THERE was a smile breaking at the corners of his mouth and a twinkle in his eye as John Glazebrook explained, "I've always believed the right size garden for a house is as much as the wife can manage."

Before some irate feminist enlists the support of Cherie Blair to sue him, I must point out John was only joking.

For many years, he has been among the country's leading horticulturists and as director of studies at what was then Pershore College of Horticulture, he was responsible for nurturing our top gardening and growing talent.

In fact, John was recently presented with the Institute of Horticulture's award for his outstanding contribution to horticulture, both in England and New Zealand.

The framed certificate now occupies pride of place at his home in Pensham Hill, Pershore, where he lives with his wife Jean.

Jean, as it happens, is a keen gardener too.

"Much better than me," said John. "She mows all the lawns. People ask me what kind of lawnmower I use and I say she's very good."

A wry sense of humour has John Glazebrook.

But don't expect him to drool too much over the current explosion of gardening and garden make-over programmes.

"Too many gimmicks," he observed.

"You can't create a garden properly in a couple of days. It has to mature into its setting.

"You can tell by the faces of some of the people taken by surprise, they don't like the look of what their garden's been turned into.

"And don't mention decking to me. I'm not very keen on it. A garden's a garden, not a riverside mooring."

His preference was for the late Geoff Hamilton - "someone who really understood his gardening".

Of the current crop, John's favourite is Alan Titchmarsh - "He's got a good feel for plants and the soil. You can always tell".

John has been a horticulturist all his life.

He began his career at the former Hertford Agricultural Institute and then graduated from Reading University with a BSc.

In 1949, John and Jean went out to New Zealand, only intending to stay a couple of years.

They returned 13 years later!

In the meantime, John had the rare distinction of being awarded the Associateship of Honour of the Royal New Zealand Institute of Agriculture for his work out there.

Coming back to England in 1962, he joined the staff of Pershore College and remained there until retiring in 1986.

Ever one to spread the gardening and growing gospel, he was a keen member of the Horticultural Educational Association, serving 14 years as its secretary or assistant secretary and a term as president.

"The HEA is unique," he said at the time, "because it brings together people from all walks of life, who have a common interest in all aspects of horticulture.

"One of the things it teaches us is that we are dependant on each other, whatever our particular interests."

The "bringing together" of horticultural interests has been one of the main aims of John's work and was recognised by an award from the Royal Horticultural Society.

"We are always learning," he observed.

The garden centre boom and the general increased public interest in gardening cheers him considerably.

So what sort of a garden has the expert got?

"About a third of an acre," he replied. "Part of it was an old orchard and there's still a quite rare Edward VII cooking apple tree, which must be more than 80 years old.

"There's a sandpit the children used to play in and a waterfall."

"Ah, you have a water feature," I chipped in. "Charlie Dimmock will be pleased."

And he smiled.