Gardeners’ World star Adam Frost has openly praised his son Oakley’s accomplishments after a “rough” period at school. Diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in his teenage years, Adam disclosed that his son “struggled” with education before leaving school to find “a purpose”.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts brain development, with symptoms that can include difficulty focusing, following instructions, and being easily distracted. As for Adam, he also faced challenges at school due to being dyslexic, a common learning difficulty that primarily causes problems with reading, writing and spelling. Despite his struggles with education, Adam turned his life around by carving out a successful career in gardening under the guidance of the late Geoff Hamilton. Reflecting on how gardening and learning from a professional helped him succeed, he explained: “Like any 16-year-old, who is a bit lost and a bit angry, those influences are so important. Being able to use your hands, and feel like you’re playing a part in something.” Adam revealed that his son has followed in his footsteps with a hands-on career, despite his challenging time in education.
Speaking on the My Time Capsule podcast, he said: “My boy, he struggled at school, he got diagnosed with ADHD just before his GCSEs. He had a rough old time and, like a lot of us, didn’t suit the system,” reports the Mirror.
Following a challenging period during his A Levels, Adam urged Oakley to consider an apprenticeship as an alternative. “He came out and did landscaping for a bit and he was alright, he was doing it, he enjoyed the hard stuff,” he revealed.
“And then, we’re surrounded by stone where we live and I suggested to him about stonemasonry.”
Merely three months into the apprenticeship, Adam observed a remarkable transformation in his son. “He’s carving stuff, he’s making stuff, he’s literally a different human being,” he declared with pride.
“And when he comes home, he’s saying ‘So and so has shown me this’ or ‘Look what I’ve done,’ and you feel like, in the last few months, he’s found his purpose. He’s incredibly good at it considering how long he hasn’t been doing it, but you can just see a difference in him and that’s quite beautiful really.”
Adam shares three additional children with his wife Sulina: Jacob, Abi-Jde, and Amber-Lily. During a previous interview, he revealed the health struggles his family has endured, including Sulina’s battle with sepsis and his daughter’s eating disorder diagnosis.
Speaking on the Loose Ends podcast, he explained: “Her mum was in hospital and she ended up really poorly, she ended up with an eating disorder, like a lot of 15-year-olds, and she had friends going through it at school. So that took its toll.”
Reflecting on how these hurdles shaped the family’s choice to move, he went on: “Probably, in reality for the first time since I was about 16 years old – I realised that my life is slightly chaotic. So as a family, we’ve just decided to scale back, so I can spend more time with them – but it does mean I’ve got a smaller garden.”
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