Sarah Raven Biography: Net Worth, Age, Career, Height Husband and More

Sarah Raven is one of Britain’s most influential gardening figures—a bestselling author, broadcaster, horticultural entrepreneur, and founder of one of the UK’s largest mail-order gardening brands. Over three decades, she has turned Perch Hill Farm in East Sussex into a nationally recognized hub for flower gardening, plant trials, and sustainable living. This in-depth 2025 biography covers her age, net worth, early life, career evolution, family relationships, and any verified controversies.

Quick Facts

Category	Details
Full Name	Sarah Clare Raven
Age (2025)	62
Date of Birth (DOB)	3 February 1963
Net Worth (2025)	£4–5 million (approx.)
Height	5 ft 7 in (approx.)
Ethnicity	British
Spouse/Partner	Adam Nicolson (writer & historian)
Source of Wealth	Gardening brand, books, courses, TV, events
Education	University of Edinburgh (History); University of London (Medical training)

Early Life

Sarah Clare Raven was born on 3 February 1963 in Marylebone, London. She grew up in a scholarly, intellectually vibrant household. Her father, John Earle Raven, was a celebrated classicist and Senior Tutor at King’s College, Cambridge. Her mother, Faith Hugh Smith, provided a stable and nurturing environment that encouraged curiosity and independence. Raven has often described her childhood as academically rich but also deeply connected to nature.

From an early age, much of her time was spent outdoors. She accompanied her father on botanical walks, learning to identify wildflowers and paying attention to plants as if they were old friends. These excursions played an important role in shaping her early understanding of the natural world.

The Turning Point in Her Youth

Although she excelled academically, the defining turning point in her youth came from the instinctive joy she found in observing flowers and landscapes. While other children gravitated toward games or city life, Raven found herself drawn to patterns in nature, variations in petals, and the behavior of pollinators.

During her teenage years, she pursued history at the University of Edinburgh, a choice aligned with her academic upbringing rather than her deeper affinity for the natural world. After graduating, she trained as a doctor at the University of London. This decision was motivated by practicality and ambition—yet something always felt unresolved.

The true shift happened later when she began balancing motherhood, part-time medical work, and early gardening experiments. Working three-week shifts at the Royal Sussex Hospital left her exhausted, but gardening in the small spaces around her home brought her energy back. She realized she felt emotionally grounded while growing flowers.

This realisation—planting seeds, watching them rise, and feeling alive through color—became the pivotal turning point that redirected her career away from medicine and toward horticulture.

Career & Rise to Fame

Sarah Raven’s career is a blend of horticultural creativity, business building, publishing success, and media visibility. Her rise was not sudden; it grew steadily through experimentation, risk-taking, and building a brand rooted in authenticity.

The Move to Perch Hill Farm (1994)

In 1993, she married writer Adam Nicolson, grandson of poet Vita Sackville-West and writer Nigel Nicolson. The following year, they relocated to Perch Hill Farm in Brightling, East Sussex. The farm at the time was modest—just a basic house, an apple tree, a goldfish pond, and little else.

The lack of an established garden became an opportunity. Raven began by cultivating one-square-metre patches for cut flowers including:

• Phlox
• Cosmos
• Peonies
• Sweet peas

She quickly discovered that annuals delivered more visual impact for less effort, especially when planted in large drifts. This insight evolved into her signature “cutting garden” philosophy.

The Birth of the Sarah Raven Brand

In 1996, Raven took her first entrepreneurial step by launching her initial seed catalogue. She painted the covers herself, wrote descriptions by hand, and packaged seeds at the kitchen table.

The Sarah Raven brand officially launched in 1999, offering:

• Seeds
• Bulbs
• Plants
• Gardening equipment
• Books
• Workshops
• Gardening and cooking courses
• Public open days at Perch Hill

Her company became one of the UK’s most successful mail-order gardening businesses, known for its bold, high-color planting schemes. Unlike traditional English cottage gardens, Raven emphasized strong color palettes—crimsons, purples, lime greens, and silvers—to create dynamic, showy displays.

Publishing Success & Author Recognition

Raven’s writing career began with encouragement from Monty Don, who urged her to turn her gardening notes into a book. She published The Cutting Garden in 1996, establishing her voice as both practical and visionary.

She went on to author many books, including:

• Sarah Raven’s Garden Cookbook (winner of the 2008 Guild of Food Writers “Cookery Book of the Year”)
• Wild Flowers (2011)
• A Year Full of Flowers
• The Bold and Brilliant Garden
• Sissinghurst: Vita Sackville-West and the Creation of a Garden (with Adam Nicolson)

Her books combine sophisticated plant knowledge with accessible guidance, making her one of the most influential gardening writers of her generation.

Television & Media Career

Raven expanded her reach through broadcasting, appearing on:

• BBC2’s Bees, Butterflies and Blooms (2012), documenting the crisis in pollinator populations
• Great British Garden Revival (2014), promoting traditional gardening practices
• Guest segments across horticultural programming

In 2021, she won the Garden Media Guild Award for “Best Radio Broadcast or Podcast” for Grow, Cook, Eat, Arrange with co-host Arthur Parkinson.

