An American-born gardener living in Ramsey has amassed more than 200,000 YouTube subscribers through sharing her passion for gardening, beekeeping and natural living.

Tanya Anderson, who runs the popular YouTube channel ‘Lovely Greens’, said she never expected her online audience to reach such a size.

‘I really didn't imagine my YouTube channel would grow as much as it has,’ Tanya recalled.

‘I remember when it hit 10K, and I was pleasantly surprised! I'm thrilled that so many people enjoy my gardening and DIY content and find it useful.’

Tanya believes the popularity of gardening reflects a growing urge for people to reconnect with nature, particularly as more than 80% of the world’s population now lives in urban environments.

‘We are detached from the natural world yet still crave that ancestral connection to soil, sun, and nature.’

For Tanya, that connection eventually led her to the Isle of Man.

Originally from Whidbey Island in Washington State, she moved to the island from London more than 16 years ago in search of somewhere she could garden and live a more sustainable lifestyle.

A tourism campaign on British television first introduced her to the island, with one advert featuring Knockaloe Beg Farm. Despite moving here in 2010, Tanya only visited the farm in the west of the island for the first time recently.

‘It was such a highlight and brought that journey full circle for me,’ she said.

Over the years, Tanya has come to know and love the Isle of Man as her ‘forever home’, describing her attachment to the island as more of a feeling than something she can explain.

‘It's much safer here than in many places in the USA, and the climate is great for temperate gardening. What makes it my forever home is more of a feeling than a rationale, though I love the Isle of Man,’ she said.

She hopes that the island can preserve it’s unique heritage and culture in the future.

The island’s climate does present challenges for gardeners, with Tanya describing it as ‘incredibly windy’ and its summers as unpredictable.

In Tanya’s own garden she has a hard-shelled polytunnel to ensure crops can continue growing whatever the weather, but believes the island is well suited to a wide variety of green vegetables, berries and root crops.

For those looking to start growing their own food, Tanya recommends keeping things simple and choosing something easy to grow, quick to mature and, most importantly, something they enjoy eating.

Berries are among her top recommendations for Manx gardeners, with raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants and gooseberries all well suited to the island’s climate.

Tanya also believes the small size of the island is helpful when trying to create a strong gardening community, something she has experienced through the annual Seed Swap and Plant Share in Laxey she helps organise.

‘The same people come back year after year to share seeds, stories, and gardening tips,’ she said.