Monday, 15 February 2027 at 8:00 pm - 9:15 pm
My earliest garden memory is picking and eating peas at my Grandad’s allotment, the excitement and taste of which remains with me today. As a child I wanted to be a farmer, as a teenager I worked weekends and summer holidays in a local garden centre and plant nursery, which is where I developed a love for gardening. Also I had an interest in collectables, antiques and history. Becoming Head Gardener at a National Trust property combines all of my interests! I took a degree in Architectural and Design history, I had also been on some National Trust working holidays in Devon and Northern Ireland – I realised that the social ideals of the National Trusts founders was something I really believed in. I secured a volunteer placement at Cragside where I completed a forestry course, which then lead me to my first paid job at Claremont Landscape Garden in Surrey where I immersed myself in horticulture and garden history. From there I moved to Dyrham Park, then in 2004 I moved to Tyntesfield as Assistant Head Gardener, then eventually Head Gardener. The last 20 years has been an incredible experience being involved in all aspects of the restoration and development of the garden. Working in a largely ‘complete’ garden with so much work still do to is why the job is still interesting and rewarding, and watching planting projects come to fruition is incredibly satisfying.