Her media roles cemented her place as a leading authority on biodiversity, pollinator health, seasonal gardening, and ecological planting.

Perch Hill Today: A National Horticultural Hub

Over the years, Perch Hill evolved into a vibrant horticultural centre with:

• Large cutting gardens
• Perennial beds
• Plant trials
• Demonstration plots
• Free-range hens
• The color-driven Oast Garden
• Teaching facilities
• Seasonal events
• National Open Garden days

Thousands visit each year for inspiration, learning, and hands-on experiences in gardening, flower arranging, and cookery.

Business Restructuring (2025 Update)

In mid-2025, Raven reacquired SarahRaven.com after the company faced financial strain. Rising costs, post-COVID supply pressures, VAT demands, and a complicated ERP integration forced the business into difficult restructuring.

With new investors, Raven purchased the brand assets and stabilized operations. Reports show:

• 15% year-on-year increase in net sales
• 25% growth in new customer acquisition

The restructuring revitalized the company and preserved jobs, ensuring long-term sustainability.

What Is Sarah Raven’s Net Worth?

Estimated Net Worth (2025): £4–5 Million

No official Forbes profile exists for Sarah Raven, but multiple industry sources and public retail valuations estimate her 2025 net worth between £4 and £5 million.

Primary Sources of Income

1. Gardening & Retail Business

Her online store sells:

• Seeds
• Plants
• Bulbs
• Tools
• Gardening accessories
• Homeware
• Apparel

This is her largest revenue source.

2. Publishing & Book Royalties

With more than a dozen titles, many reprinted and sold internationally, book royalties contribute significantly.

3. Media Appearances & Broadcasting

Income sources include:

• BBC documentaries
• Guest segments
• Podcasts
• Speaking engagements

4. Courses & Events

Perch Hill hosts:

• Gardening masterclasses
• Cookery courses
• Floral workshops
• Private events

These command premium prices.

5. Intellectual Property / Brand Value

The “Sarah Raven” name is a powerful asset within the UK gardening industry, positioning her brand competitively with Monty Don, Gardener’s World, and the Royal Horticultural Society.

Personal Life & Relationships

Sarah Raven married writer and historian Adam Nicolson in 1993. Nicolson is known for his books on history, nature, rural life, and the acclaimed family memoir Perch Hill: A New Life, which documents their early experiences at the East Sussex farm.

Together, they have:

• Two daughters: Rosie and Molly
• Three stepsons: From Nicolson’s previous marriage

The couple’s personal and professional lives are deeply intertwined. Perch Hill serves as both their family home and work base—hosting the garden business, teaching facilities, photoshoots, and trials.

Raven speaks publicly about balancing motherhood with gardening, writing, and business management. She divides responsibilities with a professional team covering logistics and fulfillment, while she focuses on creative direction, horticulture, and teaching.

Controversies

Sarah Raven has no major personal or public controversies as of 2025. Her reputation remains positive, with no scandals, legal cases, or accusations linked to her.

However, business challenges surrounding SarahRaven.com became public in early 2025:

• The business experienced financial distress, attributed to supply chain costs, inflation, and system integration issues.
• The company entered a restructuring process to protect employees and stabilize operations.
• Raven was critically discussed in some gardening forums for the impact on customers during the business reorganization, primarily regarding delayed orders and communication gaps.
• No wrongdoing was alleged, and the brand was later reacquired and revitalized by Raven and investors.

These issues were business-related operational difficulties, not personal controversies.

Conclusion

Sarah Raven’s impact on British gardening is significant and enduring. From her bold planting style to her bestselling books and nationally recognized gardens at Perch Hill, she has reshaped how thousands approach flower growing, biodiversity, and seasonal living. Her entrepreneurial journey—from kitchen-table seed catalogues to a major gardening brand—demonstrates vision and resilience.

Her business challenges in 2025 and subsequent restructuring only strengthened her hands-on leadership and commitment to ecological gardening. Today, Raven remains one of the most authoritative voices in modern horticulture, blending creativity, scientific understanding, and practical teaching with a distinctive aesthetic influence seen across gardens throughout the UK.

FAQs

Who is Sarah Raven?
She is a British gardener, author, broadcaster, and founder of the Sarah Raven gardening brand.

What is Sarah Raven’s net worth?
Her estimated 2025 net worth is between £4 and £5 million.

How old is Sarah Raven?
She is 62 years old in 2025.

Who is Sarah Raven married to?
She is married to writer Adam Nicolson.

Where does Sarah Raven live?
She lives at Perch Hill Farm in East Sussex.

What is Sarah Raven best known for?
Her cutting-garden style, gardening books, Perch Hill courses, and mail-order plant business.

Did Sarah Raven face any controversies?
No major personal controversies; only business restructuring challenges in 2025.

When was the Sarah Raven brand founded?
Her brand was formally launched in 1999.