Deirdre Holt

As CEO and founder of Essential Harmony, I would like to take a moment to introduce myself to you.

I was born in Zambia and the very first video I ever saw of myself was of me walking down the garden path, hands behind my back and gently leaning forward next to each rose bush to smell their fragrance.

I drove my father dilly when we lived in Durban and went on holidays to Underberg as I'd load the back of the car with grasses and wild flowers which I'd picked whilst walking up mountains and along the man-made paths. I can still hear him saying, "Ah, Deirdre!" His car is always spotlessly clean! To this day, I cannot walk in my fields at home without spotting a new wild flower to admire and always pick a stem of tall wild grass to carry in my hands.

It is said that if you want to know what work to do as an adult, look back to what you enjoyed as a child. My passion was, and still is plants, which includes growing indigenous plants and grasses, growing herbs and vegetables organically, companion planting, biodynamic planting and of course Essential Oils taken from the plants. I'm passionate about all things natural.

I received my City & Guilds Certificate after studying Garden Design, Horticulture and Herbs and did two Show Gardens for which I received a Bronze Medal for the first and Gold for the second. It was all so much fun!

I belong to the South African Herb Association, Aroma Forum, the Biodynamic Association and the South African Spa Association. The Herb Association is a wonderful Association for anyone interested in Herbs as the education is endless! There is always something new to learn.