Meet Simon
Hi, my name is Simon and I'm the founder and owner of Yarde of Cockington
My interest in making drinks began when spending my school holidays at my father’s farmhouse in the Calvados region of Normandy, nestled among the lush rolling hills and cider orchards of France. Here we would make cidre bouche, a Normandy style of sparkling cider.
After leaving university with a philosophy degree, I studied viticulture (vine growing) and onoeology (winemaking) in Sussex. I then joined the world famous RHS Garden Wisley, looking after one of the largest edibles collections in the country including over 1000 different varieties of apples. I also proposed and designed the popular Wisley vineyard
After a career working as a Garden Manager for both the Royal Horticultural Society and the National Trust, and producer for the BBC, I returned to one of my original passions, making drinks and happy memories
I have also been very lucky to have had the opportunity to write over 30 gardening books, on a range of subjects including pruning, making compost, lawns, allotments, growing fruit and vegetables and many other gardening topics.
I hope you are able to visit us in our studio and shop at Cockington Court in Devon
My interest in making drinks began when spending my school holidays at my father’s farmhouse in the Calvados region of Normandy, nestled among the lush rolling hills and cider orchards of France. Here we would make cidre bouche, a Normandy style of sparkling cider.
After leaving university with a philosophy degree, I studied viticulture (vine growing) and onoeology (winemaking) in Sussex. I then joined the world famous RHS Garden Wisley, looking after one of the largest edibles collections in the country including over 1000 different varieties of apples. I also proposed and designed the popular Wisley vineyard
After a career working as a Garden Manager for both the Royal Horticultural Society and the National Trust, and producer for the BBC, I returned to one of my original passions, making drinks and happy memories
I have also been very lucky to have had the opportunity to write over 30 gardening books, on a range of subjects including pruning, making compost, lawns, allotments, growing fruit and vegetables and many other gardening topics.
I hope you are able to visit us in our studio and shop at Cockington Court in Devon
