I grew up with plants, wildlife and the love of the big outdoors thanks to my parents in North London. When Dad retired we moved to East Sussex in 1976. Young Farmers at Burwash became a great part of my life. After leaving Heathfield School I worked at nurseries before starting at Hadlow College of Agriculture and Horticulture. Whilst at college I started a market stall selling plants. After college I progressed onto selling house plants to garden centres and florists across the south east of England and the Isle of Wight. In 1986 I joined Clandon Park Garden Centre as manager. Here I started my career as a gardening radio presenter with BBC Southern Counties Radio in 1993. This continued for 15 years, building up valuable contacts with the RHS Wisley, live broadcasts from Chelsea & Hampton Court Flower shows, South of England & Surrey County shows. As a result I met a lot of specialists in horticulture, growers, nurserymen, designers and landscapers.
Since 1998 I have been self-employed, working on a private estate and private gardens in Surrey, Sussex and London. This has included garden restoration, woodland management, creation of wild flower meadows, specialist pruning of Wisteria, trained Fruit trees, climbing Roses, Lawn advice, Pest and Disease problems, Fruit and Vegetable growing, supplying, sourcing trees and shrubs for specific planting designs. In a nut shell Consultancy and Advisory work to fellow gardeners.
RHS Wisley have been kind enough to recommend me to advise on horticultural problems in members gardens, including Pest & Disease problems, Lawncare advice, Pruning and much more. I am also an RHS External Garden Advisor, and offer guidance on the Gardening Advice Stand at the Chelsea Flower Show, Hampton Court Flower Show, and Wisley Flor Show.
