What makes a great communicator? 

Perhaps there’s no definitive answer but there was a brilliant example from a very unlikely quarter on Radio 4’s PM News programme.                                            

It started a few years ago when presenter Eddie Mair interviewed Alan  Power, head gardener at the National Trust garden at Stourhead in Wiltshire

and he caused something of a stir…

 He was asked to describe what the garden looked liked in the Autumn of that year so he described what he could see in front of him. 

His description entranced  listeners so much so that the BBC was inundated with requests to hear it again.  Consequently, every year we are treated to Alan’s description of his beloved garden.

Painting Word Pictures

Why are so many listeners, including myself, so engaged by his description?  I believe it is because he speaks with such passion. Not only can we hear it in his tone of voice, but the language he uses is genuinely personal – and unusual.   He really does ‘paint word pictures’.

For instance, he describes the surprisingly few hot weeks we had in October as having “pressed pause on the season”.  He speaks of this “brilliant, brilliant Autumn… the lovely colours of the leaves… no cold temperatures to frighten the Maples”  It’s as if he thinks of his trees as having the same feelings as humans. 

And my favourite … “It amazes me, it actually kicks me in the stomach sometimes, and you can stand and look at it, and wonder at it.” 

To add to our pleasure is Alan’s soft Irish lilt – so perhaps we shouldn’t be so surprised he is able to speak with such poetry.

Here is the link for you to listen for yourself. BBC News – Autumn glory at Stourhead

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