Indeed, David himself has gone to lengths to indulge his own love of growing. “I actually do not have a garden, but I have a double allotment which still gives me the chance to grow and nurture my own plants. I grow the majority of my own fruit and vegetables organically, which gives me the chance to learn through hands on methods. I have also converted part of the allotment into a garden, which gives me a relaxing place to collect my thoughts and enjoy the greenery.”
David has always had an interest in horticulture, but initially did not see it as a career path. “I got into garden designing after I built a ‘hidden garden’ myself and people started asking whether they could look round it, then whether I could design their garden, which is where it took off from. I now get paid for doing something I love!”
"Any training is useful. It gives you experience so that when things go wrong, you know how to put things right"
When asked about effective learning, David is a firm believer in continuing professional development. “I have an extensive library, which I add to regularly. I am really interested in learning more about plants and horticulture, but I also think that one of the best ways to learn is on the job and sharing practice. Your development never finishes – the day you think you have finished training is the day that you are in trouble. It is an arrogance to think you have ever finished. There is always something else to learn, in horticulture and in any profession. I personally enjoy growing things from seed as it gives you a different understanding of the work involved in looking after plants and how much nurturing is involved.”
In fact, David believes that training has and will continue to aid his business through the years. “Any training is useful. It gives you experience in a number of ways so that when things go wrong – and things can go wrong! – you can deal with it effectively and know how to put things right.“
"You need to stay ahead of the game. I have plans for expansion of the business, it will be a big job but no doubt will be worth it in the end. At the moment I am also looking to create a show garden at Tatton, which will be interesting. If I had my time over again I may have chosen a more academic route and gone through the RHS, but I am happy now that I have on-the-job experience and have obviously had the opportunity to learn from the best in the business.”
