Peter McHoy is a well-known and highly respected author and journalist. He has written books on many gardening and houseplant topics, and has compiled and edited important gardening works such as The Gardening Encyclopedia and The Gardener's Diary. He started his career as a seed analyst, but soon moved into magazine journalism so that he could share his enthusiasm for plants and gardens. He has written more than 60 books, and also runs a horticultural photographic library.