Gardeners' World Star Shares Emotional Tribute to Late Father
In a deeply moving episode of the beloved BBC gardening programme Gardeners' World, presenter Monty Don visited Karim Habibi at his impressive nursery in Kent. The segment, which aired recently, featured Habibi discussing his extensive collection of heritage apples while opening up about the profound loss of his father.
Preserving Heritage Apples
Karim Habibi revealed that he maintains an astonishing collection of 700 different apple varieties at his Kent nursery. His mission is to preserve as many traditional types as possible, particularly those no longer available in commercial shops. "I'm quite passionate about keeping these apples going," Habibi explained during the programme. "I'm very glad when people come to the nursery for the first time and say, 'Goodness, I never knew apples could taste like this.'"
He described the orchard as a "labour of love" that began in the early 1990s when his parents started the nursery. At that time, Britain was losing many of its old orchards, and his parents were dedicated to searching for old apple varieties to create their collection.
A Heartbreaking Personal Story
As the conversation deepened, Habibi shared the emotional story of losing his father. He recounted how he had persuaded his father to allow him a small section of the nursery where he could experiment with creating new apple varieties through grafting seedlings.
"Unfortunately my father passed away before trying any of those apples," Habibi revealed with evident emotion. "One of the first apples which was an exceptional apple I've actually named that variety after my father."
The special apple variety has been named Hamid's Red Pippin in honor of his father. Habibi expressed his belief that his father would have been extremely keen to sample it, adding: "It's quite sad he never did. But it's quite nice every time I see that apple to sort of think of my dad."
Continuing the Legacy
Following this personal revelation, Habibi continued with practical gardening advice for BBC viewers, sharing tips on cultivating and harvesting apples. The episode showcased not only his horticultural expertise but also the deep personal connection he maintains with his family's legacy through his work.
Gardeners' World episodes remain available for viewing on BBC iPlayer, allowing audiences to witness this touching tribute and learn about heritage apple preservation.
