butterfly: Transformation and Story for Climate and Nature Recovery